《The Exiled Soldier》 Prologue Prologue Year 369 Castle in the City of Hilltown Country of Midhe Nuae, Planet of Terra Saint Edmunds ¡°Slaughtering caged animals for sport is spineless and barbaric,¡± Prince Jon Raedwald insisted as he rose onto his toes until he was level with Archery Master Quinn. One of the suns was shaded by clouds, so he had tossed his three-sided brim protector onto the pile of gear like the other students. This freed him to position his nose directly in front of the Archery Master¡¯s face as he pointed at the smallest gurygum corral utilized for domestic livestock, and declared the redundancy of the lesson. ¡°The kitchen stores have plenty of meat.¡± Four hand-raised stags, called Rebacks because their mothers had been bred back to original water buffalo imported from Earth so they would be docile, had ambled and munched on paddock grass without concern. Using the number branded into the flanks, Quinn had designated one animal for each student to track inside the enclosure and kill. The sole remaining animal snorted and pawed frantically. Fellow student Alec Mulrian shifted from foot to foot nervously as he observed the confrontation, dreading that one of the two would take things too far. Instead of meeting Jon¡¯s anger, however, the Archery Master waited until Jon¡¯s legs grew tired and forced the boy to sink down before he directed condescendingly, ¡°You will kill the animal.¡± Although the other students had all complied with Master Archer¡¯s demands, in truth, only Prince Jon or Prince Gunnar had the standing to object to the master¡¯s assignments. Alec doubted that the younger prince would side with Jon because Gunnar had stepped up eagerly to shoot first. Holy King Harrison insisted that the children of soldiers defending the country were to be educated as equals to his own, so Prince Jon, Prince Gunnar, a sergeant¡¯s daughter named Isla MacDonald, and Alec, a soldier¡¯s son, studied under the same sword master, archery master, fight master, and battle master. At thirteen, Jon was barely of age to study at this level with the Masters, although his actual skill was superior to anyone else there. Gunnar was two years younger than Jon without his brother¡¯s natural abilities. He was also so much smaller in stature than the others, that they took turns stepping on the stirrup to reload his crossbow for him. For most students, this time together would have formed bonds of camaraderie that would last a lifetime. While Jon and Alec learned to work seamlessly together, unfortunately, the odd grouping seemed to only foster resentment in Gunnar and MacDonald. Archery lessons and practice took place outside the bailey on the far side of the moat stocked with carnivorous gorefish. In all but the most severe weather citizens gathered near the field to watch the lessons and ogle the princes. Gunnar reacted to the adulation by snarling at the spectators and keeping his distance. Whereas, Jon spent as much time as he could talking with them, learning their names, and asking after their families. Alec admired how easily Jon interacted with everyone, no matter what their stations in life. For reasons Alec never understood, Master Quinn nursed an antipathy toward Jon and the crowd seemed to bring that dislike to the surface. Whether Quinn was annoyed at the crowd¡¯s interruptions and distractions or jealous of the attention given to his student rather than the master, Alec didn¡¯t know. Although he had to keep his face expressionless, Alec winced inside at how Quinn condemned Jon for the simple mistakes normal to someone learning and wondered if there was some sadistic part of the Archery Master that relished doing so in full view of the people gathered. Even Jon¡¯s unusually accurate aim proved to be unsatisfactory. At every opportunity, Quinn would loudly claim that Jon was worthless. ¡°You are a coward. You¡¯re too figgict soft,¡± Archery Master Quinn continued, upbraiding the prince. ¡°Get in there and accomplish the task, or you will be plucking turkeys and turning their feathers into fletching for the next four dimmings, Child.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. At Quinn¡¯s blatant unwillingness to address his brother with the appropriate appellation, Gunnar cleared his throat loudly. Quinn met the younger boy¡¯s deep brown eyes and stared for several seconds before he amended, ¡°Maybe your friends would like to join you fletching for the next ¡ª eight ¡ª dimmings? That¡¯s 64 full days.¡± Then he added with the emphasis of an insult, ¡°Your. Most. Royal. Highness.¡± ¡°Jon always thinks he¡¯s too good to do what the rest of us have to do,¡± Isla groaned. She leaned over toward Alec and hissed triumphantly, ¡°That punishment sure doesn¡¯t bode well for you, does it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a prince regardless of whether or not you like him, Isla. Show him proper respect or I¡¯ll see an end to your sarcasm,¡± Gunnar spoke up. ¡°Come on, Jon. We all had to. And everybody before us. You can uphold your scruples after we graduate. For now, just do it and get it over with.¡± Jon¡¯s eyes raked over the Archery Master, returning Quinn¡¯s open disgust with consummate royal disdain. Without looking toward his brother, Jon gestured in the air. Gunnar dashed over to the pen and yanked the gate open. When the Reback, frightened by the death of the other animals, shied away, Gunnar rushed into the pen itself shouting, ¡°Haw! Haw! Move it, You Old Cow. Move.¡± Isla and Alec glanced at each other, and then darted into the pen yelling, ¡°Haw! Haw!¡± The stag stormed through the open gate and desperately charged toward the woods. Jon took a graceful, running leap onto the gurygum fence, shouldered his crossbow, and tracked his target. Just before the animal moved beyond range, Jon placed a bolt through the Reback¡¯s heart. A cheer went up from behind Archery Master Quinn. Jon jumped from the fence and turned to see not only the crowd of admirers but also his oldest brother Prince Reginald holding hands with his new girlfriend Colleen, his next oldest brother Prince Ethan, and their respective Kings Guards all laughing, clapping, and hailing Jon¡¯s prowess. Several meters away the Commander of the Armored Grays, King Harrison¡¯s exclusive, personal militia sat on his stallion observing impassively. ¡°That is the mark of a true prince,¡± Prince Ethan said as he approached the Archery Master. ¡°Slaying an animal locked in a cage is distinctly lacking in valor.¡± The instructor bowed and greeted him, ¡°Your Royal Highness.¡± ¡°Child,¡± the prince responded with a smirk. Prince Reginald dropped Colleen¡¯s hand, stepped between the Archery Master and his pupils, and reproached, ¡°When you¡¯re called to defend Midhe Nuae, Jon, you won¡¯t face peaceful Rebacks calmly waiting for you. The beasts you¡¯ll fight will be trying to kill you first.¡± He raised one eyebrow at his younger brother to ask if he understood. When Jon bowed his head affirmatively, Reggie continued, ¡°Jon, you and Gunnar are needed in the castle. All of us are. Please excuse them, Master Quinn.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Royal Highness¡± the Archery Master responded. ¡°I¡¯ll have the other students transport the kills to the cook.¡± ¡°To the community kitchen for all of Hilltown,¡± Prince Reginald corrected. ¡°We have plenty of meat. They can make better use of it. Please be sure that servants take it to them. Even the students who lack royalty deserve a certain amount of deference.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Quinn conceded with a bow. ¡°In the future, Master Quinn, you will cease trying to humiliate Prince Jon in front of the others, and you will address him appropriately. Failure to do so will result in your dismissal,¡± Prince Reginald said sternly, his eyes centered on Quinn¡¯s. The master bowed a second time and took one step backward. As appropriate to their standing as his pupils, Jon and Gunnar each bowed to Quinn and then turned to sort through the pile of gear at the edge of the archery field. Jon loaded his crossbow and accessories into Alec¡¯s arms so that Alec could return the weapons to Jon¡¯s personal apartments. The two younger brothers fell into step with the two older ones. Reggie and Colleen walked so closely together that their sides touched and they conversed in private whispers. Ethan draped his arms over his younger brothers¡¯ shoulders and strode between them companionably. A few minutes into their walk, Ethan paused and said, ¡°Gunnar, I¡¯m proud of how you stood up for Jon. That was truly an honorable thing to do.¡± Gunnar grinned and the walk continued until Ethan stopped again and teased, ¡°Jon, you shouldn¡¯t let all the cheer and applause for that incredible shot get to you. After all, I¡¯m the one who first showed you how to use a crossbow, so any accolades would really be mine.¡± Jon elbowed Ethan sharply but good-naturedly. Reggie sent a hearty laugh over his shoulder and soon the others roared, too, before settling once again into their stroll to the monstrous stone walls, gurygum beams, crenelated parapets, and drum towers of the castle they called home. Alec also headed to the castle, but out of deference to his companions¡¯ rank, he trailed behind them several meters. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 1 Chosen Chapter 1 Chosen It¡¯s such an honor. I can¡¯t believe how lucky I was. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 Year 374, Present Time Hilltown Streets Leading to the Tara Citadel Alec and the Royal Archers stood at attention along the parade route as Prince Reginald the Chosen, dressed in the full regalia and uniform of an Honorary Commander of the Kings Soldiers, rode on a white stallion in the Ritual Procession ahead of his brothers, the Kings Guards, and even Holy King Harrison. The crowd cheered. Some threw flowers. Others clapped wildly. Alec and Archer O¡¯Leary struggled to restrain a group of young women who, despite the presence of Colleen, pressed forward frenziedly and bawled, ¡°We love you, Reggie! We love you.¡± When Prince Reginald neared the steps of Tara Citadel, a young novitiate named Ainsley pushed her dark hair away from her face and she rushed to pull open the wide doors to the Great Hall. Novitiate Ainsley was joined by other immaculately dressed novitiates who held the doors wide so that the magi could emerge and greet their honored guest. The twenty-three-year-old prince turned his stallion back to ride over to his family. He reached out one hand to Gunnar, who clasped it awkwardly and then let go. Reggie moved his horse to do the same with Se¨¢n and Jon. Both clasped Reggie¡¯s hand, only releasing it with reluctance. When Reggie reached Ethan, his brother guided his horse forward, and instead of clasping Ethan¡¯s hand, he wrapped his arms around Ethan¡¯s shoulders and held him before slapping him on his back and smiling. Reggie paused with Colleen for long moments as he pressed a kiss on the underside of her wrist, then enclosed her hand in both of his. As the pair stared into each other¡¯s eyes silently, Jon wondered why Colleen O¡¯Reilly was standing with the royal family. Previously she had never been extended that level of respect and recognition, so Jon was curious as to what had happened to convince their father to accept her despite having disapproved the entire five years Reggie and Colleen had been together. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Last of all Prince Reginald rode up to his father where the Commander of the Kings Guards immediately took the reins of the prince¡¯s stallion. Reginald acknowledged the Kings Guard respectfully and then swung majestically off the white stallion. As the prince strode up to his father the brightly polished row of medals and ribbons across his chest glimmered in the sunslight. Reggie bowed deeply from his waist and then sank to one knee to wait while Holy King Harrison rested a palm on Reggie¡¯s head. The king mumbled words that were intended to be a prayer of encouragement for the Chosen, but the prince could not hear what his father was saying. From the way his father stooped under the weight of the horns protruding from his back, Reggie questioned if the king was well. He wondered if he too would have that same defeated look one day. While the king prayed, Ava Most Revered appeared in the open door of the Tara Citadel. A tiny woman with olive skin, black hair, and deep brown eyes, she made her way gracefully down the wide, elegant staircase as drums pounded, trumpets and horns blared, and a choir of priests and magi raised their voices in song. The Most Revered placed one of her palms on Prince Reginald beside Holy King Harrison¡¯s and took up the prayer in a strong, articulated voice. When it ended, and Holy King Harrison didn¡¯t respond to his name, she forcefully removed the king¡¯s hand. The prince rose, and started to bow respectfully to the Most Revered who stopped him by saying loudly, ¡°It is I who bows to you, Chosen.¡± The crowd cheered as she bent solemnly from her waist, straightened, and gestured toward the steps of the Tara Citadel with one hand. When they walked forward, she followed two paces behind to indicate his new status. Prince Reginald the Chosen mounted the elegant steps, covered now with a finely made runner hand-knotted in the royal green, gold, and white of the Holy Prince. As he gained the top step, Novitiate Ainsley suppressed a giggle, but not before the Most Revered noticed and narrowed her eyes. Reggie winked at the novitiate to put her at ease, then turned and lifted his hand in a wave to the crowd. As the crowd¡¯s answering roar reached a crescendo, Reggie bowed to them and then entered the Great Hall. The doors slapped closed behind him and immediately Magi Soldiers grabbed his arms, ripped off the sleeves of his jacket, and shackled him in iron fetters and chains. ?2022 Vera S. Scott The Exiled Soldier: Dramatis Personae and Glossary Dramatis Personae Ainsley Novitiate Alannah Erienne¡¯s daughter 2 years old Annie¡¯s Rebels Army led by Annie Jarek Armed Watch, Armed Watchers ¨C militia, guards, and police of SnakeIn Armored Grays King Harrison¡¯s private militia Asterion Child in Citadel dungeon Ava Most Revered Ruling Mage, the Voice of the Divine Universe, Ava O¡¯Connor Beathas Most Revered in distant past, body in SnakeIn gibbet Captain Brady Captain of the Royal Archers Ciaran Soldier who loves Princess MacKenzie Healer Callahan SnakeIn healer who helps Jon Barry Cavendish Friend of Alec¡¯s on night watch Little Grace Cavendish Barry¡¯s grandchild who meets Se¨¢n by the statue Robbye Cavendish Barry¡¯s grandchild who meets Se¨¢n by the statue Callan Docherty Youngest son of Craig and Kenzie Craig Docherty Innkeeper of The Exiled Soldier, married to King Harrison¡¯s sister Kenzie Docherty King Harrison¡¯s sister, Princess MacKenzie Rory Docherty Oldest son of Craig and Kenzie Erienne Housekeeper and caregiver sent to Jon by Annie Catrin Evans Sews for Alec so that her son Morgan Evans can be Alec¡¯s students Morgan Evans One of Alec¡¯s students Fia brindle Wolfhound (name means deer in Irish) Gr¨¢inne Most Revered Senior Mage in the time of King Tiernan Captain Tom Jarek Son-in-law of King Harrison. Annie¡¯s husband Annie Jarek Harrison¡¯s sister Princess Tatiana, First Contingent, Tom¡¯s wife, Padraig MacGavin Commander of the SnakeIn''s Armed Watch Scientist Mackey Hilltown Scientist who survives beyond the Mothership Cataclysm Magi Soldiers Mercenaries employed by and loyal to the Most Revered Alec Mulrian Royal Archer, Jon¡¯s best friend and spouse, Alec Holdingfree Grace McCreesh Child warrior who loves Se¨¢n Liam McCreesh Learns martial arts from Jon and Alec, Grace¡¯s older brother Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Seamster McSwiney Tailor, the seamster who joins the healer to sew up Jon¡¯s wounds Nell Most Revered Senior Mage directly before Ava, also a Mentoring Priest Lachlan O¡¯Hara Father of two of Alec¡¯s students Archer O¡¯Leary Royal Archer who is Alec¡¯s friend Colleen O¡¯Reilly Reginald¡¯s wife and then Gil¡¯s wife Archery Master Quinn Teacher to Alec, Jon, Se¨¢n, Gunnar, and Isla Chadwick Raedwald King Harrison¡¯s older brother Ethan Raedwald King Harrison¡¯s second oldest son Prince Ethan Edward Raedwald King of New East Anglia, cousin of Harrison and his offspring Gil Braeford Raedwald Grays Commander, King Harrison¡¯s best friend and cousin Gunnar Raedwald King¡¯s Harrison¡¯s second to the youngest son, Prince Gunnar Harrison Raedwald King of Midhe Nuae, back deformed by horns, Prince Harrison Indulf Raedwald King of Midhe Nuae, ancient, ancestor of Harrison, body in SnakeIn gibbet, author of Exiled to Wild Midhe Nuae Jon Raedwald King Harrison¡¯s third oldest son Prince Jon, Jon Holdingfree Malcolm Raedwald Brother of King Indulf, First Contingent of SnakeIn Marston Raedwald Brother of Tiernan, Uncle of Harrison, Father of Gil Noah Raedwald King of New East Anglia, ancient, also ruler over Midhe Nuae as Indulf¡¯s father Reginald Raedwald King Harrison¡¯s oldest son, Prince Reginald Se¨¢n Raedwald King Harrison¡¯s youngest son, Prince Se¨¢n, Se¨¢n Holdingfree Tiernan Raedwald King before Harrison, back deformed by horns, Harrison¡¯s father, Gil¡¯s uncle Captain Reid Ship¡¯s Captain, interviews Alec for his crew Survivor Olivia Raedwald, Niece of the financier who purchased the planet Terra Saint Edmunds, still owned by the Raedwald family, ancestor of King Harrison Glossary Aurrato candelabra tree Produces tar-like sap used as an ugly preservative Beet Nuts Fruit of An indigenous plant whose seeds are a source of protein Broad-leaved rain tree Extremely Wide-spreading tree providing shade from the two suns Enveloping Defense A forcefield surrounding SnakeIn Figgict, figg¡¯t Swear word Gurygum Bulbous tree with a soft trunk that will harden to a stone once the tree is cut down. Can be molded into shapes when soft. The thick, waterproof sap produced each spring is used as a sealant. Incappbo Seeds Indigenous plant with healing properties against infection Kings Guard ¨C Police who guard the royal family Kings Soldiers ¨C Regular army Magi Soldiers ¨C mercenaries who answer to the Most Revered Midhe Middle Mothership Cataclysm The explosion of the last ships leaving Terra Saint Edmunds to return to Earth Nuae New Purple Moth Tree Trees with purple leaves inhabited by moths. Its leaves form a canopy marking a path to Braeford Manor Prince-Eaters Dangerous Animal resulting from genetically engineering peaceful Earth Water buffalos Rebacks Offspring of a Prince-Eater and an Earth Water Buffalo Royal Archers ¨C elite branch of the Kings Soldiers Sunsbabies twins, sometime called suns-brothers, suns-sisters Thiar West Thuaidh North, an isolated city in the north west of Midhe Nuae where the passage is to Loystott in New East Anglia Time Calculations 8 days equal one dimming, which is the span of time from one eclipse to the next, caused by one of the two suns revolving behind the other. 32 hours in one day. 416 days in a year. Unclaimed Swear word indicating that the person is so worthless no one would love them ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 2 Ritual Chapter 2 Ritual This is why we exist. This exact moment when we sacrifice ourselves for our Holy King is the reason we are bred so carefully and nurtured our entire lives by the Magi. Talk about being blessed! ¡ª Prince Eater #34 Five Days Later, Arena Outside Tara Citadel Jon and Ethan had stood beside the Ritual columns since First Sun that morning, keeping what was known as the Vigil of Brothers. Eleven-year-old Se¨¢n was too young to stand beside them, and although Gunnar was old enough at sixteen years, Holy King Harrison forbade both of his younger sons to participate in the Vigil or to attend the Ritual itself. Despite that disappointment, however, Jon and Ethan were honored to witness Reggie become the Holy Prince. When trumpets announced the impending entrance of Prince Reginald The Chosen, Jon and Ethan left their stations and moved at a steady, graceful pace to the royal loge where Holy King Harrison was being settled into an ornate chair. The king was dressed in full royal attire, including the diamond and sapphire crown, however, their father¡¯s face sagged, his eyes were unfocused, and the weight of horns on his back seemed to bend him forward painfully. Since Ethan was the presumptive heir to Prince Reginald¡¯s titles, Harrison insisted that he dress in the formal uniform of an honorary commander of the Kings Soldiers, and wear the array of medals awarded to Reginald over the years. Ethan was surprised since Reggie had worn them on his chest when he entered the Tara Citadel, and after thinking a moment, Ethan had refused his father¡¯s command, insisting that he would not usurp Reggie. Harrison started to object, but then bit back his retort and merely nodded his head. As a compromise, the two princes dressed in royal silks with ornamental daggers at their waists, and Ethan carried the medals in a gleaming onyx case. Jon stood quietly while Ethan arranged Reggie¡¯s medals on a velvet display cushion at the front, center of the loge, and then the two mounted the steps at the rear of the loge and took their seats on each side of Holy King Harrison. Jon teetered nervously on the edge of his seat in silent trepidation as his brother entered the arena heavily garbed in the shimmering, illusion cloak that revealed only his bound wrists which were attached to a velvet rope lead. The lead was necessary because now that he was insubstantiated, the Chosen was blind and could easily be hurt. The lead was a compromise that allowed the Chosen the opportunity to walk with confidence in front of the assembly. Jon¡¯s eyes scanned the crowd and a sense of relief flooded through him when he located Alec in his role as a Royal Archer assigned to a mundane, mid-level station in the stands with the crowd. As Novitiate Ainsley removed the illusion cloak and adjusted the Ritual Mask, Jon wondered why she was crying. He had no time to dwell on the question because the velvet lead had been removed from Prince Reginald¡¯s hands and magi were shackling his wrists and ankles spread between the two columns in the center of the Ritual Arena. Reggie¡¯s left arm twisted oddly and was heavily bandaged, so the magi were forced to readjust the chain on that side of the column so that the prince¡¯s damaged hand could rest lower than the other. Reggie faced the gate to the Prince Eaters¡¯ pen and the Most Revered and her magi prayed in a semi-circle around him. Although he was meant to be praying also, instead Jon stared at the mask on Reggie¡¯s face. It was stained with tears. ¡°Isn¡¯t he supposed to not feel anything?¡± Jon asked his father. Holy King Harrison sat with his vacant eyes unfocused. When he didn¡¯t answer, Jon turned to Ethan and tried again, ¡°I thought he was not supposed to be able to feel pain or be sad, or angry. That the magi were supposed to prepare him first.¡± ¡°They are,¡± Ethan agreed without taking his gaze from Reggie. He leaned forward intensely. ¡°This is wrong. This isn¡¯t what¡¯s been described or what we, as princes, are told to prepare for. Father, what¡¯s going on?¡± Holy King Harrison continued to sit silently without acknowledging his sons¡¯ questions. ¡°We need to help him,¡± Jon begged. ¡°I don¡¯t know how,¡± Ethan said. ¡°I want to, but I don¡¯t know what to do. If he doesn¡¯t go through with this, they¡¯ll have the Royal Archers execute him.¡± ¡°If he does go through with it, the animals will kill him,¡± Jon countered. ¡°Father?¡± Ethan asked as he reached out one hand, carefully avoiding Holy King Harrison¡¯s horns, and touched his father¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Father, this isn¡¯t right. You need to stop the ceremony and find out what¡¯s gone wrong.¡± Holy King Harrison ignored his sons. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Jon stood and he also stretched his hand out to get the king¡¯s attention. As he did so, the gate to the Prince Eaters pen exploded into pieces, and the beasts stampeded toward Reggie. The Most Revered and magi turned and ran to the stone buildings erected for their protection behind the Chosen while Prince Reginald fought against his bonds. ¡°He isn¡¯t insubstantiated!¡± Ethan abruptly cried out in alarm. ¡°He¡¯s still real!¡± Jon, too, suddenly understood the danger. Since Reggie was standing and the Prince Eaters¡¯ heads were low-slung, the beasts would never be able to spear their horns through Reginald¡¯s chest and midsection as called for in the Ritual. Catapulting to his feet Jon yelled, ¡°They¡¯ve planned it. We have to help him! They¡¯re going to kill him. Ethan! Look at how it¡¯s set up. They want him to die.¡± Even as Jon shouted the warning, the lead animal pushed one of its horns through Reggie¡¯s leg, twisted its head, and wrenched the leg from Reginald¡¯s body. Reggie screamed as his blood spurted from the stump. A second beast speared its horn into Reggie¡¯s other leg and repeated the savage amputation. Jon seized the short wall fronting the royal loge and vaulted into the arena. Ethan¡¯s feet hit the arena¡¯s dirt only seconds after Jon¡¯s. The two of them drew ornamental hunting knives from the jeweled scabbards at their waists as they ran toward their brother. Reggie¡¯s masked face tipped toward them, and he yelled before a spasm of pain took him again, ¡°No! Ethan, No! She¡¯ll kill you. She wants Jon ¡ª" Ethan ignored his brother¡¯s terrified shouts. His longer legs quickly outdistanced Jon, and as soon as Ethan got close to the animals, he jumped, landed on one of the beasts¡¯ backs, and plunged the hunting knife between its shoulder blades. The Prince Eater bucked and twisted trying to dislodge Ethan and remove the biting pain from its back. As Ethan twisted the knife deeper into the savage animal, a second Prince Eater hooked him around his waist and flung Ethan into the air. The Commander of the Magi Soldiers, holding his bludgeon menacingly, stepped directly into the path of Jon¡¯s advance. Something stung Jon¡¯s back sharply and he felt his knees buckle. He was quickly surrounded by Magi Soldiers, who used wooden quarterstaffs to pin him against the ground. ¡°You should have followed directions and stayed with your father,¡± The Most Revered said bitterly as she stepped between the soldiers, looked Jon squarely in the eyes, and twisted two rings of decorative bracelets that ran from her wrist up her forearm, stopping just short of her elbow. Sizzling Holy Lightning zinged from her bracelet into Jon¡¯s body. He fought against the current but lost consciousness as his body jerked and seized. Moments before the darkness completely took him, he heard Ethan¡¯s screams mingle with Reggie¡¯s. From the spectator stands, Alec watched in horror as the beasts ripped Reggie and Ethan apart. The ravenous animals tore at legs, arms, stomachs, and necks, chewing and swallowing the princes in the middle of the Ritual Arena. Ava Most Revered kept Jon subdued, and as the animals came closer the Magi Soldiers formed a barricade in front of her rather than protecting Jon who lay unconscious in the dirt. Alec rushed down the steps of the stands, ducked underneath the halberds of the Kings Soldiers who were trying to control the crowd, and raced into the Ritual Arena. As Armored Grays swarmed hot and angry into the area, two Magi Soldiers ran toward Alec to prevent him from reaching Jon. The Grays formed an impenetrable line of protection around Alec and raced with him to Jon. Ava and her magi retreated from the Ritual Arena when she saw the Grays, but she turned back when she realized that the Grays had engaged her Magi Soldiers and were beating them away from Prince Jon. She walked back into the battle and raised her bracelets to aim more Holy Lightning at Jon even though he was already unresponsive, his eyes closed, and breathing shallow. The Grays Commander slid his longsword into its scabbard and calmly stepped between Ava and her intended victim. Reaching behind his back, he drew a long rod, similar to a quarterstaff, but made of silver and molded to a sharp point on one end. Holding it tightly in his gauntleted right hand, he raised his arm higher than his head and plunged the sharp tip of the silver staff deeply into the ground. The Holy Lightning slammed into his armor, crackled around the plate metal, and then traveled down the silver staff into the ground. Dumbfounded at the sight, Alec hesitated, but then shook himself and lifted his crossbow to place a bolt between the eyes of an animal sniffing at Jon. Stepping into the crossbow stirrup, he reloaded as quickly as the bow allowed, ran several more steps, and then lodged a bolt into the next beast. When he reached Jon, he straddled the prince, loading and shooting bolt after bolt at the charging animals. While most of the Royal Archers sprayed the beasts with quarrels from the stands to protect the spectators, Archer O¡¯Leary and two other Royal Archers ran to Alec and stood courageously beside him. ¡°Cover me,¡± Alec solicited. ¡°We¡¯ve got it,¡± O¡¯Leary agreed. Alec hooked his crossbow onto his back, pulled one foot from across Jon¡¯s body, and then quickly scooped his friend into his arms and ran toward the royal loge. As he did, several of the Kings Guards left their positions in front of the king and raced onto the field to surround the prince. Alec was disconcerted to see a healer he didn¡¯t recognize examining the king curiously, but when he came close the healer instructed, ¡°This way, follow me. Once we get to safety, I¡¯ll look the prince over.¡± Alec moved to follow the healer, but two of the Kings Guards barred the path and ordered, ¡°Give him to us. You have no business in the royal residences.¡± Alec had no choice. He stared for long seconds at where they disappeared with Prince Jon, and then reluctantly turned to survey the arena. The remaining Prince Eaters were once again corralled in the pen and Magi Soldiers were installing a new gate. The Most Revered was nowhere to be seen. Prince Reginald¡¯s hands were still locked in the shackles and the Grays Commander was removing the prince¡¯s insignia ring from what remained of Reggie¡¯s fingers. Scattered between the dead beasts littering the Ritual Arena were ripped articles of royal clothing, one of Reggie¡¯s handless arms, half of a foot, and a portion of Ethan¡¯s head and face. There were other leftover pieces Alec couldn¡¯t bear to identify. Rubbing his eyes as if they hurt, he sniffed, straightened his shoulders, and joined the other Royal Archers headed to their barracks. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 3 Medal Chapter 3 Medal They chose thirty-three other Prince Eaters before they even thought of me, but somebody refused. Technically that makes me 34. I can¡¯t imagine why anyone would refuse. Can you?¡ª Prince Eater #34 The next day Holy King Harrison sent the Medal of the King¡¯s Honor for Heroism to Alec for his role in rescuing Jon. Sadly, His Majesty was too overwrought with grief to attend the ceremony so he directed that one of Alec¡¯s superior officers bestow it on him. Sergeant Isla MacDonald strode into the barracks, demanded everyone¡¯s attention, and then called Alec Mulrian forward. Stepping in front of Alec, she retrieved the medal from the box, held it up for everyone to see, inspected the front, inspected the back, grunted a loud ¡°harrumph,¡± and returned the medal to the box. Turning sharply, she stomped out the door and tossed the box with the medal into the large barracks trash bin. Before anyone could move or react, someone outside the barracks door barked, ¡°Sergeant MacDonald!¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she responded. ¡°You are derelict in your duties as an officer, Sergeant, and in a serious state of Contempt toward the Crown,¡± Captain Brady responded, still speaking loudly for the sake of everyone inside the barracks. He lifted a brow over one heavily lashed eye and commanded, ¡°Retrieve that medal immediately and clean it thoroughly.¡± The Royal Archers heard shuffling paper, thudding boxes, and MacDonald panting as she crawled into the trash bin, located the box containing the medal, and then scaled the sides of the large container to get back out. After a few minutes of silence, Captain Brady said, ¡°Give it here. Now follow me. Parade march, Sergeant.¡± Captain Brady strode into the barracks where the Royal Archers immediately resumed standing at attention. Pointing to MacDonald, he said, ¡°You stand right there, Sergeant. I don¡¯t want to hear one word, not even a cough until I tell you otherwise.¡± As MacDonald complied, the captain strode proudly down the line of Royal Archers until he stood in front of Alec Mulrian. Taking the freshly polished medal from the box, he pinned it precisely on Alec¡¯s uniform, and offered, ¡°Congratulations, Corporal Mulrian. You have the gratitude of Holy King Harrison for acting so quickly to save the life of Prince Jon. The events yesterday were unprecedented and dangerous. I know that I and the rest of the Royal Archers are honored to have you as one of us.¡± The captain saluted Alec who returned the salute with precision despite feeling awkward about being on display in front of everyone. He glanced at MacDonald as he did, but immediately shifted his eyes back to the captain who was saying, ¡°As you were. Not you Sergeant MacDonald. Thank you again, Mulrian.¡± Alec¡¯s comrades crowded around him, pounding his back and congratulating him while the captain ambled past Sergeant MacDonald without speaking. From time to time a subordinate officer from the captain¡¯s office stopped in to check on Sergeant MacDonald, but Captain Brady did not return to the barracks until two hours later. He strolled the full length of the building stopping to greet each archer still present, and then as he sauntered out he stopped in front of her and said, ¡°At ease, Sergeant.¡± He started out the door, and then paused to warn over his shoulder, ¡°Next time the dungeon.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Alec slept poorly that night because he kept reliving the death of his two friends and the attack on Prince Jon. The royal funeral would be held at Second Sun rise the next morning and his mind had just settled at the break of First Sun when Sergeant MacDonald called him into the barracks office. She spoke plainly, ¡°Under no circumstances are you to appear at or be seen anywhere near the royal funeral, Mulrian. Your relationship with Prince Jon has been called into question. Why did you find it appropriate to leave your station at the Ritual and race into the arena like some fool?¡± ¡°Sir?¡± Alec responded. ¡°I was protecting the prince. I regret that I was unable to protect His Royal Highness, Prince Ethan, also.¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Sergeant MacDonald continued. ¡°Holy King Harrison is grateful. The country loves you. You¡¯re the darling of the moment. Blah, blah, blah. Nevertheless, Prince Jon is next in line for the Ritual, and it is no longer appropriate for you to be his friend.¡± ¡°Sir? How could friendship be inappropriate?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be insubordinate. I¡¯m giving you a direct order. Do not attend the funeral. From this moment forward, do not continue your relationship with Prince Jon on any level beyond the professional services of a Royal Archer. If I find that you have ignored any of these orders, you will be flogged and thrown in the dungeon for at least eight dimmings, longer if I feel like it. Do I make myself clear?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Dismissed.¡± Alec walked from the barracks slowly, his head low, his shoulders slumped. He wasn¡¯t on duty until nightfall, and the entire day spread out before him. A day in which he would not see Jon, would not be able to offer him support, and would not know how the prince was dealing with his shock and grief. He hadn¡¯t seen Jon since the Kings Guards took him from his arms. He sighed, shoved his hands into his pockets, and circled back to the barracks where he dug through his locker to find the bag of white and blue feathers he had saved, the knife he used exclusively for fletching, his cutting board, glue, and the shafts he had ready. Wandering from the Royal Archers¡¯ Complex, he found a shady spot under a St. Edmunds Willow on the bank of the nearby pond and began the tedious, exacting work of fletching three sides of the shafts. Numerous groups of soldiers, archers, and Grays gathered in distant groups or walked together intent on their mission of the day without giving him more than a passing glance. Yet Alec was uncomfortably aware of the unwavering surveillance of two low-ranking archers who followed his every move. After he''d been there a couple of hours, he looked up to see the massive Grays Commander sitting comfortably on his stallion, also observing him intently. Gil Braeford adjusted his three-sided brim protector so that it obscured his face as he resisted acknowledging Alec when the archer looked up. Knowing Alec to be an exemplary soldier, Gil wondered why it had taken so long to survey his surroundings. Even as he asked himself the question, he shrugged it off. Grief was explanation enough. Mulrian had known Prince Reginald and Prince Ethan personally and should have attended the funeral. When Gil noticed Mulrian¡¯s absence, he sent inquiries. His spies came back with an incredible report that a direct order had exiled Mulrian from Jon¡¯s presence and then went on to detail her animosity toward Mulrian in general and how often she abused him. Gil would have to see about straightening out the sergeant¡¯s frame of mind. Not only were her actions unbecoming of an officer, but she also played a perilous game with her future ¨C if she were successful in bringing down Mulrian she would find the two most important members of the Royal House pitted against her, along with most of the residents of Hilltown. ? 2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 4 Willow Chapter 4 Willow The Ritual establishes the bravery and honor of the Chosen. I¡¯m so excited I can hardly stand still. Can you even imagine being part of something so important? ¡ª Prince Eater #34 Holy King Harrison had sunk into a coma within an hour after the funeral, and from experience, Gil knew that the king would be unresponsive for hours. Someday he would figure out how to prevent the Most Revered from controlling the king that way, but after years of research, he was no closer to an answer than he was the first time he had witnessed her putting Harry into a coma. He could see that the power to do so resided in the Most Revered¡¯s bracelets. Thanks to his research and the time he spent studying with experts in SnakeIn, Gil understood that they controlled electrical current, but since the jewelry was either on her wrists or locked in a box she kept next to the head of her bed, he had never had the opportunity to examine them to determine how. Gil inspected the horns on Harrison¡¯s back regularly and suspected the horn at the nape of the king¡¯s neck to be more than the other horns. Once, in an effort to relieve some of Harrison¡¯s distress, he had tried to saw off one of the smallest horns on his lower back, but the action had caused so much pain that Gil lost hope of finding a physical remedy and focused on research. After ascertaining that Harrison was definitely unconscious, Gil stationed a team of Grays nearby in the unlikely event that the Kings Guards needed assistance and then went to check on the two younger princes who had locked themselves in their private apartments to cry alone. Gil assigned Grays to discreetly watch over each of them also. Once satisfied that the royal family was protected, Gil saddled his stallion and rode out to investigate the situation with Alec Mulrian. Of all the places Corporal Mulrian could have been, Gil did not anticipate finding him lounging beneath this particular willow, where the remains of Ava¡¯s and Harrison¡¯s daughter rested among the tree roots. Furthermore, he hadn¡¯t expected to find Mulrian under a punitive guard ordered by MacDonald. Eventually, Alec set aside the tedious task, stretched out with his hands folded behind his head, and closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d napped, but a sudden jolt to his legs jerked him awake. His eyes flew open, and he sat up abruptly. Prince Jon stood a meter away, laughing despite his sad, drained face. A glimpse beyond Jon showed Alec that the low-ranking archers stalking him were moving closer, and the Grays Commander had directed his horse to walk forward as well. Alec leaped to his feet to bow deeply and formally to Prince Jon. ¡°Your Royal Highness,¡± he greeted Jon in a booming voice. ¡°I apologize for my laziness. If there is anything I can do to help you, sir, please let me know. Again, I apologize for falling asleep.¡± ¡°Alec?¡± Jon reacted. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, Your Royal Highness,¡± Alec said loudly. More softly he added, ¡°I¡¯m under strict orders to not interact with you. Sergeant MacDonald has threatened to have me flogged and imprisoned if I do. She all but guaranteed that I won¡¯t live through it.¡± ¡°That is unbelievable. She grew up beside us,¡± Jon commented, incredulously. He shifted his stance so that he blocked the view of the sentries. ¡°I¡¯ll have Captain Brady transfer her to Thuaidh in the north. In the meantime, does that mean I can¡¯t even talk to you?¡± ¡°If you need me, it¡¯s my duty to comply,¡± Alec responded, trying not to grin openly. The two archers quickened their pace. The Grays Commander urged his horse to a trot resulting in the archers colliding with the stallion. As they stumbled and regained their footing, the Grays Commander said sternly, ¡°His Majesty has need of both of you. Report to his chambers immediately.¡± ¡°Sergeant MacDonald sent us to keep watch on Mulrian,¡± one of the archers complained. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Are you disobeying Holy King Harrison?¡± the Grays Commander asked as he leaned forward to loom over them. ¡°Ah, no, no, sir,¡± the archer backtracked and the pair scrambled toward the castle. The Grays Commander turned his attention back to Jon and Alec and then dipped his head to them as if to reassure them that it was safe for them to talk, but while Alec wasn¡¯t sure if that was his meaning, Prince Jon dipped his head in return. Jon plopped on the ground next to where Alec had been asleep. He picked up one of the feathers and studied it casually. ¡°Alec,¡± he began. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen. With us, I mean. I want the cottage and the moonflowers, and a simple life together. But I¡¯m the next in line. I¡­I just don¡¯t know.¡± Alec sat on the ground again and sighed. ¡°I understand. We¡¯ll have to take it day by day until we see what¡¯s what.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s run off,¡± Jon suggested. ¡°Tonight. You and I together. We can go to New East Anglia. My cousin Edward will take us in and protect us. Or we can go to Midhe Thiar if we have to. Maybe we could find a little place in the wilderness beyond SnakeIn to make our own. I don¡¯t want to be the Chosen and become king. I want to be with you.¡± ¡°I feel the same way,¡± Alec agreed as he resisted his desire to trace the outline of Jon¡¯s lips with his fingertip. ¡°But how can we escape our destinies? If we run and are caught, they will force you to witness me be summarily hanged, and then you¡­you know what they¡¯ll do to you.¡± ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Jon said. ¡°But we can at least slip out tonight and pick moonflowers for our garden. I promise you, wherever I end up, I¡¯ll plant a moonflower garden for you.¡± Alec laughed and said, ¡°I can¡¯t. MacDonald shifted me to the night watch. I think she wants me idle enough in the wee hours that I¡¯ll start to worry too much about being banned from the funeral and forbidden to see you in the hope that I¡¯ll misstep. She¡¯s doing her best to get me court-martialed. Every day, she makes another threat. It¡¯s only a matter of time before she gets her chance. That will be the end of me. If she can¡¯t get His Majesty to order my execution directly, she will drag out the punishment, so I die anyway. You know she can do it. As it stands, my future as a Royal Archer is already over, thanks to MacDonald.¡± ¡°Figg¡¯t her,¡± Jon bit out. ¡°I don¡¯t have the rank to get around her,¡± Alec continued. ¡°Not yet anyway. There¡¯s a commission for captain opening up that I¡¯ve been promised. I¡¯ve been saving up to pay for it. Once that happens I¡¯ll be out from under her abuse.¡± He exhaled in frustration, and then suggested, ¡°I¡¯ll try to switch watches with someone. She still might not like it, but at least that way it wouldn¡¯t be a dereliction of duty.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t risk it,¡± Jon said. ¡°I¡¯ll go on my own. And I¡¯ll think of you with every baby plant I find.¡± Alec smiled, leaned farther back onto his elbows, and said, ¡°Tell me how you are doing. I¡¯ve been worried about you.¡± Jon shifted his weight, and then slowly, softly talked about all the things that had occurred, how troubled his sleep was, how empty and pointless everything seemed without Reggie and Ethan, and how the only way his father seemed to be able to cope was to spend most of his time unconscious. They talked until First Sun started to set and Alec had to prepare so he could report for duty. Alec was well into his watch when Jon tip-toed out of his own apartments in the castle. One of the Royal Guard stationed directly outside the prince¡¯s rooms had dozed off leaning against the wall and Jon heard the other Royal Guard down the hall laughing. As he went by, he saw the guard and two Grays gambling with a pair of dice. He didn¡¯t draw attention to himself but crept down the stairs. Jon relaxed as he moved along the ground floor hall leading to one of the castle¡¯s side entrances. When he caught movement from the corner of his eye, he turned guardedly. Novitiate Ainsley was hurrying in the same direction as he was, so he smiled and held the door for her. She thanked him softly, then hastened toward the Tara Citadel while he continued on his way to the castle¡¯s outer walls. Ainsley reached the door of the citadel and pulled it open with a sigh of relief. She wasn¡¯t authorized to be outside her sleeping quarters at night, and she feared that she would be severely punished if her Mentoring Priest learned of her excursion. She closed the door tightly behind her and slid the bolt into place. As she spun around to hurry upstairs, two Magi Soldiers grabbed her arms, one also clasping a hand over her mouth to ensure her silence. ¡°You¡¯re coming in late, Novitiate,¡± Ava Most Revered commented, her voice cold and her hands folded in front of her. ¡°Yes, Most Revered, I apologize,¡± Ainsley stammered when the soldier dropped his hand. Thinking quickly she added. ¡°I thought I saw something but didn¡¯t want to worry anyone until I was sure.¡± ¡°And are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, Most Revered, it was¡­it was nothing.¡± ¡°What kind of nothing?¡± Ainsley knew that she could never tell anyone about her rendezvous or betray who met her. She searched through her brain for something plausible to say, something harmless but convincing, then her face brightened and she said casually, ¡°It was only Prince Jon leaving.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 5 Moonflowers Chapter 5 Moonflowers Of course the other side of it is the potential for such good food. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 Once beyond the walls of the castle, Jon stayed cautiously in the center of the pedestrian bridge spanning the gorefish moat and then ran across the archery field and the field beyond that, and into the woods. Unlike other countries on Terra Saint Edmunds where colonists from Earth had taken advantage of the similarity of the two planets by importing an onslaught of plants from Earth, Midhe Nuae¡¯s vegetation remained chiefly native species. Some of the exceptions that flourished were roses, primroses, leather flowers, daylilies, and, most importantly to Jon, moonflowers. When Jon reached his destination, he swept the brush and tall grasses to one side to be able to examine the ground underneath them, always taking care not to disturb any of the dangerous plants, such as carnivorous ferns which would use their small sharp thorns to attach to flesh so that the fiddlehead could devour it, or the blood umbrella vine that would suffocate the unwary to provide its seeds with fresh, organic nutrients. That done, he focused on gathering moonflowers. The task lasted a couple of hours and at one point he increasingly felt a strong sensation of someone watching him. He stood, and turned in a circle scrutinizing the brush and tall grasses. Seeing nothing, he completed his task and headed home. He was within sight of the archery field when Ava Most Revered and Magi Soldiers ambushed him. A rope flung from horseback pinned Jon¡¯s arms to his side, preventing him from drawing his short sword, and a quick jerk dropped him to the ground where he was dragged in a circle by laughing Magi Soldiers. The bag over his shoulder split open under the force of the abuse and dozens of moonflower plantlets scattered over the field. Jon got his left arm free, but the rope slipped to his neck when he tried to rise. Although the Magi Soldiers seemed happily willing to strangle him, the Commander of the Magi Soldiers thundered, ¡°Halt. This isn¡¯t according to tradition.¡± A squat, bald-headed man with bulging eyes outlined by heavy eyelashes, he treated his soldiers harshly and was proud that his reputation reflected that. He professed to be fair and objective at all times. His subordinates agreed publicly, but never in private. ¡°Keep going,¡± Ava Most Revered demanded. ¡°Belay that order,¡± the Commander of the Magi Soldiers yelled. ¡°This will be done according to our laws. No other way. Loosen the rope.¡± As the two soldiers released the rope around Jon¡¯s neck the Most Revered strode into the center of the field of torture, kicked Jon brutally in the ribs, and said, ¡°You are a complete fool, Prince Jon.¡± Jon struggled to rise but could only manage to climb to his knees. The Magi Soldiers moved the rope from his neck to around his arms and chest and then added a second which they held taunt in the opposite direction, restricting his movement and forcing him to maintain that same position, unable to rise, for several long minutes despite his growing weakness. Ava Most Revered finally leaned down, captured his chin, and forced his face upward. ¡°You. You were to be the Holy Prince. Reginald and Ethan had to go. It¡¯s my good fortune that they both went at the same time. They were too headstrong. Too self-determined. But you. You would have been perfect. Kind. Gentle. Tender. You could have been drugged, twisted, and manipulated, just like your father. It was all settled. You sorry, sorry idiot. By tomorrow you will be dead, and I¡¯ll have to figure out how to get beyond Gunnar to Se¨¢n. Gunnar won¡¯t do. I planned so much for my son and he¡¯s turned out to be a disappointment. Se¨¢n is a child, so I don¡¯t know yet how easy he¡¯ll be to control, but he¡¯s the Last Prince so I¡¯ll have to make do with him.¡± She spat into Jon¡¯s face, stomped back to her horse, and ordered the Magi Soldiers, ¡°Take him to Holy King Harrison. Dead would be expedient.¡± By the time they towed him into the throne room, Jon had to be held upright. His right arm and leg were broken, and an open gash bled down the length of his left arm. Even with the serious wounds inflicted on him, the resemblance between Jon and Harrison was obvious. Although only nearing 40, the king¡¯s blond hair was thin and mottled with gray, his clear blue eyes were smudged and cloudy, and his once tall, lean build bent by the combined weight of the horns on his back and the muscular stoop of a Prince Eater. Because of his awkward gait, he seldom attempted to walk even short distances without servants to maintain his balance. In his anger at Jon, however, Harrison¡¯s muscles bulged in the manner of a raging beast and he strode unaided to his son. In an uncharacteristic display of brutality, he slapped Jon so violently with the back of his hand that the royal diamonds in Harrison¡¯s rings gouged open Jon¡¯s right cheek. The king loomed over his son screaming incomprehensibly until Princes Gunnar and Se¨¢n threw themselves between their father and brother. Gunnar seized the king¡¯s arms while Se¨¢n caught Jon as he collapsed. Holy King Harrison broke from Gunnar¡¯s grasp and stormed to the exit where he was intercepted by the Grays Commander who brought a detail of Grays racing behind him. The mammoth soldier took one of the king¡¯s arms and dragged him away. As Holy King Harrison and the Grays Commander moved down the hall the other Grays and the Kings Guards tightened into formation around the King. Most of the servants who passed by did so with eyes cast down, but any who stopped to gawk at the king¡¯s tears were threatened by the two groups of soldiers. When several priests scurried up, the Grays drew their swords. ¡°This is Holy King Harrison¡¯s personal residence,¡± the Grays Commander warned from where he stood at the king¡¯s side. ¡°You will leave.¡± ¡°I...we...just¡­¡± a mage stammered. The Grays Commander dropped his arm from Harrison to slide his longsword from its scabbard. He moved toward the mage. She glanced at her comrades, dipped her head respectfully, and acknowledged, ¡°Of course. Of course. We were merely concerned about His Majesty¡¯s well-being. That must have been such a difficult situation for him.¡± The mage retreated several steps, and then she and the other priests turned and ran in fear. ¡°Gil,¡± Holy King Harrison said, holding out an arm. The Grays Commander returned his longsword to its scabbard and came rapidly to the king¡¯s side. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Gil,¡± the king repeated, as his voice broke, and torrents of tears released over his cheeks. He moved to brush them away with one hand and then rubbed his fingertips slowly on the scar marring his face ¨C left there years ago when the lash of a whip cut into him while he defended Gil. He drew in a breath and whispered sadly, ¡°Gil, I killed my own son.¡± Gil Braeford swung one arm under Harrison¡¯s knees, laced the other between the poisonous horns on Harrison¡¯s back, and lifted him in his arms. Ignoring the rope of blood welling up on his upper limb from where one of the horns scraped through his skin, he took Harrison to the king¡¯s apartments and placed him carefully on a specially designed lounging sofa. Once Harrison was settled, Gil ordered two glasses of brandy from one of the nearby servants, tugged over an upholstered chair, and savored the liquor as he sat next to Harrison. Occasionally, when the king heaved a particularly wrenching sob, Gil would reach over to rest a calming hand on his arm. Once Harrison had calmed enough to speak, Gil handed him the second glass of brandy and the two friends schemed quietly. Grateful for the Grays seeing to the king, Gunnar supported Jon¡¯s shoulders while Se¨¢n lifted Jon¡¯s feet. The two young brothers bore their siblings between them to a sitting room a few meters down the hall. Magi Soldiers had stepped forward to prevent Jon¡¯s removal from the throne room, but the Kings Guards surrounded the princes with their swords drawn, pushed back the Magi Soldiers, and escorted the princes to safety. Once in the sitting room, three members of the Kings Guards assisted Se¨¢n in placing Jon on a long couch. ¡°I think Jon might be dying,¡± Prince Gunnar said from the door. ¡°I¡¯ll run for the healer myself.¡± One of the Kings Guards pulled off his own jacket and shirt, and then ripped the shirt into long strips. He pinched Jon¡¯s cheek together, wrapped the cloth under Jon¡¯s chin and over Jon¡¯s head several times, and then twisted the ends so that they could be bound around Jon¡¯s nose and ear to stabilize the bandage. While the guard tended to Jon¡¯s face, another guard pulled off his shirt and ripped it into long lengths. He removed Jon¡¯s short sword from its scabbard and wrapped the blade with the cloth. As Jon screamed, two of the Kings Guards straightened his leg as best they could and bound the sword against it to create a makeshift splint. Afterward, Sean sat next to his brother with one hand on Jon¡¯s chest and kept repeating, ¡°You¡¯ll be all right, Jon. You¡¯ll be okay.¡± Se¨¢n wondered what was taking Gunnar such an unusually long time to return since one of the royal healers was always available for the royal family. His worry was eased temporarily by a rap on the door. A Kings Guard answered then stepped into the hallway. Prince Se¨¢n could only hear muted voices, but the guard waved at his comrades, and all three quit the room. The towering Grays Commander entered. He shoved Se¨¢n callously to one side, and then hurled Jon over his shoulder and hauled him to the stable. The Gray ignored Jon¡¯s visceral shrieks of pain and pleas for mercy as he flung Jon belly first across his stallion. ¡°Why?¡± Jon asked with difficulty, his face pressed against the side of the Gray''s horse. ¡°Why are you doing this? I haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± ¡°You ran from the Ritual,¡± the Gray accused. ¡°The king loves all of his sons, but he can¡¯t allow them to be cowards.¡± ¡°The Ritual is shit,¡± Jon refuted. ¡°but I didn¡¯t run from it.¡± The Grays Commander swung onto his stallion behind Jon, and as they left the stables, said, ¡°You did. The Most Revered witnessed it.¡± ¡°I was gathering flowers,¡± Jon argued, barely able to form the painful words by using one hand to hold his damaged cheek and jaw. ¡°We¡¯re going to plant a garden.¡± ¡°A garden? Who the hell needs a flower garden?¡± ¡°We love flowers.¡± ¡°You and some housemaid? What¡¯s her name? Is she pregnant? I can save your child, even though I can¡¯t do more for you.¡± ¡°Do more for me? You¡¯re killing me.¡± ¡°No, Prince Jon. I know that your pain is excruciating right now, but for this to work, people have to see me taking you out for execution.¡± ¡°Exe¡­execution?¡± Jon objected, his voice deteriorating as the blood-soaked bandage holding his face together slipped. ¡°No, they have to think that I have. Tell me about the housemaid. Is she carrying your child?¡± ¡°No, A¡­A¡­Alec. I¡­we¡¯re¡­... Reggie¡­and Ethan¡­r¡­dead, we don¡¯t know¡­what to do.¡± ¡°Preparing to get through the Ritual is the only thing you should have been doing. Now, it¡¯s too late. Be quiet.¡± ¡°It isn¡­isn¡¯t¡­plea¡­please. Put me down. Plessss¡­I¡¯ll crawl back.¡± The Gray stopped the horse, leaned sideways, and seized Jon¡¯s thrashing leg to stop its motion. ¡°You¡¯re making this worse for yourself. Be still. I¡¯m trying to get you to safety before the Old Hag finds out.¡± As he straightened in his saddle, two grooms holding pitchforks and a housemaid with an iron fireplace stoker blocked his path toward the road. The housemaid glanced at her companions, and then demanded loudly, ¡°Leave him with us. Prince Jon is a good person, always kind and considerate to everyone. He doesn¡¯t deserve to be treated like this by the likes of you or anyone else. Not even the Holy King or the Most Revered.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± one of the grooms agreed angrily. ¡°Stand aside,¡± The Grays Commander ordered. ¡°You aren¡¯t taking him,¡± the groom holding the pitchfork insisted. He raised the mucking tool higher and stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m the only hope he has now,¡± the Grays Commander clarified. He set the horse¡¯s reins down to slide his longsword from its scabbard. Despite it being designed to be held by two hands, his size allowed him to brandish it in the air with only one. He pointed it across the yard to a troop of Magi Soldiers running their way. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who will kill him. Those soldiers are the same ones who did this to him.¡± The three defenders considered the soldiers and whispered to each other urgently. They nodded and raced with determination toward the soldiers shouting the battle cry, ¡°For Prince Jon!¡± From the doors of the castle, the gates of the stables, the fields and gardens, grooms, gardeners, footmen, housemaids, and servants of all types and ranks charged after the first three, shouting, ¡°For Prince Jon! For the life of the prince!¡± Despite Jon¡¯s screams, the Grays Commander pressed the stallion into a gallop down the drive and onto the roadway. Prince Se¨¢n stood on the castle steps watching the Grays Commander ride off. He listened to Jon¡¯s cries fade in the distance, and as Prince Gunnar and the healer walked up behind him, Prince Se¨¢n vowed, ¡°I swear by all that is right and divine, I will see Gil Braeford dead.¡± By the time the horse stopped a second time, Jon had been upside down for so long he was close to death. He slipped in and out of consciousness, weakened from the broken bones, bleeding lacerations, and unrelenting, unbearable pain. Jon felt the Grays Commander dismount, take him by the shirt and belt, and lug him to the ground. He screamed at the pain engulfing him. The Gray leaned over where Jon sprawled on the ground, bending down to within half a meter of Jon¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t keep screaming. It makes it easier for them to find you and feed you to those beasts to be devoured. I won¡¯t be able to stop them.¡± The Gray climbed back onto his horse, rode in a wide circle around Prince Jon, and then spurred his mount into a gallop. He gave no indication that he¡¯d even heard Jon begging him not to leave him there. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 6 Abandonment Chapter 6 Abandonment My parents have been allowed to be together all of their lives. The Magi have journals and diaries they consult when they decide which of us to breed. We¡¯re common, though. Our bloodlines aren¡¯t worth much and we¡¯re never selected for anything special. ¡ª Prince Eater#34 Jon woke without opening his eyes. He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d been unconscious. There were no more tears to blink away but, even if there had been, sobbing made the pain worse. Everything had been so happy only three days prior, and now he would be dead by morning. He had done nothing wrong; betrayed no one; harmed no one; ran from nothing; yet nevertheless here he was, maimed, immobile, and thrown away. A shadow passed over his face. Sensing it terrified him. His eyes sprang open, and his unbroken arm came up defensively. The head of a large bull leaned over him, sniffing and examining Jon¡¯s wounds. It made no effort to touch Jon and when it realized that Jon was awake, it moved so that its clear blue eyes looked directly into Jon¡¯s. Jon blinked and then squinted. Slowly he comprehended that the creature facing him was half-human, but nevertheless, he felt that he recognized it. He couldn¡¯t imagine how or from where. He simply knew that he had looked into those eyes many times. Jon tried to rise, but couldn¡¯t. The bull reached out a hand and rested it on Jon¡¯s chest as if to calm him. Jon¡¯s arm dropped and unintentionally his hand landed on top of the bull¡¯s. The creature turned its hand over and enclosed its fingers around Jon¡¯s hand. ¡°Rest,¡± the bull said softly. Its growly voice was comforting. ¡°Wh?¡± Jon tried to ask. ¡°There¡¯s someone else here,¡± a female voice said urgently, pointing in the direction the Grays Commander had left. The bull¡¯s head sprang up and it surveyed the area anxiously. When Jon tried to lift his head to see who had spoken, he was too weak, so he didn¡¯t realize that the woman standing with the bull was Novitiate Ainsley. He tried to repeat his question. ¡°Oooo?¡± ¡°We have to leave,¡± Ainsley insisted without answering Jon. ¡°They¡¯ll shoot us, R ¡ª¡± ¡°No names!¡± the bull cut her off. ¡°He¡¯ll be too frightened. He won¡¯t understand.¡± The bull paced slowly around Jon again, sniffing and gently inspecting the lacerations and contusions. The tip of the bull¡¯s tongue poked out several times, but always the bull drew it back and pushed its lips together as if determined to resist the urge to lick the wounds clean. At Jon¡¯s feet, the bull darted forward quickly, seized a pasture rat in each hand, and crushed the scavengers before flinging their dead bodies far from where Jon lay. It took the same action two more times before the colony of pasture rats scurried off, squealing in fear. The bull snorted contentedly and resumed its inspection of Jon. ¡°We need to get him help,¡± the bull implored. Ainsley dug a glass jar from her cloak¡¯s deep pocket and held it high enough that even in the dim light Jon could see that it contained a human hand. ¡°This is all my fault. I didn¡¯t realize she would maim him when I told her I¡¯d seen him, but I do know that if we try to keep him with us, this is what will happen.¡± ¡°What are you doing with that?¡± The bull asked. ¡°King Harrison gave it back to me.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Why did he have it?¡± ¡°I thought he¡¯d be interested in seeing it, and he was.¡± The bull¡¯s head swiveled in the direction of far-off Hilltown. He raised his snout and wiggled it several times as if sorting the odors floating in the air. ¡°You¡¯re right, we have to leave,¡± the bull told the novitiate. ¡°A rider is coming.¡± ¡°One?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, I recognize his smell. He¡¯s coming for Jon,¡± the bull explained. He crouched down to set his hand on Jon¡¯s chest again. ¡°We will wait out of sight and come for you if you need us, but your friend is almost here.¡± The bull brushed the least injured side of Jon¡¯s face and repeated soothingly, ¡°Rest.¡± The bull released Jon¡¯s hand, swung Ainsley onto his back so she could cling to his shoulders, and ran. As he dropped into unconsciousness again, Jon thought he heard the thud and cracking of glass falling against stones. Gil Braeford stopped his mount under a copse of Broad-Leaved Rain Trees with branches that reached over an area wide enough that his horse could graze indefinitely and still be out of the hot suns. He had marked the spot for this very purpose during a reconnaissance mission the day before Reggie¡¯s Ritual when Harry had asked him to be ready. The only surprise was that it was Prince Jon rather than Ethan. Things were changing. Harry had pointed that out several times during discussions the two of them entertained late at night when they had privacy. Harry¡¯s secret network of spies and informers had ascertained that public anger toward the Ritual was at an all-time high and the rumor was that the princes themselves would lead the insurrection. Gil admitted to himself that in a way they had. Never before had anyone attempted to rescue the Chosen. Times were changing, but regardless of whether or not those changes were positive, they would not happen rapidly enough to save Prince Jon. While settlers in the nearby country of New East Anglia discovered the indigenous people there to be exotic, feathered Eolians, the original peoples in the land that became Midhe Nuae were squat with thickened skin and heavy eyelashes designed to protect them from the blaze of the two suns. They were few in number and lived in sparsely settled groups. By a combination of genocide and intermarriage, the Earth humans eliminated the competition for resources. In the 374 years since Earth abandoned Terra Saint Edmunds, their genetics, customs, and traditions blended into one. The Ritual that now defined who would become the next Holy King was originally a rite of passage for the indigenous people¡¯s sons. The youths danced with the horns of their kills attached to hides. When the escapees and exiles from the prison colonies of New East Anglia were welcomed and absorbed into the indigenous family groups, the rite of passage became part of their traditions, also. Earth Humans grew in greater numbers than the native peoples and over the centuries the Ritual evolved from the original dance to become the vile charade practiced today. Many believed the Ritual to encompass magic, but Gil knew that it was all science. Developed by an Earth Scientist named Mackey, specialized equipment rendered solid matter intangible, and then changed it back again in what Mackey called the Insubstantiation Process. One example of the process¡¯s results was the huge, carnivorous Prince-Eaters that originally were peaceful water buffalo imported from Earth. The process was pushed further when the Insubstantiation Process during the Ritual interacted with the bodies of the Chosen and Prince Eaters so that they became insubstantial and eventually indistinguishable from each other. When the Chosen re-solidified as the Holy Prince, the horns were attached to him. The animals¡¯ strength and instinct become woven into the essence of the Chosen and the beasts would be left empty shells that could barely stumble into the sacred circle where they died. Their curried hides were stained green, gold, and white, the royal colors of the Holy Prince, and hoisted as banners throughout Midhe Nuae. The meat itself turned rancid during the Insubstantiation Process, so servants disposed of it down the ravines or over the cliffs outside the city. The pain inflicted on the Chosen was exorbitant but if done correctly and with absolute assurance that the horns penetrated only the Chosen¡¯s chest and abdomen, the Ritual was not life-threatening. The Most Revered had several medicines to prepare the Chosen for the Ritual, to control the Chosen¡¯s acute pain during the Ritual, to control the Holy Prince¡¯s chronic pain afterward, and to control the Holy Prince for the rest of his life. After tethering the stallion with a long rope, Gil slipped his war axe in the back of his belt, shouldered his crossbow and quiver, checked that his longsword was secure, and then jogged back to a stand of large boulders. He rooted out the blood umbrella vine that had started to grow over the rocks, stomped it into the ground, and then settled on top of the rocks so he would have a clear view of the entire field with Jon in the center. If predatory animals or opportunistic marauders came prowling, he would be able to deal with them quickly and efficiently. Individual pasture rats would be too small for him to notice, but he certainly would see them if a colony investigated the smell of blood, and he could deal with them from this location. If all went as expected, he would accomplish what he was tasked to do and be home long before First Sun. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 7 Execution Chapter 7 Execution You¡¯re taller than I am. What¡¯s happening? Nothing yet? You¡¯re taller than I am. What¡¯s happening? Nothing yet? Oh, that''s disappointing. Well, there¡¯s still time. The Magi said my siblings were Rebacks. My father is part Reback, you know. Anyway, they were taken and used by the prince''s tutors and servants at the castle. I¡¯m not a Reback. They took pieces of me to check. I¡¯ve been certified and everything. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 Summoned from his watch, Alec stood with the other Royal Archers, his mind racing over everything that had transpired and worrying about whether he no longer had a future with Jon. Sergeant Isla MacDonald marched into the leaky wooden barracks and barked, ¡°Listen Up! I¡¯ve received orders directly from the Most Revered. Prince Jon is waiting for us in a field close to SnakeIn. We are to assemble a firing party and complete his execution.¡± Alec stopped breathing. When his lungs forced in a loud gasp, he blurted out in disbelief, ¡°Execution! He¡¯s¡­he¡¯s a Prince of the Realm. And our friend, Isla. Why in the world would we be sent to execute him!¡± ¡°Another word, Mulrian, and you¡¯ll be in the dungeon with the other criminals,¡± the sergeant snapped. ¡°It is enough for us to know that Prince Jon has been declared a traitor by the Most Revered.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Alec choked out, as stoically as he could. He remembered how as a student loose strands of Jon¡¯s long blond hair blew sideways on gusts of winds, his brow creased with focus, and his clear blue eyes flinted like steel as he refused to kill a trapped, defenseless animal. Now, Jon was the one trapped and defenseless. The Grays Commander had discarded Jon far from anyone who cared for him, whether friend or admiring citizen. Accepting Alec¡¯s submission, the sergeant marched back in front of the assembled archers explaining how she knew Jon¡¯s general location and what her plan was for them to proceed. Finishing her instructions, she headed toward her office but paused just outside the door. She turned back, strode the length of the barracks purposefully, and stopped directly in front of Alec Mulrian where she added with a smirk, ¡°I¡¯m not satisfied that you will obey my direct orders, Corporal. Or should I say, Citizen. You have put your friendship ahead of the Crown. You no longer have a right to be one of us. Take his officer¡¯s designation and get his possessions together. Mulrian is leaving now. The rest of us will head out when Second Sun rises tomorrow. Without Mulrian. If I see you there, Alec, you¡¯ll be arrested for treason.¡± As the Royal Archers shuffled and glanced between one another, Sergeant MacDonald strode back to the door of her office. Turning she added, ¡°I said take his designations. Mulrian¡¯s been insubordinate one time too many. He¡¯s done.¡± ¡°He¡¯s our best archer,¡± Archer O¡¯Leary objected. ¡°And you have to expect that someone who grew up with the princes would care about this. Sir, be reasonable.¡± ¡°I¡¯m drumming him out,¡± Sergeant MacDonald repeated. ¡°Not just out of the Royal Archers but out of the Kings Soldiers completely.¡± As archers reluctantly moved to follow her orders, some flinging Alec¡¯s possessions into saddle packs and a duffle bag, others carefully removing the Corporal¡¯s insignia, Archer O¡¯Leary countered, ¡°You don¡¯t have the authority to do that, sir. You don¡¯t even have the authority to demote him the way you just did. I¡¯ll help the others get him packed and situated out of concern for him, but I am reporting you to Captain Brady and the commander the moment I know that Alec is safely away from you.¡± ¡°You leave with him, O¡¯Leary. You¡¯re done, too,¡± MacDonald snapped. O¡¯Leary shrugged and turned to his fellow archers, saying, ¡°You take good care of Alec¡¯s things. This isn¡¯t the last of this. The captain¡¯s door is always open to me.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Go ahead, O¡¯Leary,¡± MacDonald jeered. ¡°Go ahead, run off crying like a baby. Brady¡¯s a loyal patriot. He¡¯ll kick your ass halfway to New East Anglia.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see to your things, too,¡± another archer offered. O¡¯Leary strode from the barracks determinedly and MacDonald leaned with satisfaction against the doorframe of her office. ¡°To answer your question, Citizen, Prince Jon is a coward. He ran tonight rather than face the Ritual. His duty is to undertake it. Ours is to obey.¡± ¡°The Most Revered is wrong. He wasn¡¯t running,¡± Alec protested, his voice unnaturally cold. ¡°Now, I wish that I had gone with him when he asked me to.¡± ¡°The Most Revered is never wrong. She is the Voice of the Divine Universe. You¡¯re as much a disgrace as Jon. Get out, Alec,¡± Sergeant MacDonald directed. She moved forward as if to strike Alec, but three of the Royal Archers blocked her path. ¡°Her exact words at the funeral were that the great and noble hearts of Prince Reginald and Prince Ethan are now linked with the universe to strengthen and herald the rise of the true Chosen, the rightful Holy Prince. Too bad Jon is a coward.¡± Once his possessions were gathered, Alec shouldered his packs, tool trunk, duffle bag, and crossbows, and then walked past the row of hushed Royal Archers. One by one, the Royal Archers snapped to attention and saluted smartly. Nodding in satisfaction at her success when Alec vanished through the door without looking back or speaking, Sergeant MacDonald rotated toward the archers with her hand raised to return their salutes only to discover all of the Royal Archers standing with their backs to her. Alec¡¯s mind tumbled with questions and theories as he tried to sort out all that was happening. He knew that the Commander of the Armored Grays controlled Holy King Harrison¡¯s elite, hand-picked, personal militia. Even the Most Revered could not dictate their obedience. Because of that, Alec reasoned that the decision to forsake Prince Jon originated from Jon¡¯s father who apparently lacked the fortitude to witness his son¡¯s murder even though he was willing to leave Jon exposed to the elements and predators. No, Alec corrected himself. The king did not discard his son. The Most Revered attacked a member of the royal family whom she couldn¡¯t control. Alec had seen for himself that any time the king tried to refuse the Most Revered, the pain left from his own Ritual incapacitated him until he relented or lost consciousness. When the latter happened, the Most Revered didn¡¯t even pretend that her orders came from him. Anytime the king was unable to rule, the country was hers to command. The king was unconscious when Ava Most Revered pronounced Jon¡¯s death sentence. Furthermore, she never issued an explanation about the devastation at Prince Reginald¡¯s Ritual. MacDonald and the Royal Archers did ride out after the Second Sun had fully risen the next morning. Alec, however, rode out immediately after he¡¯d been chucked from the barracks. Among the possessions his friends packed on his behalf were two items of special significance to him. One was the dried bloom of a pressed moonflower that one of the archers had wrapped gently and enclosed in a hand-carved wooden box that Alec had never seen before. The other was a bottle of fine Western Brewed Whiskey that the archers had set aside to celebrate the promotion that Captain Brady promised Alec. He held the bottle out in front of him as he approached the gate¡¯s sentry. ¡°Good evening, Barry,¡± Alec called jovially. ¡°Evening, Alec,¡± Barry Cavendish greeted from his station by the gate. ¡°Sorry to hear you had some problems with MacDonald. Everyone¡¯s seen how she targets anyone she¡¯s afraid could surpass her. Hopefully, the commander or the King will set things right in the morning.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope so, Barry,¡± Alec agreed. ¡°Listen, for now though, I¡¯m using my freedom to get together with that dark-haired beauty we met at the pub the other night. Remember?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Barry answered. ¡°Fancied you for sure.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for permission to leave,¡± Alec confessed. ¡°But then again, I¡¯m a civilian, so I don¡¯t need to ask, do I?¡± ¡°No, you certainly don¡¯t,¡± Barry agreed. He reached out one hand and folded eager fingers around the bottle of Western Brewed Whiskey. ¡°And I don¡¯t see why I need to mention to anyone that you left. Don¡¯t see a reason to even remember.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you,¡± Alec said gratefully. He dipped his head respectfully, then shook it sadly, and added, ¡°This is something I need tonight after all that¡¯s happened.¡± Barry chuckled as Alec mounted his horse. The sentry looked around idly and remarked, ¡°You know, it¡¯s funny. The wind tonight almost sounds like someone¡¯s talking to me. Never heard anything like it before in my life.¡± He laughed as he entered his small gatehouse to fish-out glasses for the whiskey, and by the time he returned, Alec Mulrian was gone. Setting down the glasses, Barry faced the direction his friend had ridden and saluted. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 8 Wolves Chapter 8 Wolves The Magi don¡¯t usually take Prince Eaters still with their mothers. They need us to have the strength and stamina to succeed. We thought I would be too young. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 Jon floundered when he tried to crawl. A wide swath of blood marked the tiny distance he had been able to traverse. Small insects buzzed around him excitedly. Something nibbled his ankles. Scavenger birds circled in the sky overhead and from time to time swooped down to gauge whether or not he was ready to be eaten. He lost consciousness again. Woke up and then passed out again. The process repeated until a low, intense growl reached his ears. Widening his eyes, he turned his head to see three wolves stalking him. The nostrils of the wolf in the lead flared, and it tipped its head suspiciously. ¡°HEY!¡± Jon yelled desperately. A crossbow bolt with thin wood fletching soared over Jon¡¯s head but didn¡¯t strike the wolf. Jon raised his left arm and waved it wildly. ¡°AAAH!¡± The wolves paused. He hollered as loudly as he could with the ruined muscles in his face. ¡°Hey! Go on! Go away!¡± Another bolt with wood fletching flew across, terrifying Jon. ¡°Quarrels. They¡¯re here. I have to move.¡± The lead wolf crouched, growled deeply, and then sprinted toward him. When the wolf leaped, Jon put his arms up defensively. The wolf snapped his teeth into Jon¡¯s left arm and whipped it aside before it dropped toward Jon¡¯s head and neck. As the predator¡¯s opened jaw and wide teeth came at Jon¡¯s face, a bolt with white and blue fletching speared between the wolf¡¯s eyes. The beast collapsed on top of him. An oof of air jerked out of his lungs, and his brain rebuked him, ¡°You¡¯re a dead man, Jon. The archers have come. Get this beast off you and figgict run.¡± The white and blue of the fletching of the crossbow bolt in the wolf¡¯s skull was so close that it blocked Jon¡¯s vision. ¡°White and blue,¡± he thought. ¡°Alec uses white and blue ¡ª¡± ¡°Stay down, Jon. Stay down,¡± Alec bellowed. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there. I¡¯ve got to chase off the other wolves. Stay down.¡± Prince Jon shoved against the dead animal but was unable to dislodge it, so he pressed himself against the ground and tried to wiggle out from under it. He made some progress, but couldn¡¯t get free. He couldn¡¯t see his friend but was heartened when he heard Alec yelling, stomping, and running followed by the thunk of another crossbow bolt. The wolves yelped and then ran in fright across the field and into the trees where several louder yelps were followed by silence. A moment later, Alec¡¯s beautiful brown face appeared behind the carcass of the wolf, his unruly black hair falling loosely from its tie and concern swimming in his dark, mahogany eyes. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The weight lifted from Jon¡¯s chest, and then Alec was kneeling at his side, asking, ¡°Jon? Jon, are you okay? Jon?¡± The prince moaned but didn¡¯t try to speak. Alec jumped up, rummaged through his bags, and then returned to Jon¡¯s side with bandages and an antiseptic solution extracted from the crushed, indigenous incappbo seeds. Holding Jon cautiously, he cleaned the bite wound and lacerations in Jon¡¯s left arm and then poured the stinging liquid across the torn skin and puncture wounds. Jon gave a muted scream and his eyes rolled back into his head. Bracing himself to continue despite Jon¡¯s pain, Alec dabbed and poured the incappbo extract where he could, and then wrapped bandages securely. When Jon regained consciousness his arm was already splinted, and Alec had examined Jon¡¯s broken leg and was preparing to splint it again. Alec regarded him thoughtfully, and cautioned, ¡°This will hurt, my love. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jon again fainted at the pain, so Alec splinted the break without reviving him, reusing Jon¡¯s padded short sword as a splint. Alec removed his jacket, bundled Jon, and then stood to gaze around the clearing. He knew that Jon would die from his injuries before First Sun if he didn¡¯t receive professional medical care and the opportunity to rest in safety. Alec sighed. SnakeIn was the only place he could take him. Alec might have to fight to get in, or use his life savings to bribe the sentries on watch ¨C thankfully, his former colleagues had packed all of his money, and judging by the weight of the purse had made a sizable contribution from their own savings ¨C but Jon wouldn¡¯t be safe anywhere else. Not the King nor his soldiers, not the Most Revered nor her magi, none of them would set foot in the western town, located in the largely unsettled Midhe Thiar. Alec hooked his crossbow on his back and walked around Prince Jon with his lips pursed as he tried to determine the best way to proceed. He was worried. Prince Jon was too hurt to be able to keep his balance so Alec would have to risk harming Jon to hoist him over his shoulder and climb on. A flash caught his eye. He straightened and scrutinized the boulder at the edge of the clearing. A hand appeared from behind it to set a crossbow on top of the rock. A longsword followed, and then a war axe. Unarmed but wearing his helmet with the visor closed, the Grays Commander emerged from behind the boulder and displayed his empty hands in front of him. He bowed respectfully and took a step toward Alec and Jon. He paused. Waited. Took another step. The closer he got, the wider he held out his open palms. ¡°I¡¯ll hand him up to you,¡± the Grays Commander offered. ¡°Get mounted, and I will help you settle him in front of you.¡± ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Alec answered, his hand up and resting on his crossbow uncertainly. ¡°I won¡¯t see one of Harrison¡¯s sons slaughtered if it is within my power to stop it,¡± The Grays Commander answered. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop it sooner?¡± Alec questioned. ¡°He wasn¡¯t a coward. All he did was go out to collect moonflowers for the cottage we¡¯ll have together.¡± ¡°Lord and Survivor, Ava always has been an unclaimed. Figg¡¯t her and the Ritual both. I won¡¯t harm either of you. I left all my weapons behind.¡± Alec gazed at his dying love and realized he had no choice. Before the night had passed the midway point, Prince Jon was mounted on Alec¡¯s horse with the former Royal Archer¡¯s strong arms supporting him. The couple had traversed the remainder of Midhe Thiar and stood at the gates of SnakeIn. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 9 SnakeIn Chapter 9 SnakeIn I¡¯m young. I¡¯m used to adults interfering, but most of the grownups dislike the Magi¡¯s meddling in our personal relationships. They think that if two of us love each other, why is it the Magi¡¯s place to discourage it? I was sad, though, when the Magi took two of my siblings away and we never saw them again. My mother still grieves. ¨C Prince Eater #34 Three Hundred Sixty Years Earlier ¡ª SnakeIn King Indulf and the elderly Beathas Most Revered rode at the head of Indulf¡¯s soldiers determined to rid the land of the criminals thriving in SnakeIn and annex the city¡¯s scientific advances for themselves. Privately, Indulf admitted to his younger brother and his closest advisers that he also wanted to put an end to his disgraced suns-brother, Malcolm, continually causing trouble as First Contingent of the city¡¯s governing body the Contingent. When Indulf called up to demand that the city surrender, both the Contingent and the Armed Watch leaned between the battlements and laughed heartily. ¡°Do not ride or walk across the drawbridge, Indulf, or it will destroy you,¡± First Contingent Malcolm shouted. Indulf snorted and started to raise one arm, but Beathas put one hand out and said, ¡°Let him finish speaking. Otherwise, you¡¯ll look weak, too afraid to hear him out.¡± The king pulled his arm close to his chest before lowering it so that no one would mistake his gesture for a command. He tipped his chin up and looked at the First Contingent. ¡°You are my flesh and blood, Indulf,¡± Malcolm shouted more loudly. ¡°We were carried in our mother¡¯s womb together and born at the same time. The late King Noah was father to us both. I beg you not to attack the city.¡± King Indulf snorted in amusement. Beside him, the corners of Beathas¡¯ mouth turned up and she dipped her forehead to Indulf. When he acknowledged her approval, she straightened in her saddle and kicked the sides of her horse roughly to torment it forward. Indulf grinned affectionately at her show of audacity despite her grandmotherly appearance, and then pushed his mount to ride after her. He caught up easily, and the pair rode onto the drawbridge as equals. Halfway across it, the planks of the bridge snapped upward, bent around them, and sealed shut. Their horses screeched. The king and the mage yelled, swore, and bellowed until the planks closed tightly enough to silence them. The Kings Soldiers charged to their rescue as soon as the first planks of the drawbridge folded upward. Those with crossbows shot over the parapet or between the iron bars of windows and the portcullis. Sizzling arcs of Holy Lightning charred their bolts to ash. Some soldiers abandoned their horses to dive into the river slithering around the circumference of SnakeIn, intending to swim to the far bank and scale the walls. The river churned violently, simmered, and then boiled fish, soldiers, and crustaceans alive. What remained of the Kings Soldiers surrounded late King Indulf¡¯s younger brother, and on his authority, boldly retreated to Hilltown as rapidly as their horses could gallop. Present Day ¡ª SnakeIn As the renegade city came into view, Alec¡¯s anxiety soared. The ominous stone walls wore centuries of grime. The iron gate was slammed to keep out the night, and Armed Watchers huddled in twos and threes, talking, laughing, and surreptitiously imbibing. To the left of the forbidding portcullis, flames encircled a metal cage displaying the ancient, withered body of King Indulf preserved for eternity in a tar-like substance produced from the sticky sap of the aurrato candelabra tree. To the right was a matching cage containing the similarly withered body of Beathas Most Revered. He was surprised when SnakeIn¡¯s Armed Watch not only recognized Prince Jon and Alec but hailed them forward and opened the drawbridge in welcome. As soon as the Commander of the Armed Watch, Padraig MacGavin, saw how severely Jon was injured, he sent Watcher Owen Lynch racing for a healer and Watcher Ned Logan to ask the innkeeper to prepare them a room. As Padraig led Alec and Jon across the drawbridge, Alec couldn¡¯t help but glance down uneasily several times to see if the wood might move. Noticing Alec¡¯s nervousness, Padraig¡¯s hazel green eyes crinkled, and he cried out suddenly, ¡°Look out!¡± When Alec jerked in alarm, Padraig roared with laughter. The wood did not move. The portcullis remained open to them, and the street winding away from the gate was wide and well-lit. ¡°I almost dropped Jon,¡± Alec complained as he squinted at the stocky, red-haired commander, and then tried to hide his emotions behind a soldierly face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Padraig apologized as he continued to chuckle. In front of them, a monument loomed skyward from a small, grassy park in the center of the roadway where travelers entering SnakeIn for the first time would be certain to see it. The statues depicted four scientists in their long white lab coats standing with their backs together and their gazes turned outward in four directions. Around their feet were broken rods and a portion of the outer structure of a spacecraft. Padraig waved at the monument and said, ¡°The Four Glorious! These are the scientists who stayed behind when the Earth¡¯s military forced the others to leave. They laid the intellectual foundation of our city, and of course, created the hungry drawbridge you were suspicious of. And, by the way, it is entirely done manually; there isn¡¯t so much as an ounce of magic involved. Some poor souls have to remain by the gate until the last moment, jeopardizing their lives, to activate the controls. One of the big differences between us and the kingdom is that we honored our scientists instead of blowing them to pieces. We still honor them every day of the year.¡± Padraig chuckled again, and then, seeing the continued unease in Alec¡¯s face, bit down the rest of his laughter, and explained, ¡°Unlike New East Anglia, we were never a prison colony. Nor privately owned. People who came to the kingdom did so of their own accord: scientists, adventurers, pioneers, entrepreneurs, people who escaped from the prison colonies, or convicts who had served their time only to discover that the Courts which sentenced them allowed no funding for any of the convicts to get home. Unless they somehow found the capital to line the officers¡¯ purses, Earth¡¯s military refused to transport them back to Earth. Whatever their reasons, they made the choice to come to Midhe Nuae and start a new life. And the freest of them came here to Midhe Thiar.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Alec half-listened as he shifted Jon¡¯s weight, and asked, ¡°He seems to be fading fast here. How far away are we?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Padraig reassured him with a gesture toward the building immediately ahead of them. The Exiled Soldier was more brightly lit than anything else on the street. The walls of the inn were all freshly whitewashed. The windows¡¯ black shutters were newly painted, and the front door boasted a cheerful coat of red paint. The innkeeper, Craig Docherty, stood on the front steps, his dreadlocks tied back professionally, his alert brown eyes scanning the road for any sign of his guests. When they appeared, the innkeeper and his two sons hurried to assist Jon down from Alec¡¯s horse. ¡°I¡¯ll bring him,¡± Alec said anxiously. ¡°Let me help you get him down from the horse,¡± Craig Docherty responded. ¡°I¡¯ll be very careful, and hand him right back to you.¡± To his eldest son, he added, ¡°Rory, bring the gentleman¡¯s baggage upstairs.¡± ¡°Still, I ¡ª¡± Alex began to protest, and then stopped himself as he realized that Craig was right. He handed Jon to him and was relieved to see how gently Craig held his battered friend. ¡°Callen, stand aside so that the gentleman can reach his friend,¡± the innkeeper instructed the younger of his sons when Alec reached out to take Jon back. ¡°Please take his and Commander MacGavin¡¯s horses around to the stables.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Callen answered. As soon as Alec held Jon securely, the boy led their mounts to the stables behind the inn, while Craig showed Alec and Jon to a small attic chamber four flights above the street. ¡°Hold on,¡± Craig directed when they entered the room. ¡°Let me move the bed so the healer can get all the way around it.¡± Once the bed was repositioned, he assisted Alec with laying Jon on the one bed, retrieved a wooden chair from a corner of the room to place it beside the head of the bed, and then focused on setting wood in the fireplace and lighting a fire. ¡°Thank you,¡± Alec said gratefully. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. The warmth will be uncomfortable to us, but Jon needs it.¡± The healer and an assistant came within minutes of their own arrival. When Alec held out his hand, the healer shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t shake hands. Germs, you know.¡± When Alec looked puzzled, the healer smiled and explained, ¡°I¡¯m Healer Callahan. You¡¯re kingdom, aren¡¯t you? Germs are on everything and can make us sick, especially someone who¡¯s poorly already. Like your friend.¡± Alec nodded his acceptance of what to him was new information as the innkeeper¡¯s wife entered carrying a lamp in each hand and towels thrown over her arms. ¡°Thank you, Kenzie,¡± Craig Docherty said as he took the lamps and set them so there would be additional light on Jon, while his wife put the towels on a small table near the bed. Their oldest boy came through the door carrying two buckets of fresh water which he set near the fire. He hurried out, and then returned almost immediately with more clean towels and another blanket. The younger son followed him, carrying a bottle of whiskey and glasses which he placed on the fireplace mantle. The innkeeper¡¯s wife and two sons left silently, but Craig Docherty remained, standing as unobtrusively as he could in the small room, in case the healer needed him. The oldest son returned with the rest of Alec¡¯s belongings and then joined his father ready to be of use. Alec helped Healer Callahan remove his jacket from around Jon and then set it near his bags and their weapons while the healer¡¯s assistant attached parchment to a board. He watched in fascination as Callahan examined Jon meticulously and made comments to his assistant who compiled notes and sketched images of the wounds. When Callahan unwrapped the broken arm and leg, the assistant made sketches of the broken section of each, and then set down the board and washed his hands in one of the water buckets. The assistant held Jon¡¯s limbs immobile, with occasional assistance from Craig or Alec, while Healer Callahan bound or stitched each cut. When Callahan began assessing Jon¡¯s arm again, Craig hurried downstairs and returned with two husky patrons from the inn¡¯s pub. At the healer¡¯s nod, each of the patrons, Craig and Rory held Jon still. Alec knelt beside the bed so he could speak gently to Jon while he held his head immobile. When the healer set the break, Jon screamed and wildly searched the faces of everyone around him, eventually settling his gaze on Alec before he passed out. ¡°Quickly, let¡¯s try to get his leg set while he¡¯s out,¡± Callahan advised as he painted a gooey substance around Jon¡¯s arm. ¡°This cast will prevent movement while the break heals. We¡¯ll remove it in six to seven dimmings.¡± He moved down the side of the bed and analyzed Jon¡¯s leg more closely. At his nod, Craig resumed his hold on Jon¡¯s good arm and shoulder while the others adjusted their positions so they could keep Jon still while Healer Callahan set the bones in Jon¡¯s leg and then painted on a cast while he was still unconscious. Afterward, while Alec thanked the two patrons profusely, Craig¡¯s son poured each of the patrons a bit of whiskey. The two men generously dismissed Alec¡¯s gratitude by insisting that anyone would do the same, downed the liquor without hesitation, then left. Alec took a clean, empty glass from the mantle, lifted the bottle to pour a bit of whiskey for himself, and then placed them back on the mantel as he shook his head. ¡°Rory, before I start closing up this cheek, would you run and ask Seamster McSwiney to come at once,¡± Callahan asked. ¡°He¡¯ll do a better job of stitching and that will reduce the scarring. In the meantime, I¡¯ll see to repairing the damage on the inside of this poor man¡¯s mouth.¡± McSwiney was known throughout the country for his delicate embroidery stitches. Rory and the seamster returned within a few minutes. McSwiney washed his hands thoroughly and soon healer and seamster sat with their heads bent side by side as they sutured the laceration in Jon¡¯s face with the tiniest stitches they could manage. Through the small window in the attic room, the rosy glow of First Sun poured into the room as it dawned. Alec tipped his head to one side as he considered his options. He realized that the repairs to Jon¡¯s face would be slow going and that he was underfoot rather than helpful. He looked again at the whiskey, and then scanned the entire room, before nodding decisively. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can,¡± Alec told the others in the room as he collected Jon¡¯s sword and crossbow, his own weapons, and then gathered up Jon¡¯s torn, bloody clothes. He strode down to the stable where he discovered Padraig MacGavin and SnakeIn¡¯s Armed Watch waiting for him. ¡°Been thinking you¡¯d be here any time now,¡± Padraig greeted him. He waved an encompassing hand at the other members of the Watch. ¡°We¡¯re going with you. Everyone here is interested in helping with what you¡¯re about to do.¡± With that, they mounted and rode with him back to the edge of Midhe Thiar to an area close to where he had found Jon. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 10 Retribution Chapter 10 Retribution Often mothers and fathers sneak their newborn calves from the barn to give them to feral Prince-Eaters who hide them from the Magi and raise them in freedom. At night I sometimes gaze up at the stars and wonder what it would be like to live without the Magi hurting us and be able to roam anywhere I wanted. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 When Sergeant Isla MacDonald¡¯s party appeared in the distance, Padraig produced a telescoping field glass and studied their approach. Finally, he folded up the glass, turned to Alec and the troop of Watchers, and said, ¡°One officer, three archers ¨C two of them inexperienced, two lancers, and four soldiers ¨C Magi not Kings. We outnumber them three-to-one. They aren¡¯t expecting anyone this far out here to challenge them, so all of their bows are empty and put away for riding. Several of them have swords in addition to bows, but those are in their scabbards, too. The lancers are flanking.¡± ¡°Try not to kill the archers,¡± Alec interjected. ¡°They¡¯re my friends.¡± Padraig turned his face away so that Alec wouldn¡¯t see him roll his eyes. According to their plan, Alec rode out alone and circled carefully around the firing party to come up behind them. When he was in position, he rode into the open, shouting, ¡°Wait up. Wait up.¡± Sergeant MacDonald turned, rode back to within a meter of Alec, her face distorted with anger, and barked, ¡°Return to your quarters, Soldier.¡± Alec stared at his erstwhile friend and said firmly, ¡°Figgict, Isla, you and I both know that you¡¯re jealous, and that¡¯s the real reason you¡¯re leaving me out. I¡¯m not letting you get away with it.¡± A ripple of whispers and snickers ran through the soldiers in the firing party. Sergeant MacDonald scowled. As painful as riding this distance was after Captain Brady¡¯s discipline, she knew that she risked far more if she raised the captain¡¯s ire again. She exhaled slowly before acquiescing, ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this later, Soldier. But understand, you are out of second chances.¡± Alec noted mentally that she had not referred to him as Citizen. Before he could frame a response, however, the archers present laughed and grinned widely at him. As soon as Sergeant MacDonald resumed her position at point, Archer O¡¯Leary broke formation and came to his side. ¡°Captain Brady ordered her flogged, right then in front of our barracks, but two Grays stopped it after only a couple lashes,¡± O¡¯Leary explained. ¡°They talked with Brady for a long time, and it was left that she is on probation.¡± Alec blinked his eyes in surprise and watched as O¡¯Leary pulled back into position and the firing party continued forward. Alec nudged his horse to follow as if he too would fall in line. When the others resumed surveying the surrounding territory in search of their prey, Alec halted and swung to the ground. He silently loaded Jon¡¯s crossbow and shot a quarrel into the center of Sergeant MacDonald¡¯s back. SnakeIn¡¯s Armed Watch stormed in from the perimeter and engaged the others. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He strode to where Sergeant MacDonald lay splayed and bleeding to find that the bolt had torn through completely without damaging her heart. He grasped the quarrel with both hands and pulled it from the wound before he kicked MacDonald onto her back. He took Jon¡¯s short sword from its scabbard and pushed the blade through her stomach, pinning her to the ground. As he turned away he muttered, ¡°Jon was your friend, Isla. May you rot here for all eternity.¡± Archer O¡¯Leary loomed immediately behind Alec. He drew his sword and stepped toward Alec as he stammered in anger, ¡°What the hell have you done? MacDonald was right all along. You are a figgict traitor.¡± ¡°I have and will always defend the princes. My oath was to protect them against any threat. Not any threat except for ones from the magi. Any threat,¡± Alec said as he displayed both of his hands to show that Jon¡¯s crossbow was empty, and he was unarmed. ¡°I¡¯m not like that whoreson Isla MacDonald. I won¡¯t blindly follow ex-cathedra demands.¡± Archer O¡¯Leary didn¡¯t move. ¡°I love Jon,¡± Alec said. When the archer still didn¡¯t move, Alec warned, ¡°Run, O¡¯Leary. Get out of here. I don¡¯t want your death on my conscience.¡± Archer O¡¯Leary unfolded his hand to let his weapon drop. As the sword clanked against the ground, the archer said, ¡°A ¡ª¡± He stumbled forward with the point of Padraig¡¯s war axe jutting out of his chest. O¡¯Leary clutched at Alec as he fell. Alec caught his friend and laid him gently on his side. O¡¯Leary opened and closed his mouth several times, but Alec couldn¡¯t tell if he was struggling to breathe or to talk. As he tried to decide, Padraig strode over, put one boot on the back of the dying archer¡¯s shoulders, pushed him down, and tugged his war axe from O¡¯Leary¡¯s back. Alec lurched forward, his fists clenched, and hissed, ¡°I told you not to kill any of the archers.¡± ¡°Stop gawping and fight,¡± Padraig bellowed as he raced to the defense of an Armed Watcher who was stretched on the ground at the mercy of a Magi Soldier. Once the entire firing party had been slaughtered, two of the Armed Watchers scattered their horses while the rest fired numerous quarrels from the firing party¡¯s crossbows, heaved axe heads into the ground, and broke sword blades until it looked as if a horrific battle had occurred. Alec shrugged off his jacket, drenched it in a pool of enemy blood, and tossed it over the cliff with the loose bundle of Prince Jon¡¯s bloody clothes. The Armed Watch dismembered two of the deceased firing party and tossed them over the cliff after the bloody clothes, being sure to thwart identification by heaving the heads as far out into the sea as strength allowed. While the others put the finishing touches on the massacre scene, Padraig bent down where Sergeant MacDonald moaned through the blood spewing from the corners of her mouth, ¡°The king planned for Alec to get to Jon first¡­not us. The king¡­¡± The commander stood and declared loudly, ¡°Time to show mercy.¡± He hefted his war axe and planted it deeply in Isla MacDonald¡¯s skull. He wiped the blood, bits of skull, and brain off using her fighting leathers before he casually strolled to his horse. Once Alec and the Armed Watch rode from the battlefield and disappeared into the horizon toward SnakeIn, Prince Gunnar rode out from where he¡¯d been hiding, dismounted from his stallion, and left the horse to graze while he paced through the remains of the melee. Stopping beside MacDonald, he reached down, yanked Jon¡¯s short sword from her stomach, and wiped the blade across the sergeant¡¯s undamaged leggings. He lifted it to the suns, inspected it closely, and then rubbed it over her leggings again, saying to himself, ¡°Jon always did have a keen eye for weaponry.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 11 Princess Chapter 11 Princess A friend of mine and I ran away once to find one of the feral herds to live with, but they stay in small groups, families. They said we were too old to live with them. My parents found me and brought me home before they could eat me. They did eat my friend, though. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 The Armed Watch returned to SnakeIn without any other confrontations, and when Alec reached the inn, he took the narrow attic stairs two at a time until he was beside Prince Jon. Although the healer and seamster were still present, and despite Jon being unconscious, Alec dropped to one knee and began the pledge to dedicate his life and loyalty to his dearest friend. ¡°Stand up, you fool,¡± a harsh voice said from the door. ¡°He can¡¯t be a prince here in SnakeIn, and you can¡¯t display that type of soppy behavior. It isn¡¯t safe.¡± Alec lunged to his feet as he clasped the hilt of his sword and spun to face the intruder. A lanky woman stood with her elbows indignantly akimbo, and her lips pressed together in a thin line. Her unremarkable brown hair fell loosely around her shoulders but did nothing to soften the glare in her belligerent eyes. ¡°The Armed Watch told me one of my brothers was here,¡± the woman continued. ¡°They said he was nearly dead. It looks like they were right.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up on him yet, Annie,¡± Healer Callahan interjected. ¡°Annie?¡± Alec asked. He looked from Jon to the woman, and then back again. The resemblance was unmistakable. ¡°You¡¯re Princess Tatiana?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t use our kingdom names here,¡± Callahan corrected. ¡°We forget them.¡± Someone reached through the door to touch her back, and Annie moved to one side. Captain Tom Jarek strolled into the small attic room. Despite wearing civilian clothing, his military bearing threatened to overwhelm the small room. He paused to study Jon laying on the bed, ran his fingers through his auburn hair, and shook his head as if in disbelief. Turning immediately to Alec, Captain Jarek reached out to shake hands. He said pleasantly, ¡°I¡¯m Tom Jarek. Don¡¯t mind my wife. Situations with her family worry her heart, and she manages it by being irritable with everyone.¡± Princess Tatiana scowled but said nothing. ¡°She is right, however,¡± Captain Jarek continued, friendliness shining from warm brown eyes. ¡°You do him and yourself a disservice by continuing to treat him as royalty. There are many people here in SnakeIn who would like nothing better than to get their hands on the king, however, an injured, helpless prince will do just as nicely. No, for the two of you to remain, his royalty must be a closely guarded secret. We¡¯ve had to do the same. For instance, my name is simply Tom Jarek, and my wife is Annie Jarek.¡± The former princess smiled far more pleasantly than Alec expected and nodded her agreement with her husband¡¯s instructions. ¡°I¡¯m Alec Mulrian,¡± Alec supplied. ¡°Former archer to Holy King Harrison.¡± ¡°Annie, which prince is this?¡± Tom asked his wife. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Annie said with a shrug. ¡°I only heard of them. I never met any of them.¡± ¡°Prince Jon,¡± Alec answered. As he talked he shuffled his feet, shifted his weight impatiently, and then twisted partway around so he could see Jon. Healer Callahan looked up from gathering together his instruments and Seamster McSwiney turned from washing his hands, and they said in unison, ¡°He isn¡¯t a prince here. He¡¯s free.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I was only acquainted with poor Reggie,¡± Tom offered. He tilted his chin toward the two men to indicate that they were right, and then sauntered casually to the bed and openly inspected the damage to Jon. After a moment he spoke again. ¡°He¡¯s going to hurt for a long time. This is worse than many battle injuries I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°Yes, yes it is, but the bones and the lacerations will mend. I anticipate no problem there,¡± Callahan explained as he returned to Jon¡¯s bedside and pointed out each significant injury. ¡°However, he will need the aid of a cane for the rest of his life. The cuts and open wounds are straightforward enough with no early signs of infection, so as long as infection doesn¡¯t set in, they will all heal well. The wolf bite and lacerations on his arm and the smaller, numerous rat bites on his ankles look good. You used incappbo seeds?¡± ¡°An incappbo seed extraction,¡± Alec responded as Jon¡¯s eyes fluttered and stared at all the people in the room. Alec immediately knelt beside Jon again and put a palm protectively on Jon¡¯s chest. ¡°You haven¡¯t mentioned his face.¡± ¡°Yes, well, the wound to his face is serious,¡± Healer Callahan agreed. ¡°The jaw is not broken. A few teeth are loose, so I¡¯ve wired them in place. In my experience, they will firm up again. There¡¯s an abrasion on his tongue that will trouble him, but it will clear up, too. Obviously, we stitched the right side of his face back together and it will take a long time before he can use his mouth comfortably. It will never be the same as it was. He will need liquids ¨C broth and soup ¨C and maybe, in a couple of days or so, very soft food such as you¡¯d feed to an infant. His eye was not injured so his vision will be fine. I¡¯ve left medication on the table. He needs to swallow two tablespoons of the liquid in the blue vial in the morning and two in the evening. I will also leave you a powder to mix with water for the pain; use it with great care, it has serious side effects including depression and unsettling dreams. While I have never had a patient kill himself because of this medication, other healers I know have suffered that misfortune, so please be very careful.¡± Once Alec agreed, Callahan continued, ¡°The large, red jar contains an ointment that you are to apply to his face liberally and often. It isn¡¯t pretty, and it smells repulsive, but it will help reduce the scarring. He will always have droopiness on that side of his face.¡± Jon groaned at the long recitation of instructions and then turned his face to the wall. Alec moved his hand tenderly to Jon¡¯s neck, and although Jon didn¡¯t speak, he moved his chin so that he could use it to squeeze Alec¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s call him Jon Holdingfree,¡± Annie declared as if Jon were neither in the room nor capable of making any decisions for himself. ¡°Jon is an ordinary enough name that it won¡¯t raise any suspicions, and with the condition he is in, he won¡¯t be able to learn to respond to anything else.¡± ¡°Many newcomers take the last name Holdingfree,¡± Callahan reassured Alec. ¡°It¡¯s very common. It¡¯s a sound choice.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be Holdingfree, too,¡± Alec said. ¡°Alec Holdingfree, at least until Jon is well enough to express his own opinion about what he wants to be called.¡± ¡°Annie,¡± Healer Callahan began with obvious hesitance. Annie shifted to look directly at him. ¡°Jon¡¯s lost a great deal of blood. We should take an Ancestor Blood Sample from you to see if we can transfuse him with your blood. You¡¯re the most likely to match.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Seeing Annie¡¯s recalcitrance, Alec spoke up immediately, ¡°I have no idea what an Ancestor Blood Sample is, but if it will help Jon, try to match mine, too.¡± ¡°And mine,¡± Tom and Seamster McSwiney chimed at the same time. ¡°Ask Craig and Kenzie, too,¡± Tom added. Annie rolled her eyes, stuck out her arm, and agreed, ¡°Test away. I would never refuse a member of my own family. Or anyone, for that matter.¡± Healer Callahan moved to his medical bag, rummaged through the inside pockets, and extracted a mysterious-looking kit. Seeing Alec marking his every move and gesture, Callahan explained, ¡°The Four Glorious told us that blood comes in a few distinct styles, and if a patient has over-bled, then introducing some from a matching style into the patient will help. We¡¯ve used their procedure for centuries. It¡¯s simple and if Annie is a match, it will be completely safe.¡± When the match was confirmed, Tom dashed down the four flights of stairs and returned with a cot and both Rory and Callen Docherty. Annie reclined on the cot. Callahan attached needles into Jon¡¯s and Annie¡¯s arms, secured a tube between the needles, and then signaled to Tom and the Docherty Brothers. They elevated Annie¡¯s cot over their heads so that her blood could flow down the tube into Jon¡¯s arm. As soon as he comprehended what they were doing, Alec stepped up but realized there was no space free where he could help hold the cot. He settled for pacing the floor anxiously. The procedure only took a few minutes and once Annie regained her feet, the two boys leaned the cot against a wall, and then went downstairs. Kenzie came up almost immediately with tea and biscuits for everyone, saying as she arranged the refreshments, ¡°It will help Annie¡¯s body replace the missing blood and who doesn¡¯t like a treat now and again.¡± Healer Callahan finished packing his medical bag and joined Seamster McSwiney and the others for a cup of tea. When it was finished, he examined Jon once more and then nodded his approval of Jon¡¯s condition. Straightening, he picked up his medical bag, looked to Seamster McSwiney, and canted his head toward the door. The two men bowed respectfully toward everyone in the room before vanishing down the attic stairs. ¡°I want so much to bring Jon home,¡± Annie continued as she sat on the wooden chair to regain her equilibrium after the transfusion. ¡°But that would not be safe for any of us. There are people familiar with my background. Gossip is already rampant in SnakeIn about a prince who miraculously outwitted the king¡¯s Writ of Execution. About half the people are saying you were disowned for being a coward.¡± Jon winced at the word but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°While the other half, insists that the sentence was unjust. All of them are calling you The Prince Rescued by Love. If an injured young man were to suddenly appear in our home, well, SnakeIn would guess the truth. I don¡¯t want to chance it.¡± ¡°For that same reason, we can¡¯t be seen coming around here too frequently,¡± Tom Jarek chimed in with a grin. ¡°We will stop by when we can, but as Annie says, we can¡¯t associate closely with the two of you without the risk of putting you in jeopardy. That doesn¡¯t mean you are alone in this, though. I will pay for this room and two meals a day upfront, say for a year, to begin with. That way you can focus on helping Jon with whatever he needs. I didn¡¯t think to bring extra coins today, but I will send you money for daily expenses. You¡¯ll share this room, but you would have to anyway because of his medical needs. We¡¯ll ask Craig to have his oldest come up to help as often as possible after he finishes his other chores. You will need to rest and see to your own needs, and sometimes even a simple stroll outside will seem like a blessing.¡± ¡°A year?¡± Alec questioned as he stationed himself at Jon¡¯s side again. ¡°More, if necessary,¡± Tom reassured him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have the funds. Annie¡¯s father made sure that we would be well set for life.¡± ¡°Annie¡¯s father?¡± ¡°Yes, he has a hard life, but he tries to do the right thing,¡± Tom continued. ¡°If he hadn¡¯t helped us, neither Annie nor I would be alive right now.¡± ¡°How? I mean, he wanted you imprisoned,¡± Alec stammered in confusion. ¡°Only in public,¡± Annie replied. She walked to the bed where Jon lay with his eyes closed, elbowed Alec aside to remove a loose pillow, and continued, ¡°How do you think the Armed Watch realized so quickly who you were and that you needed help? Holy King Harrison arranged it ahead of time. Here, help me roll Jon over so we can put these fresh blankets on the bed. These are bloody.¡± Jon moaned but didn¡¯t object as Alec lifted him from the bed so that Annie could change the bedclothes. Annie gestured to her husband and said, ¡°Tom, help me move the bed against the wall. It¡¯s nice having both sides open, but they need the living space, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Leave enough space so I can get between the bed and the wall,¡± Alec spoke up. ¡°Please. That will make it easier for me to tend to Jon. I¡¯ll push it all the way over when Jon is better. Thank you.¡± Tom came to her aid immediately. Once they repositioned the bed against the wall, Annie signaled to Alec that he could set Jon on the bed. As Alec did, Jon¡¯s second moan sounded so painful that Alec needed to turn his own face to avoid tears. ¡°You¡¯ll be safe in SnakeIn, relatively safe, I mean,¡± Tom said, politely ignoring Alec¡¯s emotional distress. ¡°The king and the magi are both afraid of SnakeIn. The Legend of Indulf and Beathas is part of the reason.¡± Alec tipped his head and asked, ¡°The bodies outside the city gate?¡± Tom shrugged and clarified, ¡°No one knows whose bodies those are or where they came from. They¡¯ve been there for at least three generations. At the base of the legend is solid science. After the Mothership Cataclysm, our scientists made better use of what knowledge survived. The magi focused their bit of science on gaining power and control. The Ritual is designed to cripple the individual who undergoes it so that any prince who survives becomes dependent on the magi, and he takes that dependency with him as king. We used ours for medical improvements, education, and most importantly to this discussion, defense. The bridges are designed to trap intruders. The Enveloping Defense will burn up almost any airborne projectiles before they can reach their target.¡± ¡°The actual reason that soldiers and agents of either the king or the magi stay away,¡± Annie added, ¡°is that most of the residents in SnakeIn are exiles ¨C expatriates, fugitives, deserters, convicts, people who were abused by the judicial system, the Kings Soldiers, or the magi. Many are descendants of those exiles. All of them have reason to be angry and any of them might exact revenge on whomever they can whenever they can.¡± Alec rubbed Jon¡¯s arm with one hand as his brow furrowed with concern and he considered the implications of Annie¡¯s information. Tom¡¯s eyes followed Alec¡¯s movement. When he realized that Jon was dozing off again, he commented, ¡°We should let Jon and Alec get some rest, Annie. Let¡¯s have food and some ale sent up on our way out.¡± Only a few minutes after Annie and Tom left, the innkeeper¡¯s oldest son brought a plate of food and a jar of ale for Alec, along with a cup of broth for Jon, more blankets, another pillow, and a set of clothes for Jon. Both of Craig¡¯s sons were athletic. Alec noticed earlier that the younger son who had helped with the horses had his father¡¯s dark skin and eyes. The older son, standing in the doorway now, had pale skin, short black hair, and smiling blue eyes. ¡°We weren¡¯t sure if he is up to sipping some soup or not but thought we would bring some up in case he is,¡± the youth explained. Alec took the dishes from him and thanked him graciously. ¡°If you need anything else, my father is down in the pub. Any of us will help if we can. I¡¯ve got to get back to my other chores.¡± Rory unfolded the cot that had been used for the transfusion and set it up by the wall opposite Jon¡¯s bed. He put a pillow at one end and a pair of blankets across it. He smoothed out the wrinkles in the bedding, set the clothes at the foot, nodded to Alec, and then headed downstairs. Alec slid the lone wooden chair in the room over to the bed. When he saw that Jon was awake, he offered the broth to Jon. The patient moaned, shook his head in defeat, and muttered almost incoherently, ¡°Other chores.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a chore, Jon,¡± Alec responded. He set the cup down on the small table beside the medications and reached across Jon for his relatively good, left hand. When Jon¡¯s fingers closed on his, Alec whispered, ¡°You will never be a chore. Not when you¡¯re like this. Not once you¡¯re well.¡± Jon didn¡¯t attempt a verbal response. Instead, he lay there quietly clasping his friend¡¯s hand until he dozed off again. Alec sat there for several minutes, knowing Jon was asleep, but unwilling to move away or release Jon¡¯s hand. Releasing it meant facing their dire situation. Moving away from the side of the bed meant that he would start to think. Alec realized that he needed to plan for their future, but he didn¡¯t want to think, didn¡¯t want to wonder, didn¡¯t want to even guess why a father who had carved open his son¡¯s face would turn around and arrange for that same son to be rescued. It made no sense and caused several people to die unnecessarily. There was no logic to it. None. If anything, it was insane. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 11 Princess Chapter 11 Princess A friend of mine and I ran away once to find one of the feral herds to live with, but they stay in small groups, families. They said we were too old to live with them. My parents found me and brought me home before they could eat me. They did eat my friend, though. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 The Armed Watch returned to SnakeIn without any other confrontations, and when Alec reached the inn, he took the narrow attic stairs two at a time until he was beside Prince Jon. Although the healer and seamster were still present, and despite Jon being unconscious, Alec dropped to one knee and began the pledge to dedicate his life and loyalty to his dearest friend. ¡°Stand up, you fool,¡± a harsh voice said from the door. ¡°He can¡¯t be a prince here in SnakeIn, and you can¡¯t display that type of soppy behavior. It isn¡¯t safe.¡± Alec lunged to his feet as he clasped the hilt of his sword and spun to face the intruder. A lanky woman stood with her elbows indignantly akimbo, and her lips pressed together in a thin line. Her unremarkable brown hair fell loosely around her shoulders but did nothing to soften the glare in her belligerent eyes. ¡°The Armed Watch told me one of my brothers was here,¡± the woman continued. ¡°They said he was nearly dead. It looks like they were right.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up on him yet, Annie,¡± Healer Callahan interjected. ¡°Annie?¡± Alec asked. He looked from Jon to the woman, and then back again. The resemblance was unmistakable. ¡°You¡¯re Princess Tatiana?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t use our kingdom names here,¡± Callahan corrected. ¡°We forget them.¡± Someone reached through the door to touch her back, and Annie moved to one side. Captain Tom Jarek strolled into the small attic room. Despite wearing civilian clothing, his military bearing threatened to overwhelm the small room. He paused to study Jon laying on the bed, ran his fingers through his auburn hair, and shook his head as if in disbelief. Turning immediately to Alec, Captain Jarek reached out to shake hands. He said pleasantly, ¡°I¡¯m Tom Jarek. Don¡¯t mind my wife. Situations with her family worry her heart, and she manages it by being irritable with everyone.¡± Princess Tatiana scowled but said nothing. ¡°She is right, however,¡± Captain Jarek continued, friendliness shining from warm brown eyes. ¡°You do him and yourself a disservice by continuing to treat him as royalty. There are many people here in SnakeIn who would like nothing better than to get their hands on the king, however, an injured, helpless prince will do just as nicely. No, for the two of you to remain, his royalty must be a closely guarded secret. We¡¯ve had to do the same. For instance, my name is simply Tom Jarek, and my wife is Annie Jarek.¡± The former princess smiled far more pleasantly than Alec expected and nodded her agreement with her husband¡¯s instructions. ¡°I¡¯m Alec Mulrian,¡± Alec supplied. ¡°Former archer to Holy King Harrison.¡± ¡°Annie, which prince is this?¡± Tom asked his wife. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Annie said with a shrug. ¡°I only heard of them. I never met any of them.¡± ¡°Prince Jon,¡± Alec answered. As he talked he shuffled his feet, shifted his weight impatiently, and then twisted partway around so he could see Jon. Healer Callahan looked up from gathering together his instruments and Seamster McSwiney turned from washing his hands, and they said in unison, ¡°He isn¡¯t a prince here. He¡¯s free.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I was only acquainted with poor Reggie,¡± Tom offered. He tilted his chin toward the two men to indicate that they were right, and then sauntered casually to the bed and openly inspected the damage to Jon. After a moment he spoke again. ¡°He¡¯s going to hurt for a long time. This is worse than many battle injuries I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°Yes, yes it is, but the bones and the lacerations will mend. I anticipate no problem there,¡± Callahan explained as he returned to Jon¡¯s bedside and pointed out each significant injury. ¡°However, he will need the aid of a cane for the rest of his life. The cuts and open wounds are straightforward enough with no early signs of infection, so as long as infection doesn¡¯t set in, they will all heal well. The wolf bite and lacerations on his arm and the smaller, numerous rat bites on his ankles look good. You used incappbo seeds?¡± ¡°An incappbo seed extraction,¡± Alec responded as Jon¡¯s eyes fluttered and stared at all the people in the room. Alec immediately knelt beside Jon again and put a palm protectively on Jon¡¯s chest. ¡°You haven¡¯t mentioned his face.¡± ¡°Yes, well, the wound to his face is serious,¡± Healer Callahan agreed. ¡°The jaw is not broken. A few teeth are loose, so I¡¯ve wired them in place. In my experience, they will firm up again. There¡¯s an abrasion on his tongue that will trouble him, but it will clear up, too. Obviously, we stitched the right side of his face back together and it will take a long time before he can use his mouth comfortably. It will never be the same as it was. He will need liquids ¨C broth and soup ¨C and maybe, in a couple of days or so, very soft food such as you¡¯d feed to an infant. His eye was not injured so his vision will be fine. I¡¯ve left medication on the table. He needs to swallow two tablespoons of the liquid in the blue vial in the morning and two in the evening. I will also leave you a powder to mix with water for the pain; use it with great care. It has serious side effects including depression and unsettling dreams. While I have never had a patient kill himself because of this medication, other healers I know have suffered that misfortune, so please be very careful.¡± Once Alec agreed, Callahan continued, ¡°The large, red jar contains an ointment that you are to apply to his face liberally and often. It isn¡¯t pretty, and it smells repulsive, but it will help reduce the scarring. He will always have droopiness on that side of his face.¡± Jon groaned at the long recitation of instructions and then turned his face to the wall. Alec moved his hand tenderly to Jon¡¯s neck, and although Jon didn¡¯t speak, he moved his chin so that he could use it to squeeze Alec¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s call him Jon Holdingfree,¡± Annie declared as if Jon were neither in the room nor capable of making any decisions for himself. ¡°Jon is an ordinary enough name that it won¡¯t raise any suspicions, and with the condition he is in, he won¡¯t be able to learn to respond to anything else.¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°Many newcomers take the last name Holdingfree,¡± Callahan reassured Alec. ¡°It¡¯s very common. It¡¯s a sound choice.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be Holdingfree, too,¡± Alec said. ¡°Alec Holdingfree, at least until Jon is well enough to express his own opinion about what he wants to be called.¡± ¡°Annie,¡± Healer Callahan began with obvious hesitance. Annie shifted to look directly at him. ¡°Jon¡¯s lost a great deal of blood. We should take an Ancestor Blood Sample from you to see if we can transfuse him with your blood. You¡¯re the most likely to match.¡± Seeing Annie¡¯s recalcitrance, Alec spoke up immediately, ¡°I have no idea what an Ancestor Blood Sample is, but if it will help Jon, try to match mine, too.¡± ¡°And mine,¡± Tom and Seamster McSwiney chimed at the same time. ¡°Ask Craig and Kenzie, too,¡± Tom added. Annie rolled her eyes, stuck out her arm, and agreed, ¡°Test away. I would never refuse a member of my own family. Or anyone, for that matter.¡± Healer Callahan moved to his medical bag, rummaged through the inside pockets, and extracted a mysterious-looking kit. Seeing Alec marking his every move and gesture, Callahan explained, ¡°The Four Glorious told us that blood comes in a few distinct styles, and if a patient has over-bled, then introducing some from a matching style into the patient will help. We¡¯ve used their procedure for centuries. It¡¯s simple and if Annie is a match, it will be completely safe.¡± When the match was confirmed, Tom dashed down the four flights of stairs and returned with a cot and both Rory and Callen Docherty. Annie reclined on the cot. Callahan attached needles into Jon¡¯s and Annie¡¯s arms, secured a tube between the needles, and then signaled to Tom and the Docherty Brothers. They elevated Annie¡¯s cot over their heads so that her blood could flow down the tube into Jon¡¯s arm. As soon as he comprehended what they were doing, Alec stepped up but realized there was no space free where he could help hold the cot. He settled for pacing the floor anxiously. The procedure only took a few minutes and once Annie regained her feet, the two boys leaned the cot against a wall, and then went downstairs. Kenzie came up almost immediately with tea and biscuits for everyone, saying as she arranged the refreshments, ¡°It will help Annie¡¯s body replace the missing blood and who doesn¡¯t like a treat now and again.¡± Healer Callahan finished packing his medical bag and joined Seamster McSwiney and the others for a cup of tea. When it was finished, he examined Jon once more and then nodded his approval of Jon¡¯s condition. Straightening, he picked up his medical bag, looked to Seamster McSwiney, and canted his head toward the door. The two men bowed their heads respectfully toward everyone in the room and vanished down the attic stairs. ¡°I want so much to bring Jon home,¡± Annie continued as she sat on the wooden chair to regain her equilibrium after the transfusion. ¡°But that would not be safe for any of us. There are people familiar with my background. Gossip is already rampant in SnakeIn about a prince who miraculously outwitted the king¡¯s Writ of Execution. About half the people are saying you were disowned for being a coward.¡± Jon winced at the word but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°While the other half, insists that the sentence was unjust. All of them are calling you The Prince Rescued by Love. If an injured young man were to suddenly appear in our home, well, SnakeIn would guess the truth. I don¡¯t want to chance it.¡± ¡°For that same reason, we can¡¯t be seen coming around here too frequently,¡± Tom Jarek chimed in with a grin. ¡°We will stop by when we can, but as Annie says, we can¡¯t associate closely with the two of you without the risk of putting you in jeopardy. That doesn¡¯t mean you are alone in this, though. I will pay for this room and two meals a day upfront, say for a year, to begin with. That way you can focus on helping Jon with whatever he needs. I didn¡¯t think to bring extra coins today, but I will send you money for daily expenses. You¡¯ll share this room, but you would have to anyway because of his medical needs. We¡¯ll ask Craig to have his oldest come up to help as often as possible after he finishes his other chores. You will need to rest and see to your own needs, and sometimes even a simple stroll outside will seem like a blessing.¡± ¡°A year?¡± Alec questioned as he stationed himself at Jon¡¯s side again. ¡°More, if necessary,¡± Tom reassured him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have the funds. Annie¡¯s father made sure that we would be well set for life.¡± ¡°Annie¡¯s father?¡± ¡°Yes, he has a hard life, but he tries to do the right thing,¡± Tom continued. ¡°If he hadn¡¯t helped us, neither Annie nor I would be alive right now.¡± ¡°How? I mean, he wanted you imprisoned,¡± Alec stammered in confusion. ¡°Only in public,¡± Annie replied. She walked to the bed where Jon lay with his eyes closed, elbowed Alec aside to remove a loose pillow, and continued, ¡°How do you think the Armed Watch realized so quickly who you were and that you needed help? Holy King Harrison arranged it ahead of time. Here, help me roll Jon over so we can put these fresh blankets on the bed. These are bloody.¡± Jon moaned but didn¡¯t object as Alec lifted him from the bed so that Annie could change the bedclothes. Annie gestured to her husband and said, ¡°Tom, help me move the bed against the wall. It¡¯s nice having both sides open, but they need the living space, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Leave enough space so I can get between the bed and the wall,¡± Alec spoke up. ¡°Please. That will make it easier for me to tend to Jon. I¡¯ll push it all the way over when Jon is better. Thank you.¡± Tom came to her aid immediately. Once they repositioned the bed against the wall, Annie signaled to Alec that he could set Jon on the bed. As Alec did, Jon¡¯s second moan sounded so painful that Alec needed to turn his own face to avoid tears. ¡°You¡¯ll be safe in SnakeIn, relatively safe, I mean,¡± Tom said, politely ignoring Alec¡¯s emotional distress. ¡°The king and the magi are both afraid of SnakeIn. The Legend of Indulf and Beathas is part of the reason.¡± Alec tipped his head and asked, ¡°The bodies outside the city gate?¡± Tom shrugged and clarified, ¡°No one knows whose bodies those are or where they came from. They¡¯ve been there for at least three generations. At the base of the legend is solid science. After the Mothership Cataclysm, our scientists made better use of what knowledge survived. The magi focused their bit of science on gaining power and control. The Ritual is designed to cripple the individual who undergoes it so that any prince who survives becomes dependent on the magi, and he takes that dependency with him as king. We used ours for medical improvements, education, and most importantly to this discussion, defense. The bridges are designed to trap intruders. The Enveloping Defense will burn up almost any airborne projectiles before they can reach their target.¡± ¡°The actual reason that soldiers and agents of either the king or the magi stay away,¡± Annie added, ¡°is that most of the residents in SnakeIn are exiles ¨C expatriates, fugitives, deserters, convicts, people who were abused by the judicial system, the Kings Soldiers, or the magi. Many are descendants of those exiles. All of them have reason to be angry and any of them might exact revenge on whomever they can whenever they can.¡± Alec rubbed Jon¡¯s arm with one hand as his brow furrowed with concern and he considered the implications of Annie¡¯s information. Tom¡¯s eyes followed Alec¡¯s movement. When he realized that Jon was dozing off again, he commented, ¡°We should let Jon and Alec get some rest, Annie. Let¡¯s have food and some ale sent up on our way out.¡± Only a few minutes after Annie and Tom left, the innkeeper¡¯s oldest son brought a plate of food and a jar of ale for Alec, along with a cup of broth for Jon, more blankets, another pillow, and a set of clothes for Jon. Both of Craig¡¯s sons were athletic. Alec noticed earlier that the younger son who had helped with the horses had his father¡¯s dark skin and eyes. The older son, standing in the doorway now, had pale skin, short black hair, and smiling blue eyes. ¡°We weren¡¯t sure if he is up to sipping some soup or not but thought we would bring some up in case he is,¡± the youth explained. Alec took the dishes from him and thanked him graciously. ¡°If you need anything else, my father is down in the pub. Any of us will help if we can. I¡¯ve got to get back to my other chores.¡± Rory unfolded the cot that had been used for the transfusion and set it up by the wall opposite Jon¡¯s bed. He put a pillow at one end and a pair of blankets across it. He smoothed out the wrinkles in the bedding, set the clothes at the foot, nodded to Alec, and then headed downstairs. Alec slid the lone wooden chair in the room over to the bed. When he saw that Jon was awake, he offered the broth to Jon. The patient moaned, shook his head in defeat, and muttered almost incoherently, ¡°Other chores.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a chore, Jon,¡± Alec responded. He set the cup down on the small table beside the medications and reached across Jon for his relatively good, left hand. When Jon¡¯s fingers closed on his, Alec whispered, ¡°You will never be a chore. Not when you¡¯re like this. Not once you¡¯re well.¡± Jon didn¡¯t attempt a verbal response. Instead, he lay there quietly clasping his friend¡¯s hand until he dozed off again. Alec sat there for several minutes, knowing Jon was asleep, but unwilling to move away or release Jon¡¯s hand. Releasing it meant facing their dire situation. Moving away from the side of the bed meant that he would start to think. Alec realized that he needed to plan for their future, but he didn¡¯t want to think, didn¡¯t want to wonder, didn¡¯t want to even guess why a father who had carved open his son¡¯s face would turn around and arrange for that same son to be rescued. It made no sense and caused several people to die unnecessarily. There was no logic to it. None. If anything, it was insane. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 12 Escape Chapter 12 Escape My being here is entirely to my parents¡¯ credit. Not only were they able to bring me home, but they instilled in me a strong sense of honor and duty to the Holy King. The virtues we need to impart to the Chosen through the Ritual are what is the most important. Virtues such as wisdom, compassion, patience, decisiveness, protectiveness, or perseverance. All ones the Chosen will need as king. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 On the carriage ride home, Tom fumbled with the buttons on his jacket, jiggled the two small coins in his pocket, and stared out the window at the wide, brightly lit main street with shops, boutique markets, civil buildings, and expensive residences. Eventually, that street narrowed, and increasingly smaller, unlit lanes radiated out from each side. The dwellings got cheaper and seedier before the street widened again, and the streetlamps occurred more regularly and sequentially brighter. The carriage turned onto another well-kept street and rattled by townhouses that increased in luxury as they traveled. He wondered how long Jon and Alec would have to be content with that dismal, dusty attic room and how he could safely get them into nice accommodations. Few landlords were as protective and conscientious toward their guests as Craig Docherty, and right now that was more important than physical luxury. His thoughts twisted to the terrible day that the Armored Grays captured him when he tried to rendezvous with Annie. Several Years Earlier ¡ª An Alleyway in Hilltown Gil Braeford knelt with his left knee firmly in the back of the sprawled soldier and his hands pressing down on the man¡¯s upper arms. Two other Grays dodged spit and curses as they fought to cover the soldier¡¯s head with a cloth sack. When the soldier sank his teeth into the closest Gray, the man slapped the soldier¡¯s face viciously. Gil''s fist crashed into the Gray¡¯s face sending him flying backward as Gil bellowed, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare you worthless wad of road sludge. By the Survivor, just who do you think you are!¡± ¡°Survivor!¡± the second Gray declared in surprise. ¡°I¡¯d heard that you¡¯re from New East Anglia, but I never knew you were one of those. Worshiping the Survivor.¡± ¡°I worship God alone,¡± Gil snarled. ¡°Not Olivia Raedwald.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Olivia Raedwald?¡± the Gray questioned. Gil drew back his lips to spit out something else but instead jerked his head toward the prisoner so that the other two would focus on the task at hand. ¡°He bit me,¡± the injured Gray defended himself as he rubbed his jaw and muddled back to his feet. ¡°Of course he did. He¡¯s a true soldier who¡¯s been awarded the Medal of the King¡¯s Honor more times than you¡¯ve wiped your ass,¡± Gil growled, adding a warning glance at his companions. ¡°He isn¡¯t some unclaimed from the gutter. Grab his arms.¡± As the others held the soldier down, Gil dug through his own uniform pockets until he found a large handkerchief. Holding it up, he spun the cloth into a long tube and looped it over the Medal of Honor holder¡¯s head. The soldier shook his head and arched his neck back, trying to avoid the inevitable, but Gil easily tugged the cloth against the soldier¡¯s lips and tied it behind his head. Gil snatched the sack, fed it rapidly over the soldier¡¯s head, and secured it. Before leaning back, he double-checked that the soldier was not strangling on the sack or choking on the handkerchief and that his breathing was as normal as could be expected under the circumstances. Gil waved at the two Grays to tie the soldier¡¯s hands behind his back while he lifted his knee and moved down to knot a length of rope around the soldier¡¯s feet. ¡°Easy. Easy now,¡± Gil warned the Grays. ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t tie it so tight that you damage his hands.¡± ¡°Why do you care so damn much about a prisoner?¡± the bitten Gray complained. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Why do you think you can disobey my orders?¡± Gil snapped back. ¡°You two keep it up and you¡¯ll both wish the Survivor would save your asses. Now pick him up and set him in the carriage. Carefully. He is to remain whole, healthy, and unbruised.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the two Grays responded. Admitting his defeat to himself, the soldier ceased struggling and focused on the sounds around him and the sway of the carriage, in the hope that if an opportunity to escape presented itself, he would have some idea where he was. He could tell that the roads beneath the carriage wheels were smooth and designed for maximum comfort. While the Grays did not speak, the sounds from outside the carriage included children playing, servants laughing, and Hilltown life unfolding normally as they rolled by. Captain Tom Jarek hated himself at that moment. Princess Tatianna had warned him that arrest warrants were issued for the two of them and a decree of execution had been issued for him. She begged him to hide until they could run. He had until the messenger came saying that she was in trouble and that she desperately needed him to meet her behind the Citadel. He rushed to her aid. He loved her too much to refuse. It was a ruse. The Grays were waiting for him. Tom knew that Annie wouldn¡¯t betray him. The feel of the carriage changed from a road to a wooden drawbridge. He wondered if the hammering he heard in the distance was the scaffolding where he would be hanged or the wall he would stand against for a Royal Archer firing party. He was surprised, however, when the carriage ride ended as soon as it did. Once again he was hauled from the carriage, but this time he was taken inside a building, stone based on the sound of the echoes, carried up a flight of stairs, and then down another passageway. He was set on the floor, far more gently than he had been treated so far, and he heard the sound of two people marching away. Someone peeled the dark sack from his head, and then the gag was removed. Gil Braeford tossed both aside and bent over to lift him into a sitting position. As Gil¡¯s knife sawed at the bonds tying his wrists, Tom lifted his face, squinted, squinted again, and then his jaw dropped open. ¡°Good evening, Captain Jarek,¡± Holy King Harrison greeted him pleasantly. ¡°I apologize for the unusual and probably terrifying way that you were summoned today, but secrecy and misdirection are paramount if we are to succeed.¡± The king looked at Gil and asked, ¡°My daughter?¡± ¡°No sign of her,¡± Gil responded. ¡°I doubt that she believed the message.¡± The king nodded and spoke to Tom. ¡°Please, do not be worried. You are safe. Once Gil cuts you free, he will help you to the table, where you are welcome to help yourself to the food and ale set out for you. The three of us need to discuss our plan.¡± ¡°Plan?¡± Tom asked. In his shock, he forgot to say Your Majesty or any other accolade, but neither Holy King Harrison, nor Gil Braeford seemed to notice. ¡°Yes. The plan to see you and my daughter, Tatianna, safely out of Hilltown, and established comfortably in SnakeIn.¡± Present Time His wife¡¯s words broke into the misery of Tom¡¯s memories, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to be so beaten up.¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± Tom asked. ¡°I know you were surprised by having to give blood today.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine. A bit tired, but that will pass,¡± Annie said pensively. ¡°I thought maybe a single shot from a crossbow had gotten him or something like that. Something a healer could work with.¡± ¡°He¡¯s in a tough situation,¡± Tom agreed. ¡°The prognosis is good, but it will be a long time before he¡¯s well. It¡¯s a blessing that Alec was able to get him here while he was still alive.¡± Annie nodded, glanced his way, and then turned her attention to the window on her side of the carriage. As they arrived she said, ¡°When the runner told me that a prince had moved to SnakeIn, I thought he would be someone the Rebels could use.¡± ¡°Maybe when he¡¯s well,¡± Tom commented. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t give up on him yet. He was put through hell by the magi ¨C and Harrison, too, for that matter. He may be more than willing to work with us. We¡¯ll simply have to bide our time and see. I¡¯ll help him all that I can, you can count on that.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean as a rebel,¡± Annie corrected. ¡°I meant as king.¡± Tom swung down from the carriage, looked directly at his wife, and said, ¡°He¡¯s nearly dead, Annie. Focus on helping him regain his health, and on appreciating that you have a brother nearby, instead of how you can manipulate him.¡± He turned from his wife and strode into the mansion. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 13 Confrontation Chapter 13 Confrontation Can you see him from where you¡¯re at? Notice how calm he is. My Prince¡¯s face has been dignified and like stone since the beginning. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 Three Weeks Earlier ¨C Castle of Hilltown, Harrison¡¯s Private Apartments ¡°Hold still, Harry.¡± Gil Braeford switched his brandy to his left hand as he walked behind Holy King Harrison. He casually stuck out the smallest finger on his right hand and pushed it against the point of a medium-sized horn. ¡°Ouch!¡± he yelped, withdrawing his hand. He shook it in the air as if he could wave away the pain, and then strolled back to his chair. ¡°That hurts.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been doing that same thing every day for twenty years now,¡± Holy King Harrison complained. ¡°You should know by now that it hurts.¡± ¡°I do, Harry, I do,¡± Gil agreed. ¡°And I intend to continue sampling your poison for twenty years more.¡± The king took a long swallow of ale, and grumped, ¡°It isn¡¯t my poison. It¡¯s hers. Curse the day we were alone in that garden. If you haven¡¯t built up immunity by now, you never will.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right,¡± Gil agreed again. ¡°But I don¡¯t like leaving things to chance. It¡¯s my fault that the Old Duke of Northlyn killed the Eolian woman and I ended up in exile. If I would have had ammunition, if I would have had back-up rather than just going off only half prepared, she¡¯d still be alive.¡± ¡°She died because trophy hunters killed her,¡± Harrison disagreed. ¡°Not because of anything you did or didn¡¯t do. Sit back down and drink your brandy. It¡¯s Southwold Brandy. Your father¡¯s finest. Who knew Uncle Marston would develop the world¡¯s most renowned distillery.¡± ¡°I recognize it,¡± Gil said companionably. He shook his hand a few more times to stave off the pain and then settled in the chair beside Harrison. ¡°How is my father?¡± ¡°Doing well,¡± Harrison answered. ¡°Now that the war is over he is focused on rebuilding, not just for himself but the entire community. I think he would have been a good king.¡± ¡°Humph,¡± Gil snorted. ¡°Not everyone can be a good father. It requires skills not everyone possesses. He misses you and would like you to come home.¡± ¡°Humph,¡± Gil repeated the snort. Harrison rolled his eyes and then changed the subject, ¡°I¡¯ve never understood why Charles allowed that hunt to begin with. Eolians are as human as the rest of us.¡± ¡°They certainly are,¡± Gil agreed. ¡°When that groom came to our home leading Northlyn¡¯s lame horse, I didn¡¯t think much about it. I didn¡¯t recognize him or his livery. We were only in the northern mountains a couple times that I remember. It was a vacation home, not where we lived. I was staying there alone because I was trying to get away from my father. I helped the groom get the animal to our small stables so he could care for it. When the groom mentioned that they were hunting a human, I grabbed my own horse and rode out in a rage. I found them, but the hunters quickly overpowered me, I was tied to a tree, whipped, and then finally forced to watch the Old Duke kill her. Truth be told, I was lucky that I was eventually able to fight my way out of it the way I did. If I had taken even a few minutes to prepare, the outcome would have been much different.¡± ¡°You did the best you could, Gil, and your back shows it,¡± Harrison said, soothingly. ¡°I¡¯ve told you that before. You were young. Too hot-headed and self-righteous to think straight maybe, but you leveled out as you matured, and you¡¯ve prevented many innocent deaths since. What does it matter now? The Old Duke is gone, and his son Merritt is Northlyn. He has eliminated all the trophy hunting and is rebuilding the Northlyn reputation.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard, too,¡± Gil acknowledged. ¡°The bounty the Old Duke put on me has been rescinded. There¡¯s no reason I couldn¡¯t go home to visit for a while. To visit. If I wanted to.¡± ¡°You could. I would hate to lose you permanently, though,¡± Harrison commented. Gil laughed and raised his glass. Harrison clinked his against Gil¡¯s, and then continued, ¡°I hate to tear you away from your memories.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°We need to discuss the boys again. Reggie¡¯s Ritual is coming up soon and I don¡¯t like the way Ava¡¯s behaving. Promise me again that if Reggie fails the Ritual, you¡¯ll take Ethan and Jon to safety.¡± ¡°If you think she¡¯s going to deliberately hurt Reggie, we should simply kill her.¡± At Gil¡¯s comment, Harrison raised his eyes, but repeated simply, ¡°Will you take Ethan and Jon to safety?¡± ¡°You know I will,¡± Gil reassured him. ¡°I need to hear it again, from your lips,¡± Holy King Harrison interrupted. ¡°I want your promise, your solemn oath on our friendship that you will protect my sons. We both know that I¡¯ll be incapacitated and won¡¯t be able to help you. You need to swear it again and we need to plan for it right now, not wait.¡± Gil set aside his brandy, slid fr om his chair to one knee, and bowed his head to the monarch. ¡°You have my word, Harrison. I will protect them even if it costs my own life.¡± ¡°Gil,¡± the king said, lowering his voice, ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll rescue All the Princes, that you¡¯ll take them all to safety.¡± Present Day Holy King Harrison¡¯s right shoulder twitched as pain cascaded across his face. It had been two days since the funeral of his eldest sons and the torture of the third eldest. Yet, once again he was faced with Ava¡¯s persistent anger without any allowance for his grief. Despite having a throne bespoke to his personal needs, Holy King Harrison¡¯s gestures and movement revealed the agony he endured. The chair he rested in had a short, padded shoe positioned low to support the small of his back. Two stiles curved out dramatically and then dovetailed into a wide, upholstered top rail where the king could rest the back of his head. The area between the shoe and the top rail was open so that the horns embedded in his back could project freely through the chair. Both of the chair¡¯s arms were heavily padded. ¡°Where is he?¡± Ava Most Revered shouted from the center of the nearly deserted throne room. ¡°Dead,¡± Holy King Harrison said as he winced. ¡°He had little chance of surviving the injuries your thugs left on him; let alone the ones I am ashamed to have put there myself. He was my son. I loved him and will not forgive myself. Or you.¡± ¡°Are the two missing Grays with Jon?¡± ¡°There are no missing Grays. Gil knows where every single one of them is.¡± ¡°Where is Gil Braeford?¡± Ava Most Revered demanded. ¡°I know he¡¯s behind this. He ordered those peasants to attack my soldiers. That entire detail of Magi Soldiers was killed. My soldiers were beaten and trampled to death dutifully upholding the sacredness of the Ritual. Gil Braeford rode off like a coward.¡± ¡°Ava, stop insulting Gil and stop referring to Midhe Nuae¡¯s citizens as peasants,¡± Holy King Harrison responded. ¡°It is not against any law anywhere in the Kingdom of Midhe Nuae for the Grays Commander to ride his horse. He is under no obligation to assist your figgict mercenaries. He was seeing to his responsibilities then and is seeing to them now. He is charged with the wellbeing of the princes.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Ava hesitated, narrowed her eyes questioningly, and then snarled, ¡°He is not. Gil and his Grays are your assassins. They have nothing to do with the princes or anything else beyond the incidental things you order them to do. I want him executed. Gil Braeford and Prince Jon both.¡± The Royal Scribe and her assistant stood nearby observing and noting down all that was said or transpired. Eventually, she would transfer the information to the royal journals. Harrison waved the Scribe forward and said, ¡°Take this down exactly, Scribe, and see that it reaches every corner of Midhe Nuae. Use red messaging birds. Send armed riders. I authorize the expense of doing anything you need to so that this decree reaches everyone before First Sun sets today: I, Holy King Harrison, hereby and immediately extend the Crown¡¯s Forgiveness to my cousin Gilbert Braeford Raedwald, and to my son Prince Jon Raedwald, for all perceived or actual wrongdoing, in the past, present, or future, by either of them individually or both of them collectively. Neither is to be imprisoned, harassed, arrested, beaten, tortured, wounded, killed nor anything of a similar or like manner. They are not to be harmed or injured. No retribution or revenge is to be taken against either of them. This decree is Eternally Binding. It may not be altered, countermanded, or set aside by any future king, by Ava Most Revered or any future Most Revered, by any mage, or by any other person regardless of whether or not I, Holy King Harrison, am unconscious, in ill health or any similar condition, including deceased. When the Scribe bowed and started to step back, Holy King Harrison said, ¡°Prepare an identical one for Alec Mulrian ¨C be sure to indicate that Mulrian has been promoted to the rank of captain in the Royal Archers and has earned a second Medal of the Kings Honor for Heroism. Also, make it clear that Gil Braeford is the respected Commander of the Armored Grays. None of them have done anything wrong, nonetheless, I will see to protecting them. I will sign the decrees the moment that you have them written out.¡± The Scribe completed the decree, obtained Holy King Harrison¡¯s signature, and then hastily ran from the throne room, leaving the assistant to continue transcribing the heated confrontation between the two most powerful individuals in the land. Holy King Harrison turned back to Ava Most Revered and continued, ¡°I¡¯m surprised, Ava. Your information is not up-to-date. Because of your actions, Gil and the Grays no longer answer to me. The Royal Guards still protect me, of course, but the Grays belong only to the princes.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ava Most Revered exclaimed. ¡°They disobeyed our traditions. They need to answer for that.¡± Growing weary, Holy King Harrison said frankly, ¡°I¡¯m shocked that you ordered Prince Jon¡¯s execution simply because he left the castle at night without begging your permission first. His bag was found just beyond the archery field, for figgict¡¯s sake. Did you seriously think hiding behind the archery targets would have helped him to avoid archers? Furthermore, I am mortified and shamed by my own actions, not the least because I was once as gentle and caring as Prince Jon. You have made me into a monster. Your conniving schemes, the relentless pain you continually heap on me, and the drugs you use to confuse and disable me, have transformed me into someone I am mortified to be. I should have acted sooner to help him, should have respected his need to walk a different path.¡± ¡°Clear the room,¡± Ava Most Revered snapped at the Kings Guards and Magi Soldiers. Her soldiers instantly complied, however, the Kings Guards looked to the king for his approval. He shook his head. Frowning, she continued, ¡°Kings and princes don¡¯t get to walk different paths. They are indentured to their destinies, slaves to the Crown. He was no different. Now, what did you do with him? If he is dead, where is his body?¡± ¡°Somewhere on the steep side of that cliff, I imagine, or in the sea,¡± the king answered, and then stopped to gasp in pain. ¡°There¡¯s no need for anyone to risk their safety descending the cliffs to look for corpses. I forbid it.¡± ¡°Beyond the supposed battlefield they found the body of a wolf that had been shot, and remains of another that had been partially eaten.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that Captain Mulrian stopped for a snack on the way to save my son¡¯s life?¡± Ava gritted her teeth at his insolence. ¡°No, I¡¯m saying that when you add that to the fact that Mulrian, the person who went over the cliff with Jon, wasn¡¯t even a Royal Archer, it looks considerably more suspicious. Can you tell me why Mulrian was even there? His sergeant demoted him to Citizen before they ever went out.¡± ¡°I have already spoken with the commander of my military about the inappropriateness and illegality of forcing Captain Mulrian from service. Until such time his body is found, and there is proof that he is dead, Mulrian remains on active duty with full pay and is assigned to be guard and companion to Prince Jon.¡± ¡°Then you do know that they are alive.¡± ¡°I do not,¡± Holy King Harrison continued. ¡°Earth humans had a story about a cat in a box that was both alive and dead at the same time, so I have decided to proceed on the side of hope. In fact, Guard!¡± The senior-most Kings Guard present stepped forward and bowed. ¡°Inform Captain Brady that, because of the danger Prince Jon may be in, Mulrian is to receive half again as much pay in addition to his new salary. Have Captain Brady establish for the record who is Mulrian¡¯s next of kin so that the magi will not be able to steal his money under the guise of a tithe for Mulrian¡¯s soul should his death be confirmed.¡± As the Kings Guard hurried from the room the Most Revered scowled. ¡°If he¡¯s alive but not here, he¡¯s Absent Without Permission and should be thrown into the dungeon.¡± King Harrison rested his elbows on the chair so he could steeple his fingers in front of him. ¡°Do you know anything about the severed hand that they found? The one that had been pickled in a jar of chemicals.¡± The Most Revered¡¯s face stilled. ¡°Did you ever meet my older brother?¡± King Harrison continued. ¡°Prince Chadwick was the Chosen but died during his Ritual. A year or so before that he lost the tip of the smallest finger on his right hand sparring with the son of a Royal Guard. The bout became heated and Chad¡¯s opponent accidentally sliced it off. The guard¡¯s son was devastated and our father waived punishment. He rightly saw it as simply a case of untrained youths taking things too far.¡± The Most Revered shifted her weight from side to side uneasily. ¡°I mention all this about Chad because that pickled, severed hand is a right one missing the tip of its smallest finger.¡± The Most Revered¡¯s face drained of color. ¡°Do not interfere in the Crown¡¯s business, Ava. Do not,¡± the king cautioned. He drew in his breath, waved a hand to a servant who poured water for His Majesty, and hurried with it to his side. Harrison drank thirstily, and then returned the glass to the servant¡¯s hand. ¡°The citizens attacked your mercenaries out of love for Prince Jon. If you had been there, they would have beaten you to death, also. I am shocked and ashamed that you used my name to issue an order of execution for my son. Captain Mulrian either rescued my son or defended him to their mutual deaths. He did what every soldier present should have done; what every citizen should have done; what I should have done. I have ordered a statue erected in honor of my son and Mulrian.¡± ¡°If Mulrian is alive, and I get my hands on him, he¡¯ll be Prince Eater hash,¡± the Most Revered snarled derisively. ¡°If Captain Mulrian is alive, you will keep your figgict hands off him. That is a Royal Command. Do not tempt your fate by disobeying it,¡± Holy King Harrison replied. ¡°People are already calling Jon, and that insufferable archer, heroes,¡± the Most Revered sniffed. ¡°Displaying statues of them will make that worse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the consequence you face by adhering to that contemptible Ritual,¡± Holy King Harrison said with surprising calm. ¡°The reality, Ava ¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me Ava,¡± the Most Revered directed. ¡°You keep making that mistake, Harry. I¡¯m properly referred to as the Most Revered or Ava Most Revered.¡± He continued as if she had not interrupted him. ¡°The reality is that the public has realized that the Ritual is a bloodthirsty farce. They know that the origins were a simple celebration ¨C a dance, for figgict¡¯s sake. Science and greed have turned those humble origins into something horrific and cruel. No one gains spiritual enhancement. Three of my sons and my brother were destroyed ¡ª by you and your predecessors ¡ª for nothing. Most people are even saying that you personally control who does or does not survive the Ritual so that you remain in power. And they¡¯re right.¡± The Most Revered fidgeted with the bracelets. Holy King Harrison grimaced in pain again and vowed, ¡°If I do nothing else during my reign it will be to eliminate that horror and allow Prince Se¨¢n to live peacefully and in good health ¡ª without these spikes making his life nearly unbearable. And Prince Jon if he is still alive.¡± Shaking with anger, Ava spun her bracelets, moved to within a few meters of the king, and lifted one hand to point directly at him. Holy King Harrison screamed, arched his back, and then clutched at his stomach as he pitched forward. Several of the Kings Guards raced to his side in time to hear Ava Most Revered warn in a low voice, ¡°If this is another one of your tricks, Harry ¡ª¡± ¡°If you think he¡¯s living in SnakeIn, go there and look,¡± Holy King Harrison moaned. ¡°Iron cages are easy enough to make. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll accommodate you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Harry. If this is like Tatianna¡¯s disappearance, I swear to you, I will kill you.¡± The Kings Guards slammed halberds in front of the Most Revered and surrounded her with the points of their swords. Instinctively she dropped her hand from her bracelets, and the king¡¯s torment eased. She stepped back into the swords behind her, jerked straighter at the pain, and hurried to explain, ¡°I meant figuratively. Politically. People say that you helped Princess Tatianna escape from doing her duty. I think you¡¯ve done that with Jon.¡± Before Holy King Harrison could respond, the Commander of the Kings Guards interjected, ¡°Threatening the king is treason, Ava Most Revered. Even someone as illustrious as you may not threaten His Majesty¡¯s life. Arrest her.¡± One of the only regrets Ava Most Revered had in her life was the one she had at that moment. She had dismissed her soldiers from the throne room. ¡°Harrison!¡± she pleaded in disbelief. ¡°Captain Jarek was a superb, highly decorated officer.¡± Harrison¡¯s shoulders and upper arms began to bulge, his eyes narrowed, and a growl surfaced from his throat. With great effort, he continued, ¡°Flat out the best. More than once I awarded him the Medal of the King¡¯s Honor. There was no shame in Princess Tatianna loving him. You should have blessed their union the way I did, rather than try to destroy them, if only for prestige in the eyes of the public.¡± He inhaled deeply and then exhaled. ¡°Why won¡¯t you stop this pain, Ava? I dearly love my sons. I¡¯ve enjoyed raising them personally without interference from the mothers or from the magi, as you know better than anyone since you gave birth to Gunnar. Three of them have been killed ¨C Reggie and Jon by your schemes, Ethan because he was too honorable to stand idle while Prince Reginald suffered. Gunnar isn¡¯t¡­.well, Gunnar¡¯s machinations will no doubt get him killed on his own. Meanwhile, I have twenty daughters whom I barely know. My youngest daughters are still with their mothers, and I see them twice a year, on the holiest days. The older ones were bartered to appease other countries¡¯ princes or bribe pliable rivals. You raised my daughters, guided, cajoled, and punished each of them or their mothers so they would submit to your will. You valued them solely for their potential in forming alliances. Allowing one of so many to love would not have hurt you personally, nor diminished your power. It would have increased it. I haven¡¯t seen Tatiana or her husband or even heard about them in years, and until you are no longer a threat to them, I am certain I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t know where they went, just like I don¡¯t know about Jon. I cannot give you knowledge I don¡¯t have.¡± Holy King Harrison stopped speaking and focused on breathing. He was nearly panting. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the Commander of the Kings Guards spoke up. ¡°Go ahead,¡± the king responded softly with a faint wave of his hand. ¡°She might as well be locked in the dungeon while I consider her punishment.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 14 Dungeon Chapter 14 Dungeon My Prince stands there, tranquil and bold, ready to have thirty-three horns rammed through him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It¡¯s excruciating, agonizingly painful, but not cruel. It mirrors the Chosen¡¯s destiny.¡ª Prince Eater #34 ¡°I¡¯ve let him go too far.¡± No one was near enough to hear her frustration, empathize with her, or respond to her at all, but she talked aloud anyway. She perched on the stone ledge that served as both seating and bed in the windowless underground cell. Her back and head were pressed against the stone wall, her palms rested on each side of her, and her legs stretched out straight in front of her. Her disquiet was not due to her environment or any of the potential legal consequences of angering the Holy King. Her worry was, in fact, Harrison himself. He was nearly beyond control. The pain from the horns no longer stopped him, and upping the sedating effect of the horns did not always slow him down anymore. The transferred properties of the Prince Eaters transformed him into a beast more frequently than ever before. The only action that guaranteed his obedience, if you could call it that, was to induce a coma so that he remained unconscious for extended lengths of time. That was dangerous. It risked Harrison¡¯s life, but more importantly, it jeopardized the cooperation of the people who loyally followed the monarch. As Harrison had astutely acknowledged, the public had become wise to the Ritual being counterfeit. Once again, she was grateful that she was born a female. Ava O¡¯Connor, niece to the former king¡¯s twenty-third consort. Ava laughed out loud. Consorts, indeed. Each one was a plant, a spy. Each one had been hand-selected and deliberately introduced to the late king for the magi¡¯s own purposes: distraction from scrutiny, a means of acquiring knowledge, and a more subtle method of influencing decisions than the horns provided. Harrison¡¯s father, King Tiernan, enjoyed the tradition of having several consorts, while Harrison disagreed with it so vehemently that he tried to abolish the practice when he accepted the Crown. The magi had to intercede to prevent most of the male babies from being born, and then space out the births of the other boys to keep him in line. She needed someone like Harrison. She needed Prince Jon. He¡¯s alive, she agreed with herself. He¡¯s alive somewhere and I¡¯ll find him. She and Harrison were never meant to be together, of course. She was tagged for wealthy Old Baron Myllgreen of New East Anglia, and then one evening when Second Sun was low on the horizon, she discovered the teenaged Prince Harrison sulking in the gardens after an argument with his father. His reaction to her changed her life; his unabated, wildly ridiculous love for her altered everything. Seventeen Years Earlier: Hilltown, Castle Gardens Angry because Ava had refused to conform her behavior while other novitiates did so willingly, Mentoring Priest Nell had disciplined her with solitude. Ava wasn¡¯t supposed to leave the small, sleeping cell novice magi were assigned. She bided her time, knowing that Nell had been invited to share a late evening meal with Gr¨¢inne Most Revered, so the mage wouldn¡¯t be there to stop her. Ava shrugged. If Nell learned of her excursion, she would try asking for forgiveness afterward. Ava was sixteen, at the pinnacle of her beauty, and gifted with education and intelligence beyond all of her fellow novitiates and most of the priests, yet life in the Citadel was so stifling that she sometimes thought she was back in the wild border town of her childhood. As soon as First Sun dipped behind the horizon, Ava headed out. Since she would be disciplined for the unapproved excursion regardless, she eschewed the hooded cloak of her station and undid the tight, formal hairstyle that was required. She loved to feel how the wind lifted her dark locks and savored the light touch of a breeze across her skin. She considered taking the quarterstaff that all novitiates were assigned, but decided against it. She heard the swearing before she could see the source. Her wariness dissolved as soon as she walked past a stand of ornamental grass and realized that it was Harrison, the Last Prince, destined to become the Holy King. She paused, undid the tie lacing closing the front of her shirt, tossed her hair so it tumbled more attractively, and then said softly, ¡°Harrison? Is that you?¡± The prince spun on his heels, and then stammered, ¡°Oh, Ava. I didn¡¯t realize anyone would be out here.¡± Her eyes danced to his. She bowed so that her unlaced blouse fell open in full view of the youth and she responded, ¡°Your Royal Highness.¡± ¡°Oh, ah, no, no, that¡¯s okay, Ava. I apologize for my outburst,¡± he stammered with his wide eyes locked exactly where she wanted them to be. ¡°It¡¯s of no importance. There¡¯s only us here¡± she said coquettishly. Having suddenly forgotten the layout of the garden in his nervousness, he looked around frantically, spied a gurygum bench, and said, ¡°Please, would you like to sit for a moment?¡± As she neared him on the way to the bench, she slipped her hand into his and squeezed it tenderly. ¡°I only came out because of that baron.¡± ¡°He is an overweight buffoon, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Harrison commiserated as he sat next to her and gently tugged her closer to him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Most Revered is going to force me to marry him,¡± she complained. ¡°It¡¯s unfair. It¡¯s abusive, that¡¯s what it is. He¡¯s a doddery pervert.¡± ¡°I agree. If you want, I can ask my father if he¡¯d intervene. He isn¡¯t very happy with me right now, though. I tried to talk with him about how Chadwick died during the Ritual. It seems so disingenuous, unfair, and deceitful. It¡¯s murder.¡± ¡°It certainly is,¡± Ava agreed. ¡°I hope that you don¡¯t suffer the way your brother did.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Harrison agreed. He let go of her hand, leaned his arms against his knees, dropped his head, and murmured again, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I wish we, well, no it¡¯s too silly. I won¡¯t even say it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ava shook her head. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°There¡¯s only us here. You can tell me,¡± he reassured her. Instead of answering, Ava put her hands over her face and began to cry. Harrison sat up straight and encircled her shoulders with his arms. ¡°I wish we could be together,¡± she whispered. ¡°So do I,¡± he agreed. ¡°I wish you were going to marry me. I¡¯ve loved you since the first time I saw you. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do once you¡¯re gone, living in New East Anglia.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to live there,¡± Ava said softly. ¡°I want to live with you.¡± He brushed her hair away from the back of her neck, ran his tongue gently over her skin, and placed a row of gentle kisses along her neck. She leaned back against him. He fumbled beneath the unlaced front of her shirt. The two slid off the bench into the yielding stems of the ornamental grasses. After their dinner meeting, Gr¨¢inne Most Revered and Nell strolled through the gardens. Occasionally one of them said something referring to their earlier discussion, but mostly they walked quietly meditating on the sights and sounds of the gardens. Hearing the noises made by the two lovers, the magi stopped, scrutinized them while hidden behind another stand of ornamental grass, and then met each other¡¯s eyes in approval. Together they tiptoed back to the Citadel. Another novitiate was sent to rope in the ancient, wealthy, perverted baron, and Ava O¡¯Connor was catapulted onto the path of becoming a future Most Revered. Present Day Ava laughed to herself and announced, ¡°Enough is enough.¡± She pushed herself to her feet. Clasping her bracelets, she twisted their center rings in opposite directions. Several floors above her, where Holy King Harrison still sat on his bespoke throne chair, lines of Holy Lightning ringed the horns closest to the king¡¯s neck, and then traveled up his spine. Almost immediately he lapsed into unconsciousness, tilting so far forward that servants rushed onto the dais to keep him from crashing to the floor. As they settled the king back onto his throne chair, one of the horns punctured a servant¡¯s arm. The man gasped for air as froth bubbled from the corner of his mouth. Instinctively, his hand flew up to grab the wound on his arm, but instead, he crumpled to the floor dead. The Commander of the Kings Guards stared at the servant, assessed the king, and then ran from the throne room. He took the stone steps to the dungeons two at a time, not slowing until he was in front of the Most Revered¡¯s cell. ¡°He¡¯s unconscious,¡± the commander spat out anxiously. ¡°The king, he¡¯s unconscious.¡± ¡°Now?¡± the Most Revered said, feigning surprise and sincerity. ¡°I only just left him.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, now,¡± the commander gushed. ¡°You have to come back upstairs. Someone has to take control of the situation. A servant was poisoned by one of the horns.¡± ¡°I could have prevented that,¡± the Most Revered continued, her voice oozing concern. She paused as if weighing her options. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She raised, and then dropped her hand emphatically and let her eyes sparkle in the dim light. ¡°You¡¯re right. King and country need me.¡± The commander dashed down the dungeon passageway to the gaoler¡¯s chamber and demanded the key to the Most Revered¡¯s cell. An urgent discussion ensued, and then the gaoler and the commander hurried to unlock the cell. ¡°Most Revered,¡± Command of the Kings Guards said bowing. ¡°Thank you deeply for putting this misunderstanding to one side and coming to the king¡¯s aid.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my duty,¡± the Most Revered said firmly. ¡°Just as you must set aside personal affronts and emotions to do your duty, I have to, also.¡± ¡°Speaking of my¡­my duty,¡± the commander stammered. ¡°When His Majesty has recovered, I may have to return you to your cell. Unless he revokes the charges, which of course, he may well do, given how you¡¯ve helped him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Commander,¡± the Most Revered lied smoothly. ¡°If it comes to pass that His Majesty remains upset about our misunderstanding, I will submit myself into your custody again without giving you any problems.¡± ¡°Thank you, Most Revered,¡± the commander breathed gratefully. ¡°Thank you.¡± The Most Revered smiled at the Commander of the Kings Guards as he offered her his arm and then escorted her to the throne room and the bespoke chair still containing the coma-stricken king. Later that night, after overseeing the care of Holy King Harrison as the monarch was transported to the royal residence, Ava lounged in her private chambers in the resplendent Tara Citadel with the most current Journal of the Most Revered on the table beside her, ready for her to impart the day¡¯s events. The Courtyard between Tara Citadel and the Castle was originally the launching and landing platform for the Mothership from Earth, and over the centuries the two buildings had been redesigned to be fortresses. Ava believed that Tara Citadel was the most beautiful religious building on Terra Saint Edmunds. Although Ava had not traveled to see other countries¡¯ cathedrals, she was confident that nothing anywhere else would compare. The tall, leaded windows on either side of the Mothership Window allowed the magnificent colors of the Second Sunset to kaleidoscope into the room. She rose and strolled onto the balcony overlooking the Great Hall. The Mothership Window was dark. Once Second Sun had completely disappeared, the Constellation of the Lost Seaman would appear, centered in the portal window, and Ava would be able to use the Seaman¡¯s cap to locate Earth in the night sky. By tradition, the journals of the Most Revered chronicled all events in the life of the magi, from daily routines such as the recipe for making the polish used on the Great Hall floor, the best methods to force-feed a political prisoner, and even how to measure the pros and cons of every prince about to endure the Ritual. One of the first events Ava researched when she gained access to the journals was how Beathas destroyed the Mothership. Three Hundred Seventy-Four Years Earlier Smoke plumed into a long tail behind the Mothership''s launch rocket. Beathas Most Revered shaded her eyes and squinted toward the sky. She wasn''t certain. She had no experience with such things, but she had expected the Mothership''s lift-off to fail and was genuinely surprised when it became airborne. Beathas had taken precautions to guard the safety of Scientist Mackey and her equipment. Mackey wanted to remain behind to continue her experiments with the Insubstantiation Process, so Beathas had secured the scientist, her notes, her equipment, and her assistant deep in the Citadel vault. It was a dungeon really, but the term vault seemed less oppressive and more protective. Mackey would survive because Beathas needed her. A gasp from the priests and novitiates caught Beathas'' attention. Screams erupted from the citizens of Hilltown who had gathered to jeer at the Earth¡¯s military who were deserting them. Overhead, the Mothership erupted into an intense ball of orange and red flames, billowing plumes of smoke. Pieces of the ship plummeted toward the city. Soldiers, crew, and passengers aboard the Mothership were catapulted downward, many burning alive as they fell. The loss to the magi was negligible. The Citadel avoided damage, although a portion of a castle wall was hit by sections of the Mothership. Several citizens on the ground were crushed, but since none of the novitiates or priests were hurt, the loss was acceptable. Beathas wondered whether she had used too great a quantity of explosives or prepared the explosives to detonate at the incorrect time. She did not dwell on finding answers, however, since she had used all the explosives that could be found in Hilltown and the surrounding countryside and she would never be able to duplicate the process. All the lives lost were either people who would never have returned to Midhe Nuae or ones who didn¡¯t matter anyway. The Mothership''s portal window had fallen, miraculously unbroken, into the treacherous gorefish moat. She would force honored volunteers into the water to retrieve it. Some of them would be eaten by the carnivores. Some would drown. But recovering the priceless Mothership Window would be worth it. She would get them started this afternoon. Right now she had to make an appearance to show the people that they are all united in their pain and grief during this time of unspeakable tragedy. Present Day Beathas¡¯ actions had been meant as an offensive maneuver to punish Earth¡¯s military for abandoning them, but her miscalculation lost everything. Ava was reluctant to make that same type of mistake with Harrison and his sons, but she still strived to live up to Beathas¡¯ willingness to act. For instance, the journal recorded that as soon as Scientist Mackey had reassembled her equipment and taught the magi the Insubstantiation Process, Scientist Mackey was fed to the Prince Eaters. Below Ava¡¯s balcony, a group of novitiates scrubbed the marble floor of the Great Hall. When one of them noticed the Most Revered and told the others that she was there, Ava raised her hand in a blessing, and then pointed to the Mothership Window, drawing their attention to the newly risen Constellation of the Lost Seaman. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 15 Attic Chapter 15 Attic If the Chosen flees or proves to be a coward in any way, the Royal Archers kill him, and then the Holy King feeds his son to us. If the Chosen is still alive when she does, it¡¯s a frenzy because, although the Most Revered often has scrawny novitiates and delicious political prisoners for us, we are seldom given an actual, delectable prince to consume. Wait. What¡¯s happening? ¡ª Prince Eater #34 At first, the only things visible to Jon from the hard, lumpy bed incarcerating him were dingy walls, a spider web Alec would soon sweep away, and a line of dust built up along the top edge of the baseboard. Slowly, though, he realized there were other views, ones he never tired of seeing: Alec¡¯s rear end whenever he bent over to scrub the floor, wayward hair tumbling into his face, and jaw jutting out as he struggled to tackle unfamiliar tasks. Jon adored watching Alec¡¯s strong fingers buttoning, tugging, and tying whatever attire Jon was to wear for the day. Jon had been rescued wearing only the bloodstained rags they¡¯d left on his body and although he didn¡¯t remember what happened to them, he imagined that the rags were discarded. He had never inquired about where Alec obtained the clothes or found the money to afford them. Jon noticed that his own clothing was usually in much better shape than what Alec wore. Jon could tell that the clothing was not new, but it was always finely made and fashionable, and Seamster McSwiney came by unfailingly to do alterations so that the trousers accommodated his broken leg and the shirt sleeves could either wrap and button around his broken arm, or be folded out of the way entirely. Although the slippers on Jon¡¯s feet were second-hand, Alec was scrupulous about Jon¡¯s small clothes and socks being brand new. Everyone wore trousers and shirts, practical shoes, and hats that protected the wearer from the two suns. Ordinary citizens wore rough work clothes. Nobles and aristocrats wore the same style of clothing more finely constructed from expensive materials. Members of the military wore uniforms and fighting gear. Jon had heard that in other countries, women wore dresses, or skirts and blouses and he had met travelers from New East Anglia who often wore fancy tights and velvet waistcoats in a style that they called Austen. After they¡¯d been the butt of a sufficient number of jokes and giggling, invariably they began wearing styles common to Midhe Nuae. Jon missed the stars. From his bed as an invalid, he couldn¡¯t see out the one small, grubby window. Almost every night at the castle Jon had sat by a bedroom window, wandered through the garden, or stretched out somewhere along the castle parapet, and gazed at the sky. He could locate Earth without depending on the Constellation of the Lost Seaman, knew the names of the planets, and had been able to navigate with a sextant since he was a child. He savored the smell of the night air, the rustling and chirping of nocturnal wildlife, and the respite from busy human clatter. The castle¡¯s night watch was accustomed to him, would nod respectfully but not interrupt him with conversations, and often softened their steps as they walked by. Alec was walking that way now as he toiled at the daily chores. Jon had never known before that the labor of hauling water could be completed without the buckets clanking together or water swishing and sloshing over the rims. Jon¡¯s dirty garments had been washed and suspended from the rafters without so much as a grunt or impatient sigh on Alec¡¯s part. Jon wondered how he would ever be able to repay Alec for all he was doing, for his love, his loyalty, and his unrelenting effort to meet all the basic needs Jon could no longer manage alone. If Jon had a complaint, it was that Alec was too conscientious with the pain medicine Healer Callahan provided. Alec used a scant measurement, and then put the packet in his duffel bag where it would be too difficult for Jon to get to. He wished Alec were more generous until he began having nightmares near the end of the first dimming, and then Jon was ashamed that he had been churlish toward Alec for taking precautions. The first one took Alec by surprise. He leaped from his narrow, uncomfortable cot, and raced across the room to Jon without taking time to don even small clothes. He dropped to his knees and grasped Jon¡¯s shoulders gently and cooed softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jon. Hush. It¡¯s only a dream. Hush.¡± ¡°Reggie! Reggie!¡± Jon screamed as he tried to push Alec away with his unbroken arm and vainly struggled to rise to his feet. ¡°Reggie! Ethan! We¡¯ve got to help Reggie!¡± Jon¡¯s good hand fisted and swung toward Alec who dodged it easily, although he let go of his friend, and sat back on the floor in confusion. He wasn¡¯t sure how to handle Jon¡¯s terror. He knew exactly what Jon was dreaming and exactly why it upset him so much. Although he didn¡¯t know what to do about the nightmare, the next time Jon jerked forward in an attempt to get to his brothers, Alec positioned himself behind Jon, embracing him while he continued to whisper comfortingly, ¡°You¡¯re safe. You¡¯re safe. Hush. Hush. Hush. You¡¯re safe.¡± Year 358, Hilltown The infant was conceived during the wee hours of the night while Gil protected the lovers¡¯ privacy under the willow where Alec had fletched crossbow bolts. Several dimmings later the most experienced healer in Hilltown happily explained to Ava Most Revered that she was expecting a daughter. Four dimmings after that, the same healer explained to her that she was also pregnant with a son, sunsbabies by superfetation. The boy was born prematurely when Ava went into labor with the girl. Outside of Gil and Ava, the healer was the only one who realized that the girl was royalty, while the boy was not. ¡°Let me hold them,¡± Gil had heard Ava ask from where he waited outside her door. When the healer set the newborns in her arms, she called out, ¡°Gil, come and see.¡± ¡°Gil Braeford?¡± the healer had asked. ¡°The babies are too new to be passed around, especially to a dirty soldier like the Grays Commander.¡± ¡°Dirty!¡± Ava cried out as Gil walked into the room. ¡°He¡¯s the boy¡¯s father. Step aside and let him see.¡± The healer had looked at Gil, gazed at the baby girl and boy in thought, and then stepped back without further objections. As she packed her medical bag she said to Ava, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the castle on my way home and let His Majesty know about the birth of his daughter.¡± Gil had nodded in agreement while Ava had smiled widely at the healer, and then smiled more widely at two magi standing nearby in case they were needed. The pair returned her smile and left the room directly behind the healer. Shortly afterward, along one of the smoothest, well-maintained paths to the castle, the healer died when she inexplicably fell from her horse. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Within hours of giving birth, Ava asked Gil to transport her to the willow. She explained that she wanted to meditate and pray in this special place but was too weak to walk under her own power. He set her gently beneath it, made sure she was comfortable, and then stepped back to allow her privacy. Ava unwound a length of swaddling to reveal the face of Holy King Harrison¡¯s daughter and then shoved a corner of the blanket down the tiny infant¡¯s throat. ¡°Ava!¡± Gil called out in alarm. ¡°Our son will be a Prince of the Realm,¡± came the reply. ¡°The Last Prince.¡± The infant in the Most Revered¡¯s arms died within seconds. Shock froze in Gil¡¯s throat, and he realized for the first time that nothing Ava O¡¯Connor said or did was ever for anyone but herself. Gil dashed behind the willow and vomited. Present Day ¨C Snake In Alec rested on the bed holding Jon, trying to ease Jon¡¯s nightmares and alleviate the bitter pain of Jon having been betrayed by his own family. After a few minutes, Jon¡¯s eyes flew open. He rose abruptly into a sitting position and stared around the small attic room without recognition. ¡°Easy,¡± Alec said gently. ¡°You¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°Reggie,¡± Jon muttered. ¡°Ethan.¡± ¡°I know. I know,¡± Alec whispered. ¡°Lay back and rest. I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡± His eyes wide in confusion, Jon turned at the sound of Alec¡¯s voice. He blinked several times and asked, ¡°Alec?¡± Alec smiled, rubbed Jon¡¯s arm soothingly, and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. You¡¯re okay, Jon. Lay back and rest. I¡¯ll keep you safe. Rest.¡± ¡°Reggie,¡± Jon said sadly as he leaned on Alec¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ethan.¡± The days blended together. Alec would rise and help Jon with his needs, descend four flights of stairs to the back of the inn to empty the night chamber pot, and then attend to his own needs. Whenever weather permitted, Alec propped open the small attic window so fresh air could circulate, although it did little to improve conditions in their attic chamber. Despite his concern for Jon, Alec felt trapped in the airless room. He had never been stricken with claustrophobia, but he was accustomed to being outdoors daily and being free to come and go as he pleased. Now, before doing even routine tasks, Alec had to consider whether or not it would be safe to leave Jon alone. No matter how restless he felt, however, he considered himself blessed, far beyond what being with Jon would inspire. The Kings Soldiers often suffered imprisonment for even obviously unreliable accusations made by senior officers. That fact is what had given Sergeant MacDonald the confidence to abuse Alec so freely and unfairly. Despite the lack of either a trial or proof, the officer¡¯s word was accepted as the truth and never investigated. Punishment typically included flogging followed by incarceration in the dungeons. If the confinement were short ¡ª two days, three, or a dimming at most ¡ª the soldier usually did all right. However, at the senior officer¡¯s whim, accusations could result in flogging and an extended stay lasting numerous dimmings with food and water rationed to the minimum necessary to sustain life. Additionally, providing medical care to prisoners was deemed a waste of resources. Only the Crown could legally exact death sentences, but the reality of the harsh punishments forced on soldiers was that in nearly every case the combination of flogging and prolonged imprisonment resulted in death. If the soldier did live, he was crippled and unable to return to duty or earn a living as a civilian. Alec never understood why Holy King Harrison could seem like such a levelheaded, compassionate monarch who insisted on educating the children of his soldiers, yet at the same time allow such a capricious, frequently abused system of justice within his military. Civilians did not have an easy time in the judicial system, but in general, they were treated more fairly and justly than Holy King Harrison¡¯s own defenders. Until Isla MacDonald bought her sergeant¡¯s commission, Alec was fortunate to have never suffered the antagonism of officers. He had never been imprisoned, but living like this, caring for Jon¡¯s never-ending needs, he had no trouble imagining the hopelessness soldiers in the dungeon must feel. Alec vowed to himself that in the future he would behave better toward any of his friends who ended up discarded in the dungeons and try to help those in need of food and medical aid. With that promise to himself, Alec would chastise himself for indulging in self-pity, because none of the inconveniences to him compared to the arduous road that lay ahead for Jon. Each morning Alec hauled buckets of water back to the stuffy attic room which continually reeked of the lotion applied to Jon¡¯s facial wounds. If Rory were already awake, the youth would assist, but otherwise, he made the many trips himself. Once he¡¯d lugged the buckets upstairs and had them lined up by the fire to warm, Alec limited himself to one bucket, at the most two, for his personal ablutions, preferring to conserve most of the water for Jon¡¯s use. He was meticulous in his care of Jon, never neglecting to shave him, never leaving him to stay in one position too long, and never failing to provide encouragement or empathy. Each day freshly washed clothing hung from rafters drying. Jon was despondent and in pain. He had no interest in sipping whatever soup or broth was available. Alec soon learned that it was up to him to respond when Jon was physically and psychologically ready to eat rather than try to have him stick to a regular, set schedule. The willingness of the Dochertys to send up small cups of broth throughout the day proved essential for Jon¡¯s recovery. At the end of the first dimming following Jon¡¯s beating, Healer Callahan removed the stitches on Jon¡¯s face and arm before suggesting that Jon should sit upright for a few minutes each day, gradually increasing the time, as he regained his strength. Alec reassured him that he would move Jon to the wooden chair beside the fire at least once in the morning and once in the afternoon. ¡°Good, good,¡± Callahan responded. ¡°You¡¯re taking exemplary care of your friend. I couldn¡¯t do better myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about the pain medication,¡± Alec responded, and then explained about Jon¡¯s nightmares. ¡°That¡¯s to be expected,¡± Callahan reassured him. ¡°It¡¯s a balance. When the dreams are very bad, ease off on the pain medicine. Not completely, of course. When he sleeps well, you can increase the medicine again so that he¡¯s more comfortable. In the meantime, try getting him to sit up a few times a day, and we¡¯ll see how it goes.¡± The first time Alec went to lift his friend to the chair, however, Jon moved away from Alec¡¯s hands, and begged, ¡°Oh, stop. Just let me die.¡± ¡°Never,¡± Alec refused. ¡°I¡¯m no use to anyone.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be. I¡¯m useful enough for us both.¡± ¡°Even my sister said I¡¯m a chore now. A bloody, human blob that will never be normal again.¡± ¡°You never have been normal so what¡¯s different about it now?¡± The rejoinder made Jon smile, half of his face wrinkled as the corner of his mouth turned up, but the other half only flinched. Pain shot through his face and subdued Jon enough that Alec could transfer him to the chair. The first few times Alec stood next to Jon to help him balance upright. Although not as tall as Jon, Alec was by far the more muscular of the two, so transporting Jon was an easy service to provide, and one he never resented. Once Jon grew stronger and could sit upright on his own, Alec would place him on the wooden chair beside the fire with a blanket to ward off chills, then use the time to clean and put fresh linen on the bed. If Jon were still strong enough to sit once household tasks were done, Alec perched on the floor and the two friends shared meandering conversations. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 16 Visitors Chapter 16 Visitors Why are they screaming? Lemme see. Lemme see. That¡¯s #17. He¡¯s stopped mid-plunge! My Prince¡¯s face is so pale ¨C and all that blood is pulsing out! Here are the magi. They¡¯ll help him. They¡¯ll keep him immobile. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 Jon was sleeping restlessly in the bed, almost jealous of Alec¡¯s soft snores from the cot. He had been struggling to fall asleep despite the pain and all the uncomfortable thoughts swirling in his mind. Once he had finally fallen asleep, his dreams quickly turned to the nightmare of Reggie¡¯s Ritual, and he was once again witnessing his two brothers being ripped limb from limb. He tried to call out, but a hand across his mouth kept him from screaming. He knocked at the hand with his good arm, discovered the hand on his mouth was real, and jarred awake. He found himself staring into the deep, gentle, blue eyes of the bull from the open field. ¡°Don¡¯t scream. I won¡¯t hurt you. Promise you won¡¯t scream,¡± the bull whispered in its gruff voice. Stunned, Jon nodded, and the bull removed his hand. ¡°I need to know that you are okay.¡± Still stunned, Jon nodded again. ¡°Are they taking good care of you? Will you be all right?¡± Jon nodded a second time and a third. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Jon nodded once more. ¡°Okay. I need to leave before anyone sees me here. It¡¯s dangerous,¡± the bull said. ¡°I will stop back when I can. I need to be sure you¡¯re healing and doing all right.¡± Jon sat up in the bed to watch as the bull lifted his hooves one by one and set them down quietly on the floor until he had gained the door. The bull turned back, waved one hand at Jon, and then slipped into the hallway. Jon stared after him for long minutes. As Alec collected the empty buckets and Jon¡¯s night chamber pot in the morning, Jon told him, ¡°I saw a bull last night.¡± ¡°Oh? Where at?¡± Alec responded, half-listening. ¡°Here,¡± Jon explained. ¡°He came to see if I was okay.¡± ¡°Maybe I need to reduce your pain medication for a while.¡± ¡°No, he was real. He was actually here. He was in the field, too, before you found me. He seems familiar.¡± Alec stopped, studied Jon carefully, and then said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought you meant you dreamed you saw a bull. Or that you hallucinated it because of the pain medication. As I think about it, I do remember seeing hoof prints in that field, but I didn¡¯t pay attention. I was focused on you.¡± ¡°He said he wanted to see if I was okay.¡± ¡°He spoke to you?¡± ¡°Yes, he asked whether you were taking good care of me and if I was healing well,¡± Jon explained. He paused and bit one of his lips in thought. Finally, he muttered softly, ¡°Bulls don¡¯t talk. Maybe I did dream it.¡± ¡°I heard the door opening and closing. It woke me up,¡± Alec said with a kind smile. Jon shrugged, so Alec added sincerely, ¡°When I looked around you were sitting up but didn¡¯t seem to be in pain, only deep in thought, so I didn¡¯t disturb you.¡± One afternoon at the beginning of the third dimming, Annie and Tom came by while Jon was by the fire. They were happy to sit on the floor the same way Alec always did so they could visit with him. The next day Tom came to the door followed by Rory and a deliveryman hauling two upholstered chairs. ¡°Tom?¡± Alec asked as he hurried to lift Jon so he could place him in bed. Once he had, Alec moved the wooden chair, repositioned the buckets of water lined up by the fireplace, and snatched up the blanket that Jon had tossed aside. Stepping back he measured the open space with his eyes and tossed Jon a shrug. ¡°These were in the small morning room at the back of the house. We never sit there,¡± Tom replied with a smile. ¡°They¡¯re of no use to us.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Alec responded as he punched Tom amiably on the shoulder. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No use to you,¡± Jon mumbled awkwardly to himself as he turned his face to the wall. ¡°Like me. And Gunnar.¡± ¡°Gunnar? Your brother?¡± Tom asked. Jon looked at the floor, and then rested a hand on his throat and swallowed. ¡°Yes,¡± Alec answered for him. ¡°Gunnar is second to youngest, right after Jon, and then Se¨¢n is the youngest.¡± ¡°Why do you mention him?¡± Tom asked. ¡°He¡¯s still in Hilltown isn¡¯t he?¡± Jon¡¯s eyes took in the upholstered chair and Rory, and then flew open in alarm when he saw the delivery man who moved his head slightly from side to side. ¡°Sh-she has to get to Se¨¢n. Tha-tha¡­¡± Jon articulated with difficulty, his eyes still fixed on the delivery man. Since he and Jon talked regularly, Alec was surprised at Jon¡¯s distress. He crossed the room, knelt beside Jon, and placed a hand on Jon¡¯s knee. He soothed, ¡°Take it easy. It¡¯s okay.¡± Jon focused on Alec¡¯s eyes, took several breaths, and finally was able to say, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want him.¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t want him?¡± Tom asked as he searched his mind trying to figure out what Jon was trying to say. ¡°Do you mean Ava Most Revered doesn¡¯t want Gunnar to become the Holy Prince?¡± Unexpectedly it was Rory who comprehended and came to Jon¡¯s aid as he and the delivery man angled a chair to thread their way between everyone so they could set it in front of the fireplace. ¡°Y-y-y,¡± Jon stuttered, and then simply nodded. ¡°Is she planning on killing him in the Ritual?¡± Rory asked, still reaching out with questions to ease Jon¡¯s anxiety at not being able to form the words with his wounded face and mouth. ¡°T-t-told me when ¡­b-b-beating me,¡± Jon responded as his breathing grew labored and his face paled. ¡°M-m-must h-h-help him.¡± ¡°Sheeesh,¡± Tom said. ¡°How can anyone be as evil as that woman?¡± ¡°Take it easy, Jon,¡± Alex said. He pulled his handkerchief out, refolded it, and then gently wiped the drool and saliva spreading on Jon¡¯s face because of his lack of muscle control. ¡°Th¡­them,¡± Jon stammered, waving his hand intensely toward the others in the room. ¡°me¡­useless.¡± ¡°Just focus on breathing,¡± Alec continued in a soft drone. ¡°You¡¯re okay. You¡¯re safe here. They¡¯re family.¡± He sent a long look at the delivery man before adding, ¡°And friends. Just breathe.¡± ¡°Turn your backs,¡± Rory suggested. ¡°He¡¯ll calm down more quickly if we¡¯re not staring at him.¡± Everyone did as Rory suggested while Alec continued to assist Jon. Tom said loudly to the room at large, ¡°Let me give some thought to the situation with Gunnar. We have agents in Hilltown. Maybe they can ferry him out before anything happens.¡± ¡°The Grays will be watching him,¡± the delivery man interjected. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tom questioned, turning his head and shoulders to look directly at him. ¡°What do Grays have to do with the princes?¡± ¡°They protect the princes, now, not King Harrison. He gave the Armored Grays to his sons,¡± the delivery man replied as he choked out the end of the sentence alongside a violent cough. He abruptly dropped the chair that he and Rory carried, covered his face with his arm, and coughed into the inside of his elbow. ¡°A guest mentioned the same thing to us yesterday,¡± Rory affirmed, as he edged back from the coughing. Alec looked at the delivery man questioningly and examined him more closely. The delivery man was well suited to the task - massive with strong muscles and chiseled features. Dark, curly hair peeked out from under the edges of a cap worn low over his ears and a kerchief covered part of his face. ¡°Sorry, got a bad cold starting,¡± the delivery man said hoarsely. He coughed again, half bent over and spinning in a circle as he did. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m wearing protection. So that I don¡¯t get germs everywhere. I¡¯m headed home right after this.¡± Tom walked over to the delivery man, pushed the man¡¯s upper arm in the direction of the door, and said, ¡°Go on downstairs. I¡¯ll help bring up the other chair and footstool. You go rest. If you''ve gone by the time we¡¯re done here, I¡¯ll leave your gratuity with Craig so you can collect it later. Use it for medicine.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the delivery man half-said, half-coughed, and then walked out the door. Tom lifted one hand as if waving goodbye and said, ¡°We¡¯ll get the other chair, and then I¡¯ll leave you alone so you can rest, Jon.¡± He pointed to Alec with his chin and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Tom and Rory followed the delivery man out, and about ten minutes later Rory and Callen returned carrying another chair. As the two brothers positioned the second chair, Callen explained, ¡°Mr. Jarek went home.¡± On the next trip up the brothers brought comfortable cushions and a large, padded footstool. Callen set the footstool between the two chairs while Rory arranged the cushions, and then apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the other guy. He wasn¡¯t coughing earlier. I hope that he hasn¡¯t made Jon sick.¡± ¡°I hope not, too,¡± Alec agreed. ¡°He didn¡¯t really come close to Jon, though. I have to admit I never heard of germs until we moved here.¡± When Rory and Callen laughed, he finished, ¡°Thank you for bringing these up those stairs. Four flights are a long way to haul furniture.¡± Rory and Callen smiled in acknowledgment, and then let themselves out. Alec gazed at the two chairs. He was both amazed at Annie¡¯s generosity to a brother she had never met before they came to SnakeIn and profoundly grateful to her for it. When Jon raised one arm, Alec hurried over and assisted his friend to the chairs. Once he was seated, Alec gently lifted Jon¡¯s damaged leg and set it on the footstool. ¡°You¡¯ll help G-g-g¡­?¡± Jon asked sadly. ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Alec agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t see how yet. You need my care here, and neither of us can return to Hilltown. But I agree that something needs to be done. Hopefully, Tom will have some ideas.¡± Jon¡¯s disappointment was obvious, but he still reached out for Alec¡¯s hand. Pulling the other soft chair closer to Jon¡¯s, Alec enclosed Jon¡¯s hand in his own. The corner of Jon¡¯s mouth turned up in a smile, and then he closed his eyes and let his head incline against the back of the chair. Alec sat quietly, trying not to let his despair disturb Jon¡¯s nap. Although he could see physical improvements, Jon showed no sign of recovering psychologically. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 17 Toes Chapter 17 Toes If someone is going to get it wrong, #17 will. It¡¯s that kinked horn #17 has. That¡¯s the problem. It caught on something and wouldn¡¯t go through. The insubstantiation is designed to prevent that. He¡¯s unbelievable. All he had to do was run the target through. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 A toe gave Alec hope. One morning he set a bucket of warm water next to Jon¡¯s bed, wrung out a washing rag, and began to bathe him. Jon didn¡¯t speak. He neither cooperated nor made it more difficult for Alec. He simply lay in the bed, allowing his friend to fulfill his duties as Jon¡¯s nurse. When Alec moved to wash Jon¡¯s feet, he propped one heel in the palm of his left hand and used his fingers to spread Jon¡¯s toes so he could bathe the interspaces. He reached the wet rag toward Jon¡¯s big toe and all the toes curled shut. Worried, Alec shook the foot delicately, teased at the toes until they opened, and swiped the space with his rag only to have the toes curl shut again. This repeated two more times and Alec grew increasingly concerned that Jon¡¯s injuries had hurt him in ways they had not initially determined. He glanced up anxiously, only to find Jon grinning. When Jon saw the look on Alec¡¯s face, he laughed out loud. Alec stared. It was the first joke, the first normal, Jon-type behavior, he¡¯d made during the entire, dreadful ordeal. Alec grinned and then laughed with hearty joy. After a moment, though, he plopped the washing rag into the bucket, sat on the floor at the foot of the bed with his face in his hands, and cried. ¡°Al¡­Alec,¡± Jon called out in concern. ¡°Alec, I was kidding¡­Alec don¡¯t.¡± The former Royal Archer wiped his eyes and nose with the rag, plopped it back into the water, and heaved to his feet. He walked around the bed until he loomed over the frail man under the covers, and held out a hand. Jon reached up and clasped Alec¡¯s forearm. ¡°Forever,¡± Alec said, closing his hand around Jon¡¯s arm. ¡°Forever,¡± Jon answered. ¡°Before anyone else gets here, while we¡¯re alone without the politics of the kingdom or SnakeIn to interfere,¡± Alec said. ¡°There is something I need to do, something I need to say that you need to hear.¡± With that Alec bent to one knee, pressed his forehead against Jon¡¯s hand, and pledged his fealty, his friendship, and his life to Prince Jon. When he straightened, Jon was crying. He turned his face to the wall and whispered, ¡°That¡­that isn¡¯t what I want from you, Alec. I¡­I¡¯m speechless, humbled, honored. But sad, too. We were planning our lives together. Remember the beautiful garden we were going to create?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°I lost the flowers when the soldiers attacked me. Now we¡¯ll be lucky if I can ever walk again. And thanks to my father, I look like a monster.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand everything that went on but your father tried to save you. He sent the Grays Commander to help you.¡± ¡°What? He sent Gil?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know his kingdom name. And I¡¯ve never seen him without his face covered either with his helmet or a three-sided brim protector, but I recognized him as the commander. Apparently, he not only spirited you out of Hilltown but remained to watch over you until I came.¡± ¡°He left me there.¡± ¡°He did,¡± Alec agreed. ¡°But he came out from behind a boulder and some rocks to help as I put you on my stallion.¡± ¡°He did?¡± Jon questioned softly. ¡°And then he stood in the middle of that field peacefully and watched as I rode off to bring you here,¡± Alec concluded. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why he acted that way,¡± Jon said. ¡°I don¡¯t either,¡± Alec agreed. ¡°He definitely sent mixed messages.¡± ¡°Still,¡± Jon said even more softly. ¡°No one is going to want me with this awful face.¡± ¡°I want you.¡± Jon slowly rolled back over to face Alec, expecting a smirk at what had to have been a cruel joke, only to be taken aback by the tenderness radiating from Alec¡¯s face. ¡°I still want us to be together as partners, spouses, husbands.¡± ¡°You still want to marry me?¡± ¡°Of course, yes,¡± Alec paused for a moment to organize his thoughts and then continued. ¡°There is much to say, but first and foremost, you need to understand that outside of Tom and Annie, the Dochertys, and the two of us, no one must know you are the prince. It isn¡¯t safe for you to be in SnakeIn if your true identity ever gets around. Too many people hold too many grudges.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Jon responded. ¡°I think. What will we do?¡± ¡°Your name is Jon Holdingfree. Mine is Alec Holdingfree. I¡¯ve had to tell people that we are¡­partners¡­¡± ¡°You told them we¡¯re married.¡± A Few Days Earlier Alec looked around self-consciously as he noted the numerous sailors pretending to ignore their conversation. He¡¯d hoped for work but was dismayed that even the cabin boy¡¯s ears perked up as the boy stood patiently waiting for any instructions from Captain Reid. Alec looked twice at the cabin boy ¨C a sturdy youngster with green and gold wings and similarly colored feathers on the upper part of his face. Out of politeness, Alec forced his eyes back to the captain. ¡°Eolian,¡± Captain Reid answered the unasked question. ¡°The first time meeting one startles some folks. He¡¯s a fine lad.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°I apologize,¡± Alex said to the boy. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be rude.¡± When the boy nodded kindly, Alec added, ¡°My name¡¯s Holdingfree. Alec Holdingfree.¡± ¡°I know who you are, Archer Mulrian,¡± Captain Reid said with a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re famous. A legend. Everyone knows how you disobeyed the king to single-handedly save the life of a helpless prince when wolves attacked. The Prince Rescued by Love. They say that you haul him around now wherever he needs or wants to go.¡± Alec cleared his throat, shuffled his feet, and challenged, ¡°Haul? You talk about him like he¡¯s a slop bucket. I can see clearly that we aren¡¯t a match. Thank you for your time, Captain.¡± Captain Reid laughed again. He folded his arms in amusement and watched Alec walk away. As Alec put one foot on the gangplank, he called after him, ¡°I meant no offense. I simply meant that a man like you can go places on a ship like mine.¡± Alec turned back and eyed the captain warily without responding. ¡°We travel the world,¡± Captain Reid continued. ¡°Have you ever been to New East Anglia? Most people haven¡¯t. The mountains between our two countries are treacherous and hard to navigate. Most people die during the attempt. And to New East Anglia¡¯s Eolians, like my cabin boy here, the mountains are sacred, divine, and they¡¯re likely to make short work of anyone who dares set foot in them.¡± ¡°Why would a mountain range be divine?¡± Alec asked. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Aye, it doesn¡¯t. Not to reasonable folk like you and me,¡± Captain Reid agreed. ¡°New East Anglians swear that those mountains are where the Veils lay their eggs. Given a chance, the Veils will absorb a person¡¯s soul.¡± ¡°The Veils?¡± Alec asked. ¡°The Veils,¡± Captain Reid repeated without further explanation. ¡°But by sea is another story. We travel to New East Anglia several times a year and to places you may not have even heard about. We travel the entire world.¡± The captain strode to where Alec stood by the gangplank, slapped Alec¡¯s shoulder companionably, and went on. ¡°I meant, only¡­and you know this to be true¡­I can see that you do¡­pretty young men like that prince don¡¯t understand what it means to be faithful, to be part of an active, caring, loving relationship with another person. Your prince will drop you the moment someone else catches his eye.¡± Alec shook his head and opened his mouth to object, but the captain interrupted, ¡°I mean him no ill will. He can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s how he was raised. A prince gets anything he wants. Well, he does until the magi kill him the way they did Prince Reginald. My point is that Prince Jon has no idea what a normal life is like. Not like you and me.¡± He waved at the crew. ¡°Not like real men do. I¡¯m offering you long-term, steady work. You¡¯ll have to do regular ship¡¯s duty, but I can use an archer like yourself for my own protection, and maybe, occasional assignments on land. But I pay well. I¡¯m a fair captain. You¡¯ll be rich in your old age if you stick with me. You aren¡¯t going to earn much doing piecework like you¡¯re doing. We sail tomorrow. The dimming is the day after, and we need to be well away from any rocky shorelines before the eclipse.¡± ¡°Jon was badly injured, as you seem to know already,¡± Alec said softly, taking in a slow, steady breath. ¡°We¡¯re together. He¡¯s my responsibility. I won¡¯t desert him. Everyone else has.¡± The ship¡¯s captain¡¯s eyes widened, and he canted his head. ¡°Our name is Holdingfree. Alec and Jon Holdingfree.¡± Numerous sailors milling around on deck turned to gawk, some coughed or laughed. Most of them whispered and nudged each other as they examined Alec with new interest. ¡°A couple,¡± the captain repeated thoughtfully. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Generally, I don¡¯t sign on married men or women. Sometimes I¡¯ll make an exception, but not easily. We¡¯re gone for long stretches of time. It¡¯s hard on a marriage.¡± ¡°I appreciate your time, Captain Reid,¡± Alec responded, relieved that he¡¯d found a way out of the discussion. ¡°Well, anytime we¡¯re in port, look me up. I¡¯ll hire you for whatever work I can,¡± Captain Reid said. ¡°Good luck to you and your husband.¡± ¡°Thank you, Captain Reid,¡± Alec answered and then strode down the gangplank to shore. Present Time: SnakeIn ¡°I had to explain why your well-being is my responsibility,¡± Alec offered. ¡°Saying we¡¯re friends wasn¡¯t convincing people. They either laughed at me or were overly suspicious and willing to say so out loud. The ship¡¯s captain concluded, in error, that I meant we were married so I let it stand. And it¡¯s worked. Word has spread and no one asks questions anymore.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Jon mumbled. He glanced around the ugly, diminutive attic room. He doubted that it would take someone his height who was healthy more than ten paces to cover the length or breadth of it. The smallest alcove in his former rooms at the castle was twice as large. ¡°You pay for all of this by working odd jobs?¡± ¡°Tom paid for it. We¡¯re good here for a year,¡± Alec responded. ¡°We have only had to dip into my savings for incidentals. Tom generously sends us money. Annie didn¡¯t think it was safe for them to take you in. People who know who they are might figure out who you are and cause trouble.¡± ¡°You¡¯re spending your savings on me,¡± Jon responded, his voice revealing his discouragement. ¡°You set it aside to pay for the commission and now you¡¯ve had to spend it on me.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be a commission, not anymore,¡± Alec said tenderly. ¡°But I don¡¯t regret it. As long as we¡¯re together, that¡¯s all I want.¡± Jon inclined his head to let Alec know he had heard, and then added, ¡°I¡¯ve never met Annie before, yet she¡¯s done all of this.¡± ¡°She¡¯s amazing,¡± Alec agreed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that you would have lived had Annie and Tom not come to your aid. Now, stop wiggling around, and let me finish washing your feet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be angry with me, Husband.¡± Jon pleaded as he tried to scrunch up his face melodramatically. Before Alec could respond, Jon let out a cry of pain and cradled the injured side of his face. Whether despite or because of the pain he brought on himself, he started to laugh, and then Alec laughed, too, and together they resumed getting Jon ready for the day. ¡°Alec,¡± Jon said as the archer walked over to put Jon¡¯s used clothes in the pile of items ready to be washed. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get married. Perhaps Craig knows someone who will do a ceremony right here.¡± About an hour later when Rory came up to help out, they told him about their plans and asked him if Craig could stop in when he had the chance to discuss how to work it all out. Not five minutes after Rory had left, they heard the innkeeper¡¯s footsteps dashing up the stairs. ¡°It¡¯s easier to get married here in SnakeIn than in the kingdom. No one has to go through all that magi obscuration. Any city official can marry two adults,¡± Craig Docherty explained when he sat down with Jon and Alec. ¡°If the couple wants a religious rite of some kind, they are welcome to do so on their own after the city official has bound them together in a civil union, but only the civil union creates a legal entity. Most folks contact one of the Contingent. I can send Rory over to Annie to see if she is willing to help out. Being your sister, I imagine that she¡¯ll be delighted.¡± Jon glanced at Alec and smiled. ¡°She is so generous with her help, both of them are.¡± ¡°Either Kenzie or I can be a witness. The city requires three, two of which cannot be related to the couple. I¡¯ll have to think about who else,¡± Craig explained. ¡°Maybe Healer Callahan and Seamster McSwiney,¡± Alec suggested. ¡°They both know us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thought,¡± Craig agreed. ¡°Rory can approach them after he speaks with Annie. If it comes to it, I can simply ask two of whatever guests are here at the time. How fancy of a ceremony would you like? We¡¯re equipped for large or small events.¡± ¡°Simple,¡± Jon answered. He gestured awkwardly with his broken arm. ¡°Something simple that can be done up here. I can¡¯t move around well enough to do more. Is that acceptable to you, Alec?¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± Alec assured him. ¡°As long as you are there, nothing else matters. All the roses and tuxedos in the world won¡¯t make a difference in how much I love you, Jon.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 18 Destiny Chapter 18 Destiny The others said that #17¡¯s mother growled and attacked the Magi Soldiers when they came for her son. Can you even imagine? And look, he didn¡¯t even make it to the sacred circle before dying. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m not embarrassing myself like that. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 ¡°No!¡± Annie paced back and forth through the center of the small attic room gesticulating, pointing, and very nearly stomping her feet. ¡°Calm down,¡± Tom said from the rear of the room. He had moved back in an attempt to remain out of the way but found that it made no difference. ¡°Take it easy. You¡¯re overreacting.¡± ¡°He¡¯s destroying everything we¡¯ve planned,¡± she snapped at her husband. ¡°Annie,¡± Jon implored, lifting his right arm as if it was causing him undue pain. ¡°Please, don¡¯t. You should have asked me before you made plans, instead of forcing them on me. I don¡¯t want to be king. I want to be with Alec.¡± She spun toward him and marched forward angrily. Alec and Craig quickly blocked her path. ¡°Annie,¡± Jon repeated, sitting on his bed with his back to the wall. ¡°I¡¯m nothing.¡± ¡°Not to me,¡± Alec responded without moving from Annie¡¯s path. Jon smiled with the healthy side of his face, while the rest of it drooped without moving. He lowered his head. Exhaustion was overtaking him, and they hadn¡¯t yet planned even the most basic things about the wedding. He didn¡¯t understand why Annie objected so vehemently and wished she would either agree to officiate, or leave so that he could rest. He¡¯d feel better if he could only just sleep for a few minutes. ¡°I meant royally, Alec,¡± he muttered without raising his head. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, and then continued, ¡°Annie, I can¡¯t return to Hilltown. If I did, and I am very lucky, Royal Archers will put a quarrel between my eyes. If I am less lucky, they will feed me to those animals while I¡¯m still alive.¡± Annie snorted. ¡°Jon ¨C¡± He held the palms of his hands out in front of him to cut off her tirade, and said, ¡°My life, whatever it¡¯s going to be, is with Alec. Whether we live here or relocate to New East Anglia. Whether I walk again, or I crawl, I¡¯ll do so by Alec¡¯s side.¡± Alec showed an encouraging glance over his shoulder, but Jon didn¡¯t see it. ¡°Jon, we are going to make you king,¡± Annie protested. ¡°Plans are already in place. Harrison will be the last ruler under the magi¡¯s control. He¡¯ll be forced to abdicate. He¡¯ll be killed if he won¡¯t. The magi will be destroyed. You¡¯re the future.¡± Jon rested the back of his head against the wall and closed his eyes. He focused on breathing for several seconds, before he begged, ¡°Annie, would you leave, please? I appreciate all that you¡¯ve done, and all that you¡¯re still doing, and I don¡¯t want to offend you. I truly don¡¯t, but I¡¯m tired. I need to sleep for a while.¡± Annie huffed dramatically but before she could form a retort, Jon continued, ¡°I love my father and I am warning you: do not kill him. If something happens to him, I will hold you personally responsible. I don¡¯t want to overthrow him and don¡¯t want anyone else to either. I don¡¯t want to be king. I want to be Alec¡¯s husband. My entire body hurts so badly that right now the only thing I want to do is cry. If your conscience won¡¯t allow you to marry us, just say so. Please. I¡¯m so tired.¡± Before Annie could respond, Craig Docherty interjected, ¡°I know someone who¡¯ll be happy to marry the two of you. This is my fault. I¡¯m sorry, Jon. I know you¡¯re tired. I didn¡¯t mean to cause all this upheaval. I admit I was wrong, and I apologize to everyone. My friend doesn¡¯t often get asked, and I know he¡¯ll be excited about it. I¡¯ll send for him.¡± He tipped his head toward the door and shouted, ¡°Rory!¡± Rory appeared in the entranceway so quickly it was clear that he¡¯d been standing out of sight listening to the argument. Craig ignored the eavesdropping and merely instructed, ¡°Run ask Padraig, and find out how soon he can come by.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Rory replied and raced down the stairs. Craig turned completely toward Jon and said considerately, ¡°You go ahead and get some sleep. Alec and I will take care of everything. Don¡¯t worry about any of it, Jon. Just rest.¡± Annie used her shoulder to shove Craig roughly. Stepping forward, she tried again, ¡°Jon, please. Just listen.¡± Tom dashed forward, reached out a hand that failed to stop his wife, and growled, ¡°Figg¡¯t Annie, why are you always like this? He needs to rest.¡± Alec sucked in his lips angrily, snatched up Annie by the waist, and tossed her headfirst over his shoulder. He pinned her legs against his chest, strode out the door, and down the stairs, ignoring her clawing nails and pounding fists. Tom raced after them but didn¡¯t intervene until Annie bared her teeth to bite Alec¡¯s back. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, Annie!¡± Tom called emphatically. ¡°Alec, you¡¯ve made your point. Set her down.¡± Alec swung to face Tom, nearly slamming Annie¡¯s head into the wall. His expression vacillated between arguing and acquiescing, but finally, he dipped his head in agreement and then returned Annie¡¯s feet to the floor. Tom bound down the last few steps separating them and snagged Annie¡¯s arm as she swung a fist toward Alec¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re out of line here,¡± he barked at his wife. ¡°This brute just hauled me down two flights of stairs like I¡¯m a sack of root crops, and you¡¯re blaming me,¡± Annie shouted, enraged. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I didn¡¯t throw you the rest of the way down,¡± Alec snarled. ¡°Yes, I am blaming you,¡± Tom agreed as he held up the palm of his free hand to calm Alec. ¡°I have no idea what has gotten into you. Jon has every right to live his life how he wants to.¡± When she jerked her arm in an attempt to free it, he advised, ¡°Don¡¯t. I¡¯m warning you. Jon asked you to let him rest, but you had to keep running your mouth. Jon isn¡¯t strong enough to withstand your browbeating. And he doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡± ¡°Tom ¨C¡± she began, but a shake of his head cut her off. ¡°He isn¡¯t your war axe,¡± Tom growled. ¡°You should be happy for the two of them. Right now, I¡¯m ashamed to be associated with you.¡± The former Captain of the Kings Soldiers turned to Alec and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about any of this. I will still help you and Jon all that I can, regardless of anything Annie says or does. I won¡¯t withdraw any support. It¡¯s my money to control, not hers. I didn¡¯t understand before why her father set it up that way, but I certainly do now. You and Jon are good. If you need anything else, more upholstered chairs, anything at all, simply ask. I¡¯ll stop in tomorrow to see if Craig¡¯s friend will lead the ceremony.¡± With that he continued down the stairs, tugging Annie along with him. Alec watched them descend part way down and then climbed back to the attic. A quick look showed him that Jon was asleep. Beside the bed, Craig was setting out food and ale on the small table. The innkeeper acknowledged Alec but continued his task without speaking. The former Royal Archer sagged into one of the soft chairs and buried his face in his hands. He remained that way for several minutes even after he heard Craig slip out of the room. When Alec finally did open his eyes he discovered a generous glass of brandy waiting for him on the little table. ¡°They¡¯re good men, Annie. Fine people,¡± Padraig objected as Annie confronted him in the kitchen of the inn before the wedding service. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you are badgering them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not badgering them,¡± Annie Jarek defended herself. ¡°As a matter of fact, Tom and I are helping them as much as we can.¡± ¡°Tom is, yes. He¡¯s doing all he possibly can, absolutely,¡± Padraig agreed. ¡°At the same time, though, you¡¯re pressing the Contingent to force Jon onto the throne. As First Contingent you wield a great deal of influence, so realistically, you could pull this off, but he¡¯s hurt and your behavior is unconscionable.¡± Annie stared at him, unable to comprehend why Padraig couldn¡¯t see the fabulous opportunities that had opened up now that a prince was within their grasp. Shaking her head, she rose to her feet, walked a couple of meters away from him, and gazed out the kitchen door. Padraig slammed his fist once against the table behind her. ¡°I¡¯m not against the concept of Jon being king,¡± Padraig continued forcing a sense of calm into his voice. ¡°I¡¯m against you making the decision to push that agenda without considering his opinion. He has told you plainly that he is against it. Plus, you¡¯re recklessly pursuing the idea while ignoring the fact that he needs to heal. Pushing him like you¡¯re doing might kill him, and you¡¯re ignoring that he will have some disability for the rest of his life.¡± Padraig watched Annie¡¯s shoulders rise and fall in exasperation, and could sense her disapproval by her posture. ¡°He will be my king,¡± she stated slowly. ¡°I am warning you First Contingent Jarek,¡± Padraig said firmly. ¡°If you interfere with the legal ceremony joining this couple in matrimony, I will arrest you.¡± She spun around, her eyes wide and her mouth open in amazement. ¡°How dare you.¡± ¡°This is SnakeIn,¡± Padraig responded. ¡°Even the First Contingent is subject to the law. And right now, I am more than willing to lock you in gaol.¡± Padraig nodded respectfully to Tom Jarek and then marched out of the kitchen toward the pub. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 19 Wedding Chapter 19 Wedding What an incompetent buffoon. It¡¯s a basic stabbing maneuver that they let us practice on stand-ins many times. At least #17 had the good sense not to twist the horn but instead yanked it straight back out. Look, he¡¯s caught the correct spot the second time. Right there on My Prince¡¯s left shoulder. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 The first time Padraig had officiated had been at as small of a wedding as it was possible to have. The bride and groom rode on the same horse to get to SnakeIn specifically to marry and remained in their riding apparel for the ceremony. They were exhausted from the journey but refused to stay even a single day to rest. Three Watchers agreed to be witnesses and Padraig had been happy to do his part in helping thwart the Most Revered¡¯s attempts to keep the loving couple apart. Padraig MacGavin, Commander of the SnakeIn Armed Watch, resplendent in full dress uniform rather than his everyday camouflage uniform, stood in front of the pub fireplace, expertly hiding his nervousness and any trace of residual anger from the argument with Annie in the kitchen. This was only the second time that he had officiated at a wedding and although his training allowed him to conceal his emotions, he admitted to himself that he was afraid he¡¯d make a muck of the entire thing. As Jon had requested, the original plan was for Padraig and three witnesses to meet in the attic room. Word spread quickly to guests of the inn, patrons of the pub, members of the Armed Watch, and throughout the neighborhood so the ceremony had to be moved to the larger accommodations on the first floor where Rory and Craig had rearranged the tables and chairs for the crowd. Alec brought Jon down the four flights of stairs and settled him on one of the high pub stools for the ceremony. Alec stood next to him, holding his hand. Tom Jarek stood next to Jon as his witness. Craig Doherty stood next to Alec as his. Healer Callahan stood next to Padraig as the officiant¡¯s witness. Kenzie, Rory, and Callan stood a few meters away from Jon, all beaming happily, although Kenzie latched onto Annie¡¯s arm tightly as if she were trying to keep the scowling woman where she could keep an eye on her. The rest of the pub was filled to capacity with people who wanted to be part of their happiness. Padraig had been there when they had arrived at the city gate and knew their actual names, but as he had pointed out to Annie a few minutes before, this was SnakeIn. He cleared his throat and began, ¡°We gather together this morning to celebrate the joining of Jon and Alec Holdingfree in wedlock.¡± The crowd applauded. ¡°Before we can celebrate, however, it is my solemn duty to determine that these gentlemen understand the commitment they are making and that they are making it willingly without coercion, force, or undo persuasion.¡± The crowd applauded again. Padraig cleared his throat and stood up straighter, relieved that he was making his way through without any serious mistakes. ¡°Alec Holdingfree, Jon Holdingfree, do you swear in front of these witnesses and all those assembled here, that you espouse each other knowingly, willingly, and for the rest of your lives?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Alec Holdingfree, Jon Holdingfree, do you understand and agree that all of your earthly possessions, including any and all money, any and all property, and any and all inheritances, are now equally owned by your spouse?¡± When Jon and Alec agreed, Padraig went on, ¡°The City of SnakeIn realizes that each couple eventually finds their own way within their marriage and that from time to time, marriages require that each spouse maintain separate residences, or follow independent paths. We stipulate with great emphasis that you may not divorce or completely abandon the other spouse for any reason whatsoever, not sickness, not infidelity, not differing philosophies; and that regardless of any wrongdoing that may potentially occur, each spouse must do his utmost to maintain the other¡¯s life and wellbeing. Alec and Jon Holdingfree, do you recognize and agree to this directive?¡± At their affirmative, Padraig continued, ¡°The City of SnakeIn further stipulates that no spouse may abuse the other spouse, or any current or future progeny of the marriage, physically, psychologically, emotionally, or in any other manner, under penalty of criminal prosecution. Alec and Jon Holdingfree, do you agree to abide by this directive?¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. When they agreed, Padraig instructed, ¡°Please turn and face the crowd.¡± Rory and Callen hurried forward to assist Alec, Tom, and their father in safely turning Jon¡¯s chair and then scurried back to stand beside their mother. Padraig grinned with satisfaction and his voice boomed across the room, ¡°Friends, witnesses, and celebrants, I formally, officially, and with great pleasure hereby declare Jon and Alec Holdingfree to be duly and fully married.¡± The crowd cheered, whistled, stomped, and applauded. Kenzie dropped her hands from Annie¡¯s arm, clapped enthusiastically, and then hurried behind the bar to pour ale for the crowd. Annie glanced after her aunt, scanned Jon and Alec closely, and then shifted her eyes to two muscular men on the opposite side of the room. When she canted her head, the two men parted, and each strolled the perimeter of the room in opposite directions. Rory stepped forward a second time, this time toting a portable desk, a set of inked quill pens, and the marriage certificate. He held them out to Jon, and then to Alec for signatures. Commander Padraig MacGavin added his own, and then each of the witnesses signed. As he handled the documentation, Kenzie, Callen, and two of the pub¡¯s regular patrons, circled the crowd with mugs of ale for everyone. ¡°A toast,¡± Craig Docherty called out and lifted a mug. ¡°To the new Holdingfree Family.¡± Mugs were raised and clinked, happy voices called out ¡°to the Holdingfrees¡± and Alec snuggled one arm around Jon. A mug was placed into Jon¡¯s trembling left hand, so Alec turned to help him sip the brew. As he did so, Annie stepped up to them, and said, ¡°Congratulations. Best wishes to both of you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Annie,¡± Alec responded. Tom Jarek smiled and moved to Annie¡¯s side. He squeezed one of her hands and said, ¡°See, I told you it would be fine.¡± ¡°One, two, three, one, two, three,¡± a musician in the corner of the pub counted out, and the trio struck up a slow waltz. Alec turned to Jon and said, ¡°I believe this is my dance.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even walk, how can I possibly dance?¡± Jon responded with embarrassment. Quick soldier¡¯s reflexes had Tom grabbing their two mugs as Alec swooped Jon from the high pub stool, spun around several times, and declared, ¡°This is how.¡± Holding Jon tenderly, Alec waltzed across the center of the floor. The crowd parted to make room, and halfway through the tune, several others joined them on the dance floor. At the end of the room, Alec stumbled slightly when he noticed that the delivery man who¡¯d helped Rory was standing just inside the door. The man tipped his head and casually saluted the couple. As Jon¡¯s eyes widened in recognition, the delivery man shook his head almost imperceivably, and then Jon grinned and buried his head in Alec¡¯s shoulder as if embarrassed. Alec returned Jon to the high pub stool where Jon continued to cover his face and pretended to faint dramatically while the crowd laughed. Annie moved closer to Alec, poked him lightly in the ribs, and said, ¡°Do you have any of those fancy dance steps left for me?¡± Alec looked at her in surprise, then leaned his face next to Jon¡¯s, and asked, ¡°Do you mind?¡± Jon put his arms around Alec and whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, no. Alec, you know I love you, but I¡¯m exhausted.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you back upstairs right now,¡± Alec said smiling. Jon bobbed his head slightly and Alec said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Annie. But I¡¯ve used up my allotment of dancing this evening.¡± Alec lifted Jon in his arms again, negotiated his way between the dancers and a chorus of well-wishers, but paused and turned so that Jon faced the crowd and could wave to everyone. The two muscular men followed but were stopped partway by the delivery man. Witnessing the confrontation, Jon whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Alec responded with a smile and then transported the love of his life up the stairs. The two men stepped backward, turned, and left the pub. Tom touched Annie¡¯s arm and suggested, ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty of moves left in me.¡± Annie glanced beyond his shoulder at where the two men were disappearing through the door, and then she allowed Tom to lead her into the next dance. In the farthest corner of the pub, a diminutive youth with olive-colored skin and black hair stood with his back pressed against the wall. His dark eyes darted everywhere, watching everyone, and his sharp mind took notes: the large man by the door didn¡¯t want others to know that he was the Grays Commander; the two men Jon¡¯s sister Annie had hired to kidnap him from his own wedding had failed; the Commander of the Armed Watch was far more nervous officiating than he let on; the curvaceous woman at the bar enjoyed being unfaithful to her husband. So far Prince Gunnar¡¯s disguise had worked successfully to prevent anyone from recognizing him, and the lady at the bar tempted him, but once Alec started up the stairs there was nothing else of interest to him, so Gunnar moved smoothly along the perimeter of the pub and out the front door. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 20 Fia Chapter 20 Fia This crowd is huge. I didn¡¯t expect so many people. The entire population of Hilltown and the surrounding countryside must be here. My parents are watching; they promised they would be since I¡¯m the first one in our family to be honored like this. Your eyes are stronger than mine. Do you see my parents anywhere? ¨C Prince Eater #34 At the beginning of the ninth dimming, a scratch at the door announced Craig Docherty bringing a length of rope and a large curtain. Tom entered behind him, holding a small valise and escorting a plump, young woman with a pert nose, almond-colored eyes, and brown hair cascading over her shoulders. ¡°Good morning,¡± Tom greeted them. ¡°Are you feeling better, Jon?¡± Jon shrugged. Two and 1/2 dimmings earlier, not long after the wedding, Healer Callahan had sawed and chipped off the painted casts, so he now had movement in his right limbs but lacked strength in them. He worried that he was nothing to his new husband but a disappointing burden. ¡°He¡¯s been sitting up quite a bit like he is now,¡± Alec supplied as he draped his arm across the back of the chair where Jon sat. ¡°Healer Callan wants him to start moving around, too. I help him with that and once he¡¯s strong enough we¡¯ll start walking.¡± ¡°That is good news,¡± Tom agreed, as Craig moved silently to one corner of the room and tied one end of the rope to a beam. Tom took the other end and stretched it across the room. He held it in place while Craig stepped back and judged the result. ¡°A little higher,¡± Craig instructed. Tom obliged and Craig nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Let me note where you¡¯re holding the rope, so I can thread it through the top of this divider and put it up on my own while the rest of you talk.¡± Once Craig marked the rope, Tom crossed back to where Alec, Jon, and the young woman were staring at each other curiously. ¡°This is Erienne,¡± Tom introduced. ¡°She is going to stay here with the two of you to help out.¡± ¡°Stay here? In a space that¡¯s almost too small already?¡± Alec asked suspiciously. ¡°A young woman living with two men?¡± ¡°This is SnakeIn. Those delicacies don¡¯t exist,¡± Tom said practically. He took Erienne¡¯s hand and led her forward. ¡°Now stop being rude and say hello.¡± Alec laughed and held out a hand to Erienne, ¡°My name is Alec and this is Jon.¡± When she started to bow, Tom stopped her, saying, ¡°No. Don¡¯t. I wouldn¡¯t have told you the truth if I¡¯d thought you¡¯d act that way.¡± Seeing her blush at her mistake, Alec gestured to the empty upholstered chair and said benevolently, ¡°Please, sit down and be comfortable. Tom, what is it you would like Erienne to help us with?¡± ¡°Whatever you need,¡± Tom offered, as Erienne settled in the chair near Jon. Before Tom could explain further, Craig cleared his throat and said, ¡°This is all set. I¡¯ll just leave you to work out the details among yourselves. I¡¯ll be sure to send another cot up right away.¡± He exited briskly, being certain that the door was closed tightly. ¡°Well, whatever you need,¡± Tom resumed. ¡°She¡­ah¡­offered her services to me last evening. Of course, I took her home to Annie who discussed her situation with her to see if we could help. She has been homeless since her family died, and there simply isn¡¯t much work for a single, young woman without an education.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Alec commented. ¡°I¡¯m not sure ¨C¡± ¡°Alec, you can¡¯t keep on the way you are. All day and all night taking care of Jon,¡± Tom argued. ¡°I don¡¯t mean that as a criticism of you or how you are doing or anything that you¡¯ve done. You¡¯ve been wonderful to Annie¡¯s brother, and we can¡¯t thank you enough.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I take care of my own husband?¡± Alec asked, offended that Tom considered Annie¡¯s relationship with Jon more valuable than his own. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that Erienne can take some of that burden off you,¡± Tom responded. ¡°She can help with meals and cleaning. She can stay with Jon so that you can get out for fresh air, and maybe find steady employment instead of accepting odd jobs here and there. I think you should look for work within your own profession, though, find someone who wants to employ you as an archer, for hunting, or guarding someone¡¯s home, or something like that.¡± ¡°I see your point, Tom, but I¡¯m afraid that will cause too many questions,¡± Alec protested. ¡°Why would an archer with my expertise suddenly be in SnakeIn and unemployed? I¡¯m afraid to risk it leading back to Jon.¡± ¡°This is SnakeIn. Everyone has a past,¡± Tom laughed. When Alec shrugged unconvinced, Tom continued, ¡°It¡¯s completely your choice. I¡¯m not worried about providing you with spending money. No, that isn¡¯t a problem at all. My thought was only that it sometimes feels better to earn one¡¯s own way.¡± Alec and Jon glanced at each other. Jon opened his mouth to speak but winced instead. Erienne immediately jumped up, sank to her knees in front of Jon, and moved his hand from his cheek. ¡°Good. You didn¡¯t split the wound open or anything,¡± she said to him gently. ¡°It was only the movement. Did the healer leave you anything for pain?¡± Jon waved toward the blue vial and the red jar on the table beside the bed. She walked briskly over, opened the containers one at a time, and looked over the contents. ¡°Shame on that healer,¡± she clucked. ¡°Neither of these is for pain. The blue vial is an incappbo elixir that helps infection, and this helps your skin¡¯s healing so that the scar won¡¯t be as noticeable later.¡± ¡°I keep it elsewhere,¡± Alec enlightened her. ¡°I was instructed to store it separately because Jon has been so depressed. He is limited by how much he can take because of the side effects. I do have some left, but I¡¯d hope to either go to Healer Callahan¡¯s myself or see if Rory would go sometime today. I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Alec walked the seven or eight steps to his cot and then turned so that his body obscured what he was doing as he fished through his duffel bag. He surfaced with the paper packet containing the crushed powder and relinquished it to Erienne as he explained the dose, ¡°Only a pinch dissolved in water. Two pinches if the pain is very bad.¡± She filled the water glass on the table to nearly the top and stirred in two pinches. ¡°That¡¯s too much,¡± Alec corrected. ¡°He¡¯s in pain,¡± she argued. ¡°I can¡¯t stand to see him hurting.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so kind next time,¡± Alec insisted. ¡°It helps the pain but hurts him in other ways.¡± ¡°I will be,¡± she agreed with a smile. As she returned to Jon¡¯s side, she noticed napkins and rags folded on the edge of the mantle. Taking one of the napkins, she cupped it around the side of Jon¡¯s face as she raised the glass to the good side of his mouth so she could use it to keep any of the liquid from spilling down his chin. Alec watched them interact and had to admit that Jon seemed less recalcitrant with her than with him. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The arrangement settled, Tom produced a wallet of coins for Alec¡¯s and Jon¡¯s use, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got to run. There¡¯s talk on the north side of the city about a pair of very young, orphaned siblings being forced to do hard labor for a greedy merchant. I need to put a stop to it.¡± Tom hurried down the stairs, so Alec gestured for Erienne to sit again, while he brought over the wooden chair for himself. Predictably, Jon soon dozed off from the pain medication, so Alec conveyed him to the bed. Erienne held the covers up so that he could set Jon down and together they tucked the blankets around him. ¡°If you¡¯d like to unpack, I¡¯ll sit with Jon,¡± Alec offered, glancing at her worn, battered valise. ¡°I don¡¯t have much,¡± Erienne said with embarrassment. ¡°Nevertheless,¡± Alec responded. ¡°This is your home now, too, and you deserve to be able to get yourself settled and organized. Jon and I don¡¯t have much either. As often as I can, I visit the city¡¯s thrift shops to find him more clothing, but I can¡¯t leave him alone.¡± ¡°I thought Annie said that the innkeeper provides help,¡± Erienne questioned. ¡°Rory helps on his own and refuses to take money for it,¡± Alec explained. ¡°If he has time, he stays with Jon so that I can work or shop. I¡¯m grateful for all he does and am reluctant to ask him for more. He has his own responsibilities on top of whatever he does for us.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± she said thoughtfully. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Jarek were right after all. You need help and I need a home. I don¡¯t mind saying that I was worried about staying here since we¡¯d never met but you¡¯ve been very welcoming.¡± Jon groaned as he turned halfway on his side, away from the conversation. There was a soft tap on the door, so Alec simply smiled and went to answer it. He helped Rory set up the cot and blankets, expressed his gratitude yet again for everything the youth had helped them with, and walked with Rory the few steps to the door. As he did, Erienne disappeared behind the curtain and slid it along the rope until her minuscule living space was hidden from view. Alec smiled and began gathering soiled clothes so he could attack the day¡¯s tasks. Several minutes later Erienne re-emerged from behind the curtain wearing a lightweight jacket and shoving a short rope into a large pocket. She walked over to Alec and asked, ¡°Do you mind if I go out for a while? I need to do a couple things that being with Annie and Tom didn¡¯t allow me the chance to get done.¡± ¡°Go right ahead,¡± Alec replied, ¡°Take all the time you need. I might work on fletching a few quarrels, so I¡¯ll be here with Jon.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied as she walked to the door. Before she opened it Alec spoke again, ¡°Rory or Callan generally bring dinner up about six. You¡¯ve missed breakfast. Midday meals aren¡¯t provided, so if you¡¯re hungry you may want to get something while you are out.¡± When he saw a troubled look cross her face, Alec added, ¡°Wait up. Tom left us a purse. Let me give you some money. It¡¯s yours to share now, too and you shouldn¡¯t be walking around the city without any money at all.¡± He hurried over to where he put the wallet Tom had given him, fished out a generous pile of coins, and pressed them into Erienne¡¯s grip. He smiled when the worried expression drained from her face, and she audibly sighed with relief. ¡°If I see something good, I¡¯ll bring back a little for you and Jon,¡± she said. ¡°No, please, no. Spend it on yourself and save what you can of it. Jon can only have liquids and very soft foods right now. Craig and Kenzie insist on bringing broth or soup up to him all day long and have never charged us extra for it. Thank you, though.¡± As an afterthought, he added, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°All right,¡± she answered as she headed toward the door again. ¡°I¡¯ll try to finish up as quickly as I can so that you can have a chance to get out, too.¡± She tossed a smile over her shoulder at Alec and then disappeared down the stairs. About an hour later, pounding, clacking, scraping, and a general, noisy upheaval startled Jon from his nap. When he cried out in alarm and confusion, Alec tossed his work knife into its scabbard, moved the small table to one side, and crossed the room in long strides. As he reached Jon¡¯s side, the door banged open, and a brindle wolfhound loped in, pouncing up and down, wagging its tail, and running in circles with delight. Spying Alec¡¯s stack of straight, clean arrow shafts, the wolfhound snatched up two and pranced around the room in proud satisfaction. Jon looked at Alec, stared at the dog, looked back at Alec, and muttered in bewilderment, ¡°Wh-??¡± The wolfhound spun around as if noticing Jon for the first time, dropped the wooden shafts, and leaped straight onto the bed with Jon. ¡°Oomph,¡± Jon exhaled, and then cried desperately, ¡°Ow. Ouch. No. Dog. That hurts. Don¡¯t.¡± Alec gripped the wolfhound by the fur on its neck and tried to haul it off the injured man. Rather than cooperate, the dog bit lightly at Alec¡¯s hand, not trying to break the skin but only trying to discourage Alec so the dog could plop between Jon and the wall. Alec reached over to grab the dog again, but Jon stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s quiet now.¡± The dog lay its head on Jon¡¯s shoulder, licked Jon¡¯s sore chin tentatively, and then thumped its tail against the wall with joy. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just leave him be.¡± ¡°Her,¡± Erienne said from the doorway. ¡°Her name is Fia. And it looks like you¡¯ve already earned a place in her heart, Jon.¡± Both looked at her in amazement, and then Jon set one hand on Fia, breathed in and out deeply, closed his eyes, and mumbled, ¡°That hurt so much.¡± Alec raised his eyebrows in sympathy but said nothing as he walked over to help Erienne with the bags and boxes in her arms. ¡°She¡¯s been with folks who were neighbors, but they don¡¯t want her any longer,¡± she explained. ¡°Most of this belongs to Fia. There¡¯s food, toys, a harness, and two or three leads. She was my brother¡¯s dog. He was bedridden, so the rest of us walked her and took care of her.¡± ¡°That must be why she likes Jon,¡± Alec commented. ¡°She¡¯s been lonely since my brother and parents were killed,¡± Erienne said as she rearranged the room''s three shelves to make space for Fia¡¯s possessions. Before Alec could ask, she offered, ¡°It was a house fire. Arson. I have suspicions about who set it, but no proof.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Alec offered. ¡°My parents probably could have escaped the fire, but they tried to save my brother, too,¡± she added. ¡°I was out walking Fia, and by the time I saw the smoke and ran home it was too late.¡± ¡°That was a kind and noble thing for them to do, though. You must be proud of them,¡± Alec said, trying to offer comfort. Erienne shrugged one shoulder and continued, ¡°Sometimes I would take Fia with me when I worked at night. For protection. But her size frightened customers.¡± The shelves rearranged and stocked, she stood, folded her arms, and gazed at where Jon and Fia slept on Jon¡¯s bed. ¡°I¡¯m glad that she feels at home here. Is that your fletching work scattered on the floor?¡± Alec nodded, and then bent down to gather it up while she collected the shafts Fia had scattered. When they had everything returned to Alec¡¯s work trunk, she said, ¡°You¡¯re a very good fletcher.¡± ¡°We had to do it as punishment if Archery Master Quinn didn¡¯t like our behavior,¡± Alec explained as he examined the dog-bitten shafts pensively, and then laughed. ¡°In my case, I had a great deal of practice. I used to do both mine and Jon¡¯s punishments.¡± ¡°So he was using you even back then,¡± Erienne remarked with distaste as she tossed her jacket on the back of a soft chair and plopped down. Alec¡¯s face darkened and he spat out, ¡°No. That is absolutely untrue, Erienne, and I won¡¯t have you passing judgment on things you don¡¯t know anything about.¡± Erienne stared at him contemptuously, but then suggested, ¡°I was about to say that you could get good money selling bolts like that.¡± Alec looked at the feathers on one of the quarrels and lifted his eyebrows as if he hadn¡¯t considered it before. He carried his work trunk over to his cot, sat down, and leaned against the wall with his eyes closed so he could avoid seeing Erienne. About fifteen minutes later, Alec heard Jon stretching, but as Alec opened his eyes Jon¡¯s yawn changed into a painful scream. Fia had bounced on top of him and was assertively licking his face. Alec charged across the room. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her!¡± Erienne yelled in alarm. Alec reached Jon¡¯s side as his scream turned to painful tears. Fia turned toward Alec happily and started to jump at him, so Alec shouted, ¡°Down, Fia. Sit.¡± Confused, the wolfhound obeyed by promptly sitting down on Jon¡¯s stomach. Alec wrapped his arms around the dog, lifted her, walked from the bed, and then set her on the floor. She wagged her tail in delight and squirmed with expectation. ¡°Tell her she¡¯s a good girl,¡± Jon instructed through tears. Alec patted the dog on the head, scratched behind one of her ears, and said, ¡°You are good. You did that perfectly. From now on you wait for me to lift you on and off Jon¡¯s bed. Okay?¡± He leaned down slightly as if to listen to her answer and she promptly ran her slobbery tongue across his face. Jon¡¯s tears turned to laughter, and Erienne joined him. Finally, Alec chuckled too, and asked, ¡°Did she hurt you?¡± ¡°Yes. Well, only a little. I mean, no, not really,¡± Jon mumbled. ¡°Everything hurts anyway.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you some pain medication,¡± Alec said. When he saw that Erienne hadn¡¯t moved from where she lounged by the fire, he said, ¡°Erienne, would you hang onto Fia for a minute so Jon can relax? Thanks.¡± She rose begrudgingly and took the dog¡¯s collar. Alex pursed his lips and silently went to measure out Jon¡¯s medication. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 21 Market Chapter 21 Market We go back to when the Earth Scientists were still here. They brought horses and all types of animals to raise here but decided that the water buffalo they introduced to Midhe Nuae needed to be more aggressive. They changed us in their labs, made us different. ¨C Prince Eater #34 Whether Fia curled across Alec¡¯s feet as he worked, walked beside Erienne when she ran errands, or stretched out with her head on Jon¡¯s chest, Fia¡¯s devotion brought an improvement in Jon¡¯s outlook and he would often scratch Fia¡¯s ears affectionately. Alec had to admit that Erienne¡¯s care also helped Jon¡¯s recovery. When he ate, she would smile and coax and urge Jon ¡°a little more, only a bit more¡± and Jon would oblige. It was her idea to mash solid food with a mortar and pestle, then spoon tiny amounts of it into the side of Jon¡¯s mouth. When he reached the point where he wanted to feed himself, she helped his unsteady left hand hold the utensils as if doing so was the most natural thing in the world. After meals were over and Jon washed up again, Erienne would sit next to Jon and talk about her day, the latest news, or the current gossip making the rounds in SnakeIn. Jon didn¡¯t usually respond to what she was saying, but his gaze told Alec that Jon was listening to it all. Alec used that time to run errands, go to the green grocer, or, at long last, be able to thoroughly scour thrift shops for clothes that fit Jon, Erienne, or himself. Sometimes he simply wandered to stretch his legs and clear his head. He kept his eye out for ways in which they could earn a living when the recovery year was complete. He was a soldier, trained by his father from the time that Alec first learned to walk. He didn¡¯t know how to be anything else. He had been able to find small jobs such as loading and unloading ships or wagons, and on one occasion he chopped up and removed a fallen tree from someone¡¯s garden. The money from the small jobs helped with daily expenses, and although Tom never failed to send over a purse every dimming, Alec felt he didn¡¯t need to scrimp as much with the money he¡¯d earned himself. One late morning after laboring to load a cargo ship¡¯s haul into separate wheelbarrows for fishmongers to sell at the city market, Alec found himself wandering through the market stalls searching for something to take home to Jon. When he paused to get his bearings someone bumped into him from behind. He spun warily, fists at the ready, only to see a large man holding his palms up in apology. ¡°Sorry, sorry, meant no harm. Just not watching where I was going.¡± the man said quickly. Alec noted the man¡¯s chiseled features and dark curly hair and realized that he was the delivery man who helped Rory. ¡°Hey,¡± the delivery man said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Mr. Jarek¡¯s friend?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Alec acknowledged guardedly. ¡°How¡¯s your husband doing? He looked like he¡¯d been hurt badly,¡± the delivery man asked. ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Alec replied. ¡°We were worried that he¡¯d catch your cold, but he¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Yeah, turns out it was an allergy of some type. Nothing catchy at all,¡± the delivery man explained. He curved his elbow over his mouth and exaggerated a fake cough. When he recovered, he smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got to get going. Got a job waiting. Mr. Jarek said that the two of you are new in town, so don¡¯t hesitate to ask if you need anything.¡± He waved his hand in a casual circle. ¡°Everybody knows where to find me.¡± With that, the delivery man turned and hurried off through the crowd. ¡°Thank you,¡± Alec said to the man¡¯s disappearing back. Alec looked around to see what direction he wanted to go next. He discovered he was standing next to an elderly grandmother and a young girl who were offering various flowers for sale from a small, roughly built stand. Alec meant to walk by, thinking that something more tangible would be best, such as a nice belt that fit Jon better after the weight loss caused by his injuries, or a sturdy hunting knife to replace the one lost during the ambush, but an array of white blossoms caught his eye. He also noticed the raggedness of the girl¡¯s clothes and how the elderly woman had to hold her thin shawl closed. He greeted the woman pleasantly and asked after the white flower buds. ¡°They¡¯re closed now,¡± the elderly woman explained. ¡°But they¡¯ll open wide after the suns set. They¡¯re moonflowers, grown from the finest seedlings brought here from Earth.¡± ¡°They are very special to a friend of mine,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯d like a small bouquet, if I may.¡± ¡°Of course, sir, of course,¡± the woman agreed happily as she waved at the girl to wrap up the stems. Alec couldn¡¯t help but smile as he thought about the surprise that would be on Jon¡¯s face. When he reached the inn, he wanted to run up the stairs to their attic room, but walked up slowly, being careful not to damage Jon¡¯s moonflowers. He tucked them behind his back as he opened the door. Jon was sitting in one of the upholstered chairs while Erienne was organizing medication and dishes on the small table. She glanced up at Alec at the same time that Jon did, so she didn¡¯t see Jon¡¯s happiness when Alec revealed the gift. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re beautiful,¡± Erienne said, her voice breathy and her eyes wide. She cautiously picked her way around Fia who was stretched out in the middle of the room and then hurried over to claim her prize. When she turned her back to the two men to look for an empty jar she could fill with water, she added, ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone has ever brought me flowers.¡± Alec¡¯s eyes were wide in astonishment as he held up his open hands questioningly. Jon sighed, tipped his head back and forth as if he had no answer to the dilemma, but then waved toward Erienne to indicate they should let her have the bouquet. Alec signaled his acquiescence, pleased that Jon realized he had intended the flowers for him, but also glad Jon was not willing to hurt Erienne¡¯s feelings. She moved the various items on the small table and placed the flowers in the center proudly. Walking to where Alec still stood by the door, she went up on her tiptoes, kissed his cheek, and whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very welcome, Erienne. But you need to thank Jon, too. He¡¯s the one who suggested it,¡± Alec pretended gallantly. ¡°Oh,¡± she said softly. She looked back and forth between the two men as tears rolled down her cheeks. ¡°The two of you are so kind to me. Other people called me names, and some of them even spit at me. You always appreciate the few things I can do to help, and you¡¯ve made me feel as if I have a home again.¡± ¡°You do, Erienne,¡± Jon told her. ¡°Of course, this is your home. You and Fia are family now.¡± Fia stretched as she rose from the floor, wandered over to Erienne, and pushed her nose against the palm of Erienne¡¯s hand. The three of them chuckled at the dog¡¯s obvious concern for her. When Alec settled in the empty chair opposite Jon, Fia walked over to Alec and then sat down on top of his feet. She leaned against his legs, rested her head on his knees, and cast large, pleading eyes toward him. ¡°I hope dinner will be ready soon. I¡¯m starved,¡± Alec said idly as he stroked the dog¡¯s head and ears. ¡°I¡¯ll run down and see,¡± Erienne offered as she headed toward the door. ¡°I need to go downstairs anyway because I want to borrow a vase for the flowers. That jar is too small.¡± When the door swung closed behind her, Alec leaned forward and rested one hand on Jon¡¯s knee and Jon placed his hand over Alec¡¯s. The archer missed their time alone together and was glad for this rare moment. He didn¡¯t begrudge Erienne the flowers. He realized that she worked as hard as he did caring for Jon, even if slower to respond to Jon than Alec himself would be. He understood that her presence made all their lives easier. Still, he longed for an evening with only Jon and him sitting talking, or maybe with Jon already sleeping and Alec beside him in the uncomfortable wooden chair, or perhaps sitting side by side with no conversation at all, and Jon¡¯s hand resting in his, the way it was now. He heard Erienne¡¯s footsteps coming back up the stairs, so he squeezed Jon¡¯s hand, and then nudged Fia to one side so he could rise. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I¡¯d like to get some of this fish smell off me,¡± he said as he grabbed two empty buckets. ¡°I¡¯ll pop down and get some fresh water first.¡± He smiled at Erienne as they passed on the stairs, but didn¡¯t turn to watch her ascend. Nor did he notice that she had paused to observe him. Jon missed Alec¡¯s company, missed how they teased each other, and missed how amusingly meticulous Alec was in his care for Jon. Alec was hauling stones for a builder and had been working for a solid dimming. When he came home in the evenings, he was so exhausted that he ate a few bites of his meal and then went straight to sleep. Erienne was kind to him, her touch was tender, and she had a good sense of humor, but she was quick to abandon tasks as ¡°good enough.¡± Alec never short-changed Jon¡¯s care that way. He remembered teasing him when Alec tried to wash his feet and the memory caused Jon to chuckle all over again. One afternoon Jon was startled awake by someone¡¯s hand stroking him tenderly. Thinking Alec was home early, he popped his eyes open and instead saw Erienne leaning forward. Each move was gentle and exciting. He gulped with difficulty and muttered, ¡°Erienne, no. I mean, you don¡¯t have¡­you shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± His voice trailed off. ¡°Jon,¡± she murmured softly. ¡°Jon, let me, please. This is the one thing they said I was good at.¡± He gulped again and tried to push her away weakly with his good arm when she leaned farther forward. He heard Fia¡¯s toenails clip-clop across the floor as the dog jumped onto one of the cots. Although he could not look, he sensed that it was Alec¡¯s. Afterward, he felt good about it and guilty at the same time. He thought of Alec¡¯s strong, caring hands and remembered the long hours and days Alec had put in alone, with little to no help, nursing him back to health. He thought of all their conversations before his brothers died when they discussed where they would live, on the coast perhaps; what flowers to grow in the garden, maybe morning glories to balance the moonflowers; what color their kitchen might be, yellow kitchens are always more welcoming. He thought about the horrible day that his father and the Most Revered turned on him. Alec was the one who rode out to rescue him. Alec was the one who sacrificed a successful career as an admired and upcoming member of the Kings Royal Archers. And now, Jon had betrayed that love, that loyalty, that friendship, that honor. They had never had a reason to discuss it, so Jon wasn¡¯t sure that Alec even realized that he enjoyed women as much as he enjoyed men. Still, Jon admonished himself, he should not have allowed Erienne the opportunity. His love for Alec was deep and true, and he owed Alec his faithfulness. He should have refused her more forcefully. Even if her feelings would have been hurt, he should have refused her in no uncertain terms, but he hadn¡¯t. He promised himself that he would if it happened again. Erienne¡¯s suggestion that Alec sell crossbow bolts turned out to be valuable. Alec had decided that as long as he sold them through an intermediary it would be unlikely that anyone would trace them back to a disowned prince and an exiled Royal Archer. During the dimming just past, he had taken several to the market, found the elderly grandmother who sold flowers and asked if she would offer them for sale in return for a portion of the profit. When she agreed, he sat down with the girl and explained how exacting he was when he made the shafts, and that the fletching was all done by hand. ¡°Customers can order feathers in a wide variety of colors or with lightweight wood,¡± Alec explained. ¡°Personally, I prefer feathers, but I can just as easily fletch them with wood if the customer desires that.¡± The girl moved her eyes from the crossbow quarrels to his eyes, her face serious, and responded, ¡°We¡¯ll charge a fee for custom orders.¡± Once he helped the girl and the grandmother rearrange their flowers to create a display for the new merchandise, Alec sighed and turned to leave. As he did, a gentleman asked after the quarrels, so Alec paused to listen for a moment while the girl expertly explained their distinctive features. The girl sold the man half a dozen quarrels and his wife a bouquet. Two days later, she appeared at the inn¡¯s front desk to ask Craig if he would let Mr. Holdingfree know that they were out of crossbow bolts and ask if he would mind bringing them more to sell. The day the job moving stones was complete Alec had the chance to deliver that second order to the market and shop for Jon, before returning home early. As he climbed the stairs he thought about how much Erienne made his days easier. In the short time she had been there he¡¯d noticed a vast difference in what he was able to accomplish and in his own overall energy. He had always been so busy with the endless tasks related to caring for Jon that he had no time to himself, no time to regain his internal balance, no time to work, no time to look ahead and try to construct a plan for their future. In all honesty, Alec did not believe Jon would ever be able to earn his own way because of his injuries. A strategy for the future was essential. Alec paused at the door of the attic room to clear away his worried thoughts. He set down the bundle of purchases in his arms and clutched the doorknob. Before he could turn the handle, however, he heard the low guttural sounds of satisfaction coming from inside the room. He¡¯d heard that reaction from Jon often enough times when the two of them were together. Since the injuries Jon sustained during the ambush were so serious, Alec had waited. He¡¯d held Jon often, especially after nightmares, and he¡¯d made certain to hold hands and do other, simple things to demonstrate his affection. But he had thought it important to wait for some sign that Jon was well, healthy enough, and ready for more than that. Alec pressed his hands on each side of the door jamb and rested his forehead against the door. He squeezed his eyes tightly, trying to stave off tears. After several seconds, he lifted his head, rubbed his eyes, and walked down the stairs to the pub where he asked Craig for an ale. He nursed the drink for an hour, and then requested another. By the time Alec climbed the stairs again, gathered up the packages he¡¯d left by the door, and entered the attic room, Erienne was stretched out in her own cot. Although she was pretending to be asleep, Alec could tell that she was not, and he was angry that she ignored Jon tossing and crying out from nightmares. Fia whined as she sat on the floor beside Jon¡¯s bed with one paw on its edge. Rather than speak to Erienne, Alec patted Fia¡¯s head as he slid into Jon¡¯s bed, enclosed Jon in his arms, and softly cooed, ¡°Hush. It¡¯s okay. Hush.¡± The Castle in Hilltown A dimming after these events in SnakeIn, Prince Se¨¢n wandered through what had been Jon¡¯s private apartments in Hilltown, uneasy about how still the room was, how empty without Jon. He paused every few meters to examine various weapons in Jon¡¯s significant collection: a set of swords and scabbards, a halberd and poleaxe crossed and mounted on a wall, a handful of nicked and dented quarterstaffs leaning in a corner, a dozen longbows and arrows. He came to a complete stop in front of what had been Jon¡¯s favorite portion of his collection: row after row of crossbows, some elegant, some sturdy, some roughhewn. Se¨¢n ran a fingertip along the engraved design in the crossbow that had always been his own personal favorite. Se¨¢n turned from the bows. Walking hesitantly to the door of Jon¡¯s bedroom, he pushed it open, and then stood in the doorway holding the handle. Moonflowers vined lushly in the two oriel windows. Vases to hold flowers were displayed around the room, all standing empty now. Jon¡¯s art collection rivaled his collection of weapons although few had ever seen it because of its sensual nature. Se¨¢n giggled, recalling the many times he had tiptoed into the room when he knew Jon was at sparring practice or math class or somewhere that would keep him occupied for a while. Se¨¢n loved the painting with an uncountable number of entwined bodies and had often tried to trace which leg and which arm matched which torso. Se¨¢n shook away his thoughts as his eyes settled on a withered bouquet of wildflowers resting beside a single, inexpertly crafted bolt with white and blue fletching displayed in a place of honor near Jon¡¯s bed. Se¨¢n remembered Jon¡¯s friend laboring over it, but he had never understood why Jon had taken it when his friend was talking with Archery Master Quinn and then kept it now that Alec Mulrian is a much better fletcher. Was, Se¨¢n thought. Was. He sighed. If it were up to Se¨¢n, this bolt would have been out with the other bolts and weapons so it could be used. If there were some reason Jon had wanted one by his bed, Se¨¢n knew that all he would have had to do was ask Mulrian and the Royal Archer would have given him one. No one refused the princes. Se¨¢n closed the bedroom door. Returning to the empty engraved bow, he lifted it against his shoulder and aimed at various targets through the room: the inkwell on the desk by the window, the handful of quarterstaffs, the sketch of the five princes which hung on the back of the entryway door. ¡°Thwack,¡± he cried out as he pretended to shoot. The door flung open. Prince Gunnar sauntered into the room and said, chuckling, ¡°Thwack yourself, Se¨¢n. What are you doing with Jon¡¯s things? Ogling his art collection again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just looking,¡± Se¨¢n replied defensively. ¡°Being here with all of his things lets me believe that Jon is still alive, that he¡¯s only out sparring and will walk through the door any minute.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead. You should be happy about it, not sulking around in corners, doing whatever in front of his art,¡± Gunnar said, still snickering. ¡°We¡¯re next in line for the throne.¡± ¡°I miss Jon,¡± Se¨¢n said as he sniffed to keep tears away. ¡°And I wasn¡¯t doing whatever.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so stupidly young,¡± Gunnar said to torment his sibling. When Gunnar saw tears roll from the corner of Se¨¢n¡¯s eyes, he changed to a more conciliatory tone. ¡°We all miss him. If you ask, I¡¯m sure our father would give you this entire collection.¡± As Se¨¢n replaced the crossbow, Gunnar continued, ¡°Listen, I¡¯m going to look at a new style of bow that has just come out. A couple of traveling merchants have a stand set up at the market. I need some bolts and things anyway. Why don¡¯t you come along? You can help me carry whatever I buy.¡± Se¨¢n looked at Gunnar sadly but didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Listen, though,¡± Gunnar said, lowering his voice and leaning forward to include Se¨¢n in his confidence. ¡°These merchants are shy. We¡¯ll have to go on our own without telling the guards or the Grays. I¡¯ll arm myself well and make sure that there¡¯s no trouble.¡± Se¨¢n tipped his head at his older brother inquisitively. ¡°If I do buy a new bow, I¡¯ll let you have one of my old ones,¡± Gunnar tempted. ¡°The blue one that belonged to our father¡¯s father.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Se¨¢n protested. ¡°I¡¯ll come. I might as well. Maybe it will cheer me up for a while.¡± ¡°Yeah, a quick change of scenery always helps,¡± Gunnar agreed. ¡°And it¡¯s something to occupy your mind for a bit.¡± He walked over to Se¨¢n, draped an arm over his shoulder, and derided, ¡°Beside Jon¡¯s art collection.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 22 Auction Chapter 22 Auction
Even now there are whispers about experiments that don¡¯t come together the way they should. We have all heard the screams and grunts from the underground levels of Tara Citadel when we¡¯ve been waiting to be fed.¡ª Prince Eater #34
Craig Docherty came upstairs the next day with an ebony cane with flames of inlaid gold encircling the wood upward from the tip until the flames intermingled with the tail of the silver phoenix at the very top. The bird¡¯s wings were spread for flight, creating a curved space between them for Jon to hold easily, and when used as a bludgeon held near the tip, the wings became a deadly weapon.
¡°A gentleman left it here when he couldn¡¯t afford his room,¡± Craig explained. ¡°Instead of staying to enjoy a brew at our pub, he went out with some friends he¡¯d met, and they robbed him. I was unhappy about it all at first, but now I see it was meant to be here for you.¡±
Jon grinned with delight when he discovered he could cross the room using only the cane. He was doubly excited when Alec suggested they go outdoors so he could try it on uneven ground, but then balked when he remembered that Alec would need to bear him down four flights of stairs, and afterward bring him up again.
Alec brushed off his objections and once outside, he set Jon on one of several wooden benches behind the inn. Erienne followed them and claimed a seat on one side of Jon while Fia placed herself on the ground by Jon¡¯s other side. Alec stood nearby, a satisfied smile on his face. Kenzie, Rory, and a few of their guests stopped by to chat with Jon who greeted them all with his natural charm and seemed glad to be outdoors again. Alec rejoiced to see these improvements; however, he was still worried. The vicious red scar running down Jon¡¯s face accented his gaunt paleness, and he wore out easily. Alec took heart that he was eating better. Jon¡¯s teeth had firmed back into place, the raw spot on his tongue had healed, and his appetite was returning, no doubt because he was being given heartier food, although still mashed or in tiny pieces. As if she could read Alec¡¯s mind, Kenzie disappeared into the kitchen and returned with small jars of ale for everyone and soft, bite-sized beet nut sandwiches.
It didn¡¯t take long for Jon to grow weary, so Alec hoisted his friend in his arms, and they retreated upstairs. Erienne waited a few minutes, and then came up also. She sat beside Jon until he¡¯d fallen asleep, and then showed Alec that she had purchased yarn and needles with her new income. Smiling, she offered to sit with Jon as she knitted if Alec wanted to go for a walk or do anything he needed to get done. As if she understood the entire discussion, Fia jumped up and waited at the door with her tail wagging happily.
Thanking Erienne for the opportunity, Alec took several coins from the purse Tom provided, fastened his bludgeon on his belt, and headed with Fia toward the wharves. It was too late in the morning to pick up any work, but he thought he might hear about opportunities for the next day. He hoped that he could get something steady. Erienne was a blessing in their lives, helping both Jon and him. He told himself that Jon had been right when he said that the four of them, including Fia, had become a bit of a family. Well, except for that one thing which he still didn¡¯t know what to do about.
He was wrenched from his thoughts by the high-pitched scream of a young boy. Instinctively he ran in the direction of danger. He skidded to a stop in shock when he turned the corner and saw an open wagon with two corpulent men and a boy wearing ripped, finely tailored linen trousers and the remains of a soft shirt. The procurers were displaying him to the crowd before the start of an auction.
The boy was already promising to be tall. His long blond hair was badly tangled, and an entire patch was missing from the procurers using it to drag him around. The boy¡¯s stunning blue eyes were wide with fear. The more rotund of the two men hawked loudly, ¡°He¡¯s still delicate and fresh. Worth a king¡¯s ransom to your discerning clientele.¡±
¡°Leave me alone! Leave me alone!¡± the boy cried as he struggled to pry the men¡¯s fists from his forearms.
Alec shook his head in disbelief: Prince Se¨¢n. They were going to sell Prince Se¨¢n to the highest bidder. He took a deep breath, flourished his bludgeon in the air, and bellowed, ¡°You Rotten Unclaimeds. That¡¯s my nephew. What the figg¡¯t do you think you¡¯re doing with my boy?¡±
The crowd gasped and started to yell and hiss at the auctioneers, calling out, ¡°You stole an innocent boy!¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to sell someone¡¯s nephew!¡± ¡°You figgict Unclaimeds.¡±
Although Alec wondered where the crowd thought such wares came from, he was more than willing to use their disgust to his advantage. He lowered his head and shoulders and charged toward the wagon. The men spun toward him in surprise, and then the fatter one said to the wagon¡¯s driver, ¡°Go, go. Shit. Go!¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
¡°If he¡¯s that guy¡¯s nephew, he sure isn¡¯t Prince Se¨¢n,¡± the less obese procurer retorted unhappily. ¡°And if he ain¡¯t Prince Se¨¢n, he ain¡¯t worth risking my life.¡±
¡°I told you, I bought him directly from his brother,¡± the fatter man objected. ¡°The one named Gunnar.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not Se¨¢n! I¡¯m not,¡± the boy lied in desperation. ¡°That¡¯s my uncle. I look like Se¨¢n, and he pays me to pretend to be him sometimes when he doesn¡¯t want to go to school, but I¡¯m not Se¨¢n. I¡¯m not.¡±
Alec reached the wagon and swung his club into the legs of the fattest man who fell sideways and back against the wagon¡¯s driver. As the club swung up for another hit, the less obese procurer heaved Se¨¢n off the wagon. Two brothel owners standing close to the wagon raced forward and grabbed Se¨¢n to prevent him from careening face-first to the ground.
Injured when the procurer fell on him, the driver struggled to rush the wagon¡¯s team of horses forward rather than confront Alec¡¯s wrath. Alec stood in the dust swirling from the wagon¡¯s wheels, scrutinizing the procurers¡¯ retreat to verify that they were truly departing. Once satisfied, he lowered his bludgeon. He turned to gather up Se¨¢n only to discover that the two brothel owners were walking backward, forcing Se¨¢n to go with them as if they intended to keep him for themselves. Alec took two long, angry strides toward them. They swiveled around to run and found themselves pinned between Alec and a snarling wolfhound. The brothel owners glanced at each other, pushed Se¨¢n toward Alec, and then ran in separate directions so that the wolfhound couldn¡¯t chase them both. Alec swept one arm under the boy¡¯s knees, wrapped the other around the boy¡¯s shoulders, and barked out, ¡°Fia, come.¡±
As the three of them raced from the crowd, someone behind them announced loudly, ¡°That¡¯s Mulrian The Archer! The hero who saved the prince.¡±
Hearing cheers from the crowd and several feet pounding toward them, Alec pushed himself to run more quickly. As soon as they outdistanced the adoring followers and left the dangerous wharves behind, Alec ducked alongside a residential building and set the boy on the ground. Yanking off his own shirt, he wrapped it around the frightened, trembling boy and said, ¡°Se¨¢n, what the figgict happened? Are you all right?"
¡°Gunnar tricked me,¡± the boy responded gasping for breath and wiping tears from his eyes. Fia moved to the boy¡¯s side and stood leaning slightly against him.
"Take it easy," Alec said gently. He wrapped the shirt around Se¨¢n more tightly to comfort him.
¡°Gunnar said he was going to buy a new crossbow and that I could have our grandfather¡¯s blue one," the boy explained. "Instead, that man gave him money for me, and Gunnar helped tie me up. Gunnar thought it was funny when I started crying. I was so frightened I couldn¡¯t help it. He kept laughing at me anyway.¡± Se¨¢n looked at Alec intensely and added, ¡°I know you, don¡¯t I? You¡¯re Jon¡¯s friend, the archer.¡±
¡°I am, yes,¡± Alec reassured him.
Se¨¢n sniffled and said, ¡°Are you going to keep me safe, Captain Mulrian?¡±
¡°Yes, you¡¯re safe now. Call me Alec. I¡¯m not a Royal Archer anymore. Not that it matters, but I was only a Corporal.¡±
¡°No, they made you a captain because you helped Jon. I overheard my father talking with the commander of his soldiers and Captain Brady. The commander argued Jon is dead, but then they also said that Jon was your duty. They decided to pay you more money because what you¡¯re doing is dangerous.¡±
Alec shook his head but didn¡¯t argue with the crying boy. Instead, he lifted Se¨¢n up again saying comfortingly, ¡°Let¡¯s get you home. Jon will be happy to see you.¡±
¡°He didn¡¯t die?¡± the boy questioned between tears. ¡°Jon is alive?¡±
¡°Very much so,¡± Alec responded. ¡°He and I are married. My duty to him is because he¡¯s my partner and my friend. I owe him my fealty and my life because I love him, not because anyone ordered me to or promised to pay me more. I can¡¯t return to Hilltown, so paying me more is an empty gesture. Listen, this is important, if anyone asks, tell them that your name is Se¨¢n Holdingfree. Don¡¯t tell anyone you¡¯re a prince. It isn¡¯t safe.¡±
¡°Those men wanted to hurt me,¡± Se¨¢n confessed, his voice shaking.
¡°That¡¯s exactly what I mean. Let¡¯s hurry and get home. Come Fia,¡± Alec said as he broke into a run again. Fia watched them for a moment and then loped after them.
?2022 Vera S. Scott
Chapter 23 Safety Chapter 23 Safety They wanted us to be more dangerous for humans. Mistakes were made, especially at first. Some of the experiments on us turned out horrifically. ¨C Prince Eater #34 When they reached The Exiled Soldier, Alec burst through the kitchen door, letting it bang behind him. In answer to the question on Kenzie¡¯s shocked face, he said, ¡°They were trying to sell him.¡± Alec didn¡¯t pause for her reply but took the stairs two at a time. Fia lingered in the kitchen to see if any food or snacks would be offered, but when Kenzie wrapped up a plate and started up after Alec, Fia contentedly followed along after her. Pushing open the attic room door, Alec found Jon resting on the bed with his eyes closed and Erienne still knitting. She gasped when she saw the boy in Alec¡¯s arms. Hearing her, Jon sat upright, and then cried out in alarm, ¡°Se¨¢n! What happened?¡± ¡°Gunnar sold him,¡± Alec snarled. ¡°Fia and I just happened along in time.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jon asked as he rose unsteadily, grabbed the phoenix cane, and hobbled over. The boy met his brother¡¯s eyes, wiped his nose with the sleeve of Alec¡¯s borrowed shirt, and murmured, ¡°You really are alive.¡± ¡°Here, put him on the bed. Let¡¯s be sure he hasn¡¯t been hurt,¡± Jon insisted. ¡°Erienne, would you help please.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she said, setting her knitting to one side. They quickly got Se¨¢n under the covers and, even though he still wore Alec¡¯s shirt, the boy anchored the blankets up around his neck before regarding Jon and Alec in relief. Jon rested one hand on Se¨¢n¡¯s shoulder for a long moment, reluctant to let go. Finally, he moved to the upholstered chairs, where he sat heavily and began muttering incoherently. Kenzie¡¯s scratch on the door caught their attention and when she entered Fia trotted at her heels. She set the plate of food she¡¯d hastily prepared on a small table and said, ¡°The poor lad. I can¡¯t believe the dregs of humanity in this city. I¡¯ll bring up something for him to drink, and I¡¯ll look through my boys¡¯ outgrown clothes to see if there¡¯s something that will fit him well enough. How old are you, Lad?¡± ¡°Eleven,¡± Se¨¢n answered softly. ¡°Almost twelve. My tutor says that on Earth, I¡¯d be thirteen by now.¡± ¡°Kenzie, this is Jon¡¯s brother,¡± Alec explained as he rolled a slice of ham around a chunk of hard cheese. ¡°His name is Se¨¢n.¡± ¡°Holdingfree,¡± Se¨¢n added, the sadness thick in his voice. Alec reassured him with a smile and handed him the ham and cheese. ¡°Oh dear,¡± Kenzie said, the shock returning. She slid over to the bed and ruffled the boy¡¯s hair between her fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll bring up clippers and trim up your hair so that the length matches and this missing patch isn¡¯t so noticeable.¡± Her hand paused in the air and then dropped to the boy¡¯s shoulder tenderly as if she was resisting the urge to give Se¨¢n a motherly hug. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Se¨¢n. Good people have found you. You¡¯ll be safe here with us. I¡¯ll send word to my niece that you¡¯re here. They¡¯ll come straight away.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your niece?¡± Alec inquired curiously as he prepared more cheese and ham slices for Se¨¢n. ¡°Annie, of course,¡± the tall, blond-haired woman replied. Her blue eyes smiled at him as she added, ¡°Tom works with children like Se¨¢n. Orphaned. Abused. Trafficked.¡± With that she hurried from the room, shutting the door shut behind her firmly so that they were assured of privacy. Alec turned back to Se¨¢n and cautioned, ¡°Until we know more about what¡¯s going on, I need you to stay inside our room here. I don¡¯t want those two procurers to discover where you are and steal you again. They¡¯ll do it, too, if they find you. They aren¡¯t decent human beings.¡± ¡°It stinks in here,¡± Se¨¢n complained, scrunching his nose. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Jon spoke up. ¡°I have to smear stinky stuff on my face to help it heal. If I don¡¯t, I may turn out so hideous that no one will ever love me. It¡¯s in that red jar on the table next to you.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Se¨¢n said as he wiggled around to inspect the red jar and the blue vial. He took the red jar from the table, twisted off the lid, peeked in, and then slammed the lid back on as he choked and coughed. Erienne took the jar from him, made sure the lid was on tightly, and returned it to the table. She refilled the small water glass Jon used and let the boy drink from it. When he calmed down, he took several deep breaths, and said, ¡°I¡¯m glad I don¡¯t have to wear that stuff.¡± The others burst into laughter, and Jon suggested, ¡°Healer Callahan should be coming by tomorrow, so if you have questions about it I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy to answer them. He¡¯s a smart man who seems to enjoy sharing his knowledge.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Se¨¢n said again, this time intrigued. ¡°I like learning about how to heal things. I hope father will let me be a healer someday since I¡¯ll never be king.¡± He settled back on the bed, breathing in and out as if appreciating the red-jar-free air and then added, ¡°I¡¯ll love you no matter what you look like, Jon. I¡¯m happy you¡¯re not dead.¡± Erienne grinned at the two brothers while Alec covered his smirk with the back of his hand. ¡°Thank you,¡± Jon accepted good-naturedly. ¡°I love you, too.¡± Se¨¢n smiled as he settled back on the bed. ¡°Do you hurt anywhere, Se¨¢n?¡± Alec asked as he donned a shirt to replace the one he had given to Se¨¢n. The boy shook his head, and then changed his mind and said, ¡°Where they held me. My arms. One of them was going to slap me but the really fat one wouldn¡¯t let him. He said not to mark up the merchandise. Why did he say that, Jon?¡± ¡°They, well, they wanted you to look pretty because they wanted to sell you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I¡¯m too skinny to do much work if someone bought me to dig or carry things or something.¡± ¡°Remember the problems we had with the old potter back at the castle?¡± ¡°The one father sentenced to life in prison?¡± the boy asked. His face brightened with understanding and then fell unhappily. ¡°Oh. They wanted to sell me to someone like the old potter. Oh. I¡¯m glad you found me in time, Alec.¡± ¡°I am, too,¡± Alec agreed kindly. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you not to leave the room when you¡¯re alone. Make sure I¡¯m here to go with you, or use the night chamber pot. Jon can¡¯t protect you right now. He wants to, with all his heart, but he¡¯s too hurt right now, so you¡¯ll have to wait for me to be around. I¡¯m sorry. But I don¡¯t want those men to get you again.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that either,¡± Se¨¢n agreed. Thumping at the door got their attention, and when Alec answered, Craig and Rory stood outside with another cot, blankets, wall hooks, rings, and chains. As Alec stepped aside so they could pass by, he searched the room wondering where another cot would fit. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°There¡¯s room for it,¡± Craig said laughing at the look on Alec¡¯s face. He set the cot down and walked over to Se¨¢n. ¡°I heard what happened to you, Son. You need to be careful. Don¡¯t wander around outside by yourself. Not until we¡¯re sure those unclaimeds are gone. If Alec isn¡¯t around and you need to answer to nature, come get me first. Do you think you can do that?¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Se¨¢n answered with embarrassment. ¡°Um, thank you, sir.¡± Craig and Rory busied themselves with installing Se¨¢n¡¯s cot over Alec¡¯s in the style of ships¡¯ bunks. They tested it by having Rory jump in and out of it half a dozen times. ¡°That will work,¡± Craig announced confidently. ¡°Do you gentlemen have any weapons the lad can carry on him? A stout knife maybe?¡± ¡°Um, no,¡± Alec replied mentally sorting through their possessions. ¡°Wait, he could wear mine.¡± ¡°Let me check Kenzie¡¯s storage room,¡± Craig said. ¡°There¡¯s always things like that left behind by our guests. She saves everything. I think it¡¯s because she lost so much, but I admit it¡¯s a trait I envy.¡± Craig reached down and patted Se¨¢n¡¯s arm in the same manner that Kenzie had. As he and Rory walked out, Kenzie entered with several articles of clothing and a pitcher of lemonade. Alec took the pitcher from her hands and set it on the table. ¡°These look like they will fit you all right,¡± she said to Se¨¢n as she piled clothes on the bed. From the large pocket of her apron, she retrieved three more glasses which she handed to Alec for him to set out. ¡°Thank you, Aunt Mackenzie,¡± Jon said, his smile genuine. ¡°I assume that you are our father¡¯s sister who disappeared.¡± ¡°You and Se¨¢n look so much like your father when he was young,¡± she said nostalgically. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the entire story someday.¡± With that, she winked and withdrew. Halfway down the stairs, Kenzie stopped, clutched the railing, and dipped her head toward her right shoulder. ¡°Mama?¡± Rory and Callen called up to her. When she didn¡¯t reply, Craig shooed both of his sons away, saying, ¡°Rory, see if anyone¡¯s in the pub, and if they are, get them ale or whatever they¡¯re looking to drink. Callen, you need to check the kitchen over to be sure that everything is ready for the morning. I don¡¯t want your mother to be doing something at the last minute.¡± ¡°But Rory always helps clean the kitchen,¡± Callen protested. ¡°I¡¯ll do all your kitchen chores tomorrow,¡± 20-year-old Rory offered as his eyes met Craig¡¯s, and the innkeeper nodded slightly in appreciation. Rory met his brother¡¯s eyes and jerked his head toward the stairs. ¡°Come on.¡± Craig hesitated, sighed, and mounted the steps to look for his wife. He was certain that he knew why she had stopped and wasn¡¯t surprised to find her in tears. He paused beside her and studied his wife. When she shifted her shoulders to admit his presence, he embraced her without speaking. Year 354 - Courtyard of the Castle in Hilltown Ciaran, a member of the Kings Guards pressed Princess Mackenzie against the wall and gently kept one hand covering her mouth as he whispered, ¡°When we run, run as hard as you can. Don¡¯t waste time screaming or looking back. My friend Craig is outside the main gate. He¡¯ll get us to safety.¡± Even under duress, his clear blue eyes and black hair mesmerized her. Princess Mackenzie blinked her eyes in alarm but held her silence while he peered around the edge of the wall to survey the Courtyard. ¡°They¡¯re already out there,¡± Ciaran continued. ¡°They haven¡¯t spotted us yet, but I can see them. Someone must have found out about us and told them. Figgict. Okay. Run toward the small gate that leads to the practice yard outside the bailey. It¡¯s closer.¡± Mackenzie moved her lips to ask, ¡°Craig?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ciaran shook his head. ¡°He isn¡¯t at that gate. He won¡¯t meet us there. But we can¡¯t make it to the main gate. We¡¯ll have to fend for ourselves. Are you ready?¡± She nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± he whispered. ¡°Count of three. One. Two¡ª¡± She charged into the Courtyard toward the main gate. Within seconds he¡¯d caught up with her, taken her hand, and together they ran faster. Crossbow bolts riddled the Courtyard around them. One grazed the back of her shoulder. She stumbled but Ciaran kept her on her feet, and they ran until his weight crumpled into her. Instinctively she turned toward him. Half a dozen crossbow bolts had plunged through the back of his head and out his face, punching out both his eyes and mangling his cheeks. Blood gushed from his mutilated face. Another half a dozen bolts jutted through his back and out his chest. The tall guardsman collapsed across her, pinning her to the ground. ¡°You unclaimeds!¡± Prince Harrison¡¯s bellow filled the Courtyard. ¡°You¡¯re a disgrace to the Crown. You¡¯re a disgrace to all of us!¡± The slamming of the hard heels on the 19-year-old prince¡¯s boots echoed across the Courtyard as he ran to where Princess Mackenzie lay trapped under the body of the man she loved. Behind him ran a muscular youth, Gil Braeford, who stood at least a full head and shoulders taller than Prince Harrison with twice the prince¡¯s girth. Gil raced straight to Kenzie while Prince Harrison stretched out his arms, danced a lively jig that blocked the view of his sister, and taunted, ¡°Shoot me, you unclaimeds. You murdered an unarmed man and attacked a princess. Why not go for me? Shoot me! Ha! Killing the Last Prince! Now that¡¯s something to brag about!¡± Behind the jeering youth, Gil Braeford instructed the princess, ¡°I¡¯ll move him so you can pull yourself out.¡± Kenzie didn¡¯t respond. Gil looked up to get assistance from Prince Harrison and found Novitiate Ava O¡¯Connor at his side. Ava peered into Gil¡¯s dark blue eyes and said as she grasped Kenzie¡¯s arm, ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll pull her out.¡± The nimble prince smiled at Ava, tossed his long hair with a flip of his forehead, curled his arms in, snapped them back out, and shouted at the Royal Archers, ¡°Go ahead. Shoot the Last Prince. You¡¯d better kill me now. Once I know your names, you¡¯ll all be executed.¡± He paused his heckling to pirouette three times in one direction, and then skip back, all designed to distract the Royal Archers from the others. ¡°Well? I thought you were brave. I¡¯m right here. Shoot me.¡± A crossbow bolt wedged into the ground only a few centimeters from Prince Harrison¡¯s right foot. Instead of stepping away from it, he leaned forward and exaggerated his inspection of the bolt, and then jeered, ¡°Oh-ho-ho. Someone isn¡¯t a very good shot. And not very clever.¡± Before the insult was finished, the Royal Archer who had shot the bolt fell from the Courtyard wall, a sword lodged in his back. ¡°Stand down,¡± Gr¨¢inne Most Revered called out as she, Mentoring Priest Nell, and the Royal Scribe emerged from the perimeter. Turning to the Scribe she directed, ¡°Prepare the revised Writ immediately and send it out.¡± Once the Scribe hurried off, Gr¨¢inne shouted across the Courtyard, ¡°You¡¯ve won today, Last Prince, but not forever.¡± ¡°Yes, forever,¡± said King Tiernan from the Courtyard wall. ¡°Execute her. Her petty refusal of their love risked the life of my only surviving son.¡± Nell glanced at King Tiernan, seized the Most Revered¡¯s arm to snatch off her bracelets, then ran toward a doorway behind them. As she reached the exit, crossbow bolts swarmed from every direction, slaying Gr¨¢inne Most Revered. Prince Harrison looked toward his bent, horn-damaged father. He took Kenzie from Gil¡¯s arms, and instructed, ¡°Both of you, run to him and kneel to show your allegiance and loyalty. Quickly. Tell him that I ordered you to do this and you couldn¡¯t refuse to obey the Last Prince. Go. Go. Go.¡± Without waiting to see whether they followed his advice, Prince Harrison raced toward the main gate. In his arms, his sister lay awake but unmoving, stunned from the shock of seeing Ciaran die. No one in the crowd outside the gate came forward to assist Prince Harrison. Instead, the crowd pushed each other backward as if being too near would put them in jeopardy. He looked around urgently searching for an open path, an outlet, any place that could offer his sister safety. ¡°Prince Harrison!¡± a voice he didn¡¯t know called out. A dark young man about the age of Ciaran rode forward on an old chestnut mare that had seen several better days. ¡°Over here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Craig,¡± the princess murmured. The young man reached out his arms to take Princess Mackenzie onto the horse, so Prince Harrison ran to him, hoisted Kenzie higher, and helped slide her in front of the rider. Harrison held Kenzie¡¯s hand for a moment before releasing it reluctantly. He ripped an insignia brooch from his silk clothing, and gave it to Craig, saying, ¡°She¡¯s with child. Protect them with your life.¡± ¡°With my life,¡± Craig Docherty responded, and then pressed the old chestnut mare into a gallop. Prince Harrison watched them disappear into the streets of Hilltown, eyed the gawking crowd fiercely, and exclaimed, ¡°I ask for your silence. If you know his name or where he lives, please forget both. Please, for the sake of the man my sister loved.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so romantic,¡± a woman somewhere in the crowd responded, and the crowd moved farther backward and began to quietly disperse. Spinning on his heels, the prince straightened his clothing, smoothed back his hair, and marched formally through the castle gate, across the Courtyard, and up to his father. He dropped to one knee to show his fealty and his father responded, ¡°I hope she is able to live a long, happy life.¡± Holding up his hand to keep Prince Harrison from speaking, King Tiernan added, ¡°It¡¯s a figgict good thing for you that you¡¯re the Last Prince.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 24 Window Chapter 24 Window They say that my great-grandmother embodied everything that we have been engineered to be. When you meet my father you¡¯ll see he has a scar almost the full length of his left side from the time she was angry because he tore off both arms of a novitiate for himself. Great-grandmother wanted them. I never actually met her, though, because her duty was to impart compassion to Holy King Tiernan when he was the Chosen. ¨C Prince Eater #34 Present Day: SnakeIn Craig reminisced calmly, ¡°She sure was a devoted horse. That day she earned an easy rest for the remainder of her life. I¡¯m glad we were able to give it to her.¡± ¡°Yes, I am, too,¡± Kenzie agreed softly. She moved closer to her husband, and both were quiet for a few minutes, thinking about the old chestnut mare. ¡°Whatever happened to the brooch Harrison gave you? I know he intended for you to sell it, but I never asked what you did with it.¡± ¡°It bought all of this,¡± Craig declared, indicating the building around them. ¡°A jeweler here in SnakeIn disassembled it, sold the precious stones, and then melted down the gold.¡± ¡°Harrison¡¯s gift bought all of this,¡± Kenzie said incredulously. ¡°Almost,¡± Craig corrected. He gently turned her head with one of his hands until they were eye to eye, and he continued, ¡°It didn¡¯t buy my love for you. I know Ciaran was your first and truest love. I don¡¯t resent that. He was also my best friend. It¡¯s an honor to be able to care for you and Rory since he couldn¡¯t do it himself. But, still, when it¡¯s all said and done, at the beginning and end of every single day, I love you, Kenzie.¡± Once again, tears streamed down her face, and she held on to her husband as desperately as her arms and her life could hold someone else. Alec sat on the edge of Jon¡¯s bed sorting through the clothes while Erienne returned to knitting by the fire, and Jon rested in the other upholstered chair awake but with his eyes closed. Se¨¢n sat on the bed, his knees under the covers but drawn up with his arms wrapped around his legs. ¡°How about these?¡± Alec asked, holding up a pair of trousers and a pair of boy¡¯s small clothes. ¡°They look too big,¡± Se¨¢n responded. Alec tossed those items and a shirt to him and Se¨¢n exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°Here? In front of everyone!¡± ¡°Here or over there by our cots,¡± Alec said, gesturing. ¡°We need to get some better clothes on you and try to get back to normal.¡± ¡°But everyone will see,¡± Se¨¢n argued. He thrust his chin toward Erienne. ¡°She¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll turn my head and close my eyes,¡± Erienne offered before Alec could tell the boy that he was being silly. ¡°I won¡¯t open them until you tell me you¡¯re decent.¡± ¡°Well?¡± Alec asked, lifting an interrogative eyebrow. ¡°Can you wait outside the door?¡± Se¨¢n responded. Erienne laughed and then did as directed while Jon fought back a smirk, and Alec helped the boy fold the covers back so Se¨¢n could stand. The small clothes fit well, but the trousers and shirt were too roomy. Alec rummaged through the pile a little further and was rewarded with a belt. He threaded it through the loops in the back where Se¨¢n couldn¡¯t reach easily, and let the boy buckle it himself. Se¨¢n arranged the shirt, lifted the front, tugged on the belt again to test how securely it was fastened, and then dropped the shirt and called out, ¡°You can come back in now.¡± As Erienne walked back to her chair, she commented, ¡°You look very handsome in those clothes, Se¨¢n.¡± The boy blushed, wiggled his toes, and then said as if trying to shock Erienne, ¡°My feet are still naked.¡± ¡°You can wear a pair of my socks,¡± Alec said helpfully as Erienne laughed. ¡°They''ll be too large, so you¡¯ll have to roll them, but I don¡¯t want you getting sick because your feet are cold. I¡¯ll buy you socks tomorrow, and find a cobbler who can make you shoes.¡± Sensing that Jon had shifted his weight as if to object, Alec added reassuringly, ¡°I¡¯ve got enough in my savings.¡± The boy followed Alec to where their cots were set up and waited while Alex searched his duffle bag to retrieve socks. ¡°Alec,¡± the boy whispered as he took the foot coverings. ¡°How long will we have to live here? It¡¯s really little.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°But we¡¯ll have to make do and be extra careful to be nice to each other. Your Uncle Tom and Aunt Annie are generous enough to pay for us to live here so that we¡¯re not on the street.¡± ¡°Do I have an Uncle Tom and Aunt Annie?¡± ¡°Do you remember people talking about Princess Tatiana?¡± The boy nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s your Aunt Annie. Never, never call her a princess. It isn¡¯t safe.¡± ¡°Are those men after her, too?¡± ¡°Maybe. But there are others, too. We have to take care of each other. It¡¯s up to us.¡± ¡°Alec,¡± the boy said, still whispering. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still frightened.¡± ¡°We¡¯re frightened, too. We just do the best we can to look inside ourselves for courage.¡± Alec let one arm drape across the boy¡¯s shoulders companionably as they strolled the few steps back to the others where he resumed sorting and folding the clothes from Kenzie. The door burst open, and Tom Jarek raced in, shouting, ¡°Where? Tell me where!¡± Fia leaped up from the middle of the floor to bounce at Tom, but Erienne latched onto her collar, saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Fia. Down.¡± The dog moved closer to Jon and then obediently sat. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Fia won¡¯t bother you. Come on in,¡± Alec said to Tom. ¡°Se¨¢n, this is your Uncle Tom.¡± Jon started to rise. His arm hurt as he did, so he sank back into the chair. ¡°Se¨¢n?¡± Tom asked, sounding more confused. ¡°No one said anything about it being Prince Se¨¢n. Just that you rescued a young boy who was trafficked.¡± He strode across the small room and studied Se¨¢n urgently. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the boy said shyly as he edged behind Alec for protection. Tom looked around frantically and then pointed at the curtain separating Erienne¡¯s private changing space from the rest of the small chamber. ¡°Quick. Hide over there. Craig is trying to stall them, but they will be here any minute. The dog, too. Hide.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Alec hurried Se¨¢n behind the curtain as Erienne tugged Fia by the collar to the cot and told her to stay. Once the two were hidden, Alec snapped the cloth closed and then stepped back into the center of the room. Without stopping to knock, Annie walked into the room accompanied by Padraig MacGavin and the less obese procurer. Padraig nodded slightly at Alec in acknowledgment, and then said to the procurer, ¡°Is this the man who attacked you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the procurer insisted. ¡°For no reason at all. My colleague was so badly hurt that he fell from the wagon and died.¡± Jon quietly waved to Erienne to get his medications from the table. She picked up the blue vial, but he shook his head, so she brought him the red jar. Opening it while the procurer was expounding to Padraig, Jon dipped his fingers into the ointment and then smeared wide swathes of it sloppily across his face. The eye-watering stink of the medication wafted strongly through the room. When the procurer began to sneeze and choke, Jon cleared his throat loudly. The procurer turned toward the sound and noticed him for the first time. Jon¡¯s leg was propped on the footstool, and the unsightly ointment dribbled down his neck and chin. Erienne remained at his side but realizing that Jon wanted the startling effect, she made no effort to wipe the mess from his face. Jon smiled insincerely. ¡°You see, the thing is,¡± the Commander of the Armed Watch said. ¡°This inn is known for catering to patrons of, shall we say, a higher caliber. Even if they are strapped financially, as these gentlemen seem to be, they are still, at their core, gentlemen. It is difficult for me to visualize a scenario that would cause the man you are accusing to go berserk and attack you for no reason.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Annie chimed in as she stepped forward. ¡°I can¡¯t see him hurting anyone without good cause.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s just what happened,¡± the procurer insisted. ¡°The universe alone knows why.¡± ¡°I can tell you why,¡± Jon interjected. Annie took another step forward and said, ¡°Sir, please let me introduce my brother, Jon Holdingfree. He and Alec are new residents of SnakeIn that Tom and I have been helping out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re badly hurt, Mr. Holdingfree,¡± the procurer said, sounding sympathetic to Jon¡¯s injuries. ¡°Your friend went crackers with me. He probably did the same with you.¡± ¡°My husband is not a violent man,¡± Jon said, enunciating clearly. ¡°He attacked you because you stripped a young boy naked and were auctioning him to a crowd of brothel owners.¡± ¡°Brothels aren¡¯t illegal in SnakeIn,¡± the procurer countered indignantly. ¡°And everyone has different tastes. I admit that I was misled, but how were we supposed to know that he wasn¡¯t who we were told?¡± ¡°You purchased a young boy under fraudulent circumstances?¡± Padraig asked from where he stood at the procurer¡¯s back. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the procurer said. ¡°Gunnar lied to us. All this man had to do was state his claim and we would have surrendered the boy peacefully. After he reimbursed us our money, of course.¡± ¡°I called out to you as soon as I saw him,¡± Alec said, struggling to keep his anger in check. ¡°You told the wagon driver to leave. You didn¡¯t make any effort at all to discuss the situation.¡± ¡°The way you acted I ¨C¡± the procurer began before Padraig interrupted him. ¡°Hold on. Hold on, let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves here,¡± the commander said. ¡°You mentioned you purchased the boy from Gunnar. Would that have been Prince Gunnar? ¡°Yes, it was,¡± the procurer affirmed proudly. ¡°You¡¯d think a Prince of the Realm would be trustworthy. He told us it was his brother...¡± The procurer¡¯s words trailed off as he realized that he had incriminated himself. ¡°You tried to purchase one of Holy King Harrison¡¯s sons?¡± Padraig demanded harshly. ¡°Well¡­ah¡­I¡­We¡­that¡­is¡­.¡± the procurer stammered. ¡°Which brother?¡± Padraig asked. The procurer¡¯s lips moved as he swore, but no sound came from his mouth. He looked at the rafters. He glanced at the door. He squinted at the one small window. His lips moved again, and then he cleared his throat and said, ¡°Gunnar claimed that he was his younger brother, Prince Se¨¢n.¡± The curtain dividing Erienne¡¯s space bulged outward and then fell back into place without opening. ¡°I am arresting you, sir,¡± Padraig declared. ¡°You¡¯ve given me no choice. You¡¯ve admitted to purchasing and endangering one of the princes. We aren¡¯t necessarily fond of the monarchy here in SnakeIn, but the law is the law. Furthermore, you¡¯ve admitted to knowing that the purchase was fraudulent. I have to charge you accordingly. Brothels are not illegal. Purchasing a worker¡¯s contract is not illegal. Slavery, fraud, and endangering the life of a member of the royal family are.¡± ¡°You tricked me into perjuring myself!¡± the procurer said. ¡°I¡¯m filing a complaint against you to the Contingent.¡± ¡°The Commander of the Armed Watch is well known to us,¡± Annie said evenly. ¡°So, please feel free to lodge a complaint. I am First Contingent. If you wish to include me in the complaint, please do so. The Contingent, however, will find your complaint invalid.¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯d say so,¡± the procurer snapped. ¡°You¡¯ve already admitted that one of them is your brother. And he says his name is Holdingfree. Why? What¡¯s he hiding?¡± ¡°Your questions are impertinent. Mr. Holdingfree isn¡¯t the one under arrest, and he isn¡¯t going to be,¡± the Commander of the Armed Watch reprimanded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When the procurer stared at the commander without moving, the officer walked to the door, whistled sharply down the stairwell, and asked, ¡°Do I have to tie your hands, Sir?¡± Armed Watchers Lynch and Logan appeared in the doorway. The procurer sighed and trudged defeatedly from the attic room. The two fell into step behind him, and Padraig said, ¡°Tom, Annie, always a pleasure.¡± He looked directly at Jon and said amiably, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you up and about. You¡¯re looking much better than the first time we met.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Jon said as he wiped some of the red goo from his chin. Erienne extracted a rag from her pocket and began to help clean him. As Se¨¢n and Fia came out from behind the curtain, the sound of a scuffle, and then a scream from the stairwell sent them running from the chambers. Armed Watchers Lynch and Logan were standing on the third-floor landing and the window used to air the stairwell was wide open. ¡°I didn¡¯t see what happened, Commander,¡± Armed Watcher Lynch said. ¡°We were talking, and I¡¯d just turned my head to say something.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± Armed Watcher Logan agreed, as he pulled his head in from examining where the procurer¡¯s body lay on the ground below the window. The sleeve of his jacket was torn loose at one shoulder and deep gouges ran down the side of his face. ¡°I had just turned my head to listen. He must have caught his heel on something and went straight out the window.¡± ¡°Defenestrated himself,¡± Watcher Lynch commented, shaking his head for emphasis as he gently touched a bruise swelling his jaw. ¡°Hard to believe that he¡¯d go straight out the window, headfirst, like that.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s in very good shape to be running up and down all these stairs,¡± Watcher Logan pointed out as he retrieved a clean, white handkerchief to dab at his bloody face. He looked beyond Padraig, Tom, Annie, and Se¨¢n to where Jon stood with Alec supporting him. ¡°Jon! Be careful on these stairs. I guess they¡¯re more dangerous than they look.¡± ¡°Honestly, don¡¯t you have a jacket in better shape than that one? It¡¯s a disgrace,¡± Padraig commented as he nonchalantly tried to pull Watcher Logan¡¯s torn sleeve together with his fingers. ¡°This sounds like an accident. Life and death are often beyond our control. One of you let the morgue know, and then both of you have a healer fix up your faces. Can¡¯t have the good citizens of SnakeIn thinking the Armed Watch goes around looking like the two of you.¡± Armed Watcher Lynch darted down the stairs and out the door. The commander turned and held out his hand, ¡°It was good to see you again, Alec. If we can be of service to you in the future, don¡¯t hesitate to get in touch.¡± With that, Padraig and Armed Watcher Logan sauntered down the stairs to where the body lay. There were only two people in the street ¡ª one was the large delivery man with a bench resting on his shoulder. The other was a youth leaning idly against the inn wall. Padraig spoke with the youth, verified that he was sixteen years old, and therefore old enough to accept work, and then paid him to wait for the wagon from the morgue so that he and Watcher Logan could get on with their evening. Prince Gunnar smiled, saluted the commander nonchalantly with two fingers, and deposited the coins in the small purse at his waist. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 25 Park Chapter 25 Park My great-grandmother was the last one of our family to be honored. My father and his mother were nearly given to the Archery Master but my own mother fought the magi to save him and killed two priests. The Most Revered was impressed and decided that since he was only part Reback he could stay with us, although his mother was sent away. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 Over the next few dimmings, no one approached Se¨¢n or Jon threateningly and no dangerous overtures came from any direction so Jon and Erienne began to feel that it would be safe to walk with Se¨¢n through the city. One bright morning they decided to stroll several blocks to one of the small parks nestled in a shopping district. Before he left to go to his job for the day, Alec expressed his misgivings. ¡°The procurers are dead,¡± Erienne grumbled. ¡°No one else is after Se¨¢n.¡± ¡°Many of the people in the crowd were brothel owners and could be biding their time,¡± Alec retorted. ¡°Besides, Holy King Harrison and Ava Most Revered are bound to be searching for him.¡± ¡°You worry too much,¡± Erienne replied. ¡°Alec¡¯s right,¡± Jon said, rethinking their plans. ¡°There have to be agents from Hilltown searching for us.¡± ¡°Alec¡¯s-right-Alec¡¯s-right-Alec¡¯s-right,¡± Erienne parroted. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever think for yourself, Jon? You¡¯re the prince, not him.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s a prince in SnakeIn,¡± Se¨¢n commented. ¡°Watch your tongue, young man,¡± Erienne said. ¡°I¡¯m about to take a switch to you.¡± Alec stomped between Se¨¢n and Erienne and said menacingly, ¡°If you touch him at all, even so much as one hair on his head, I will break every finger on both your hands.¡± ¡°Alec!¡± Jon shouted as Erienne stepped back uneasily. ¡°You won¡¯t have to,¡± Se¨¢n said with youthful bravado from the safety behind Alec. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± ¡°Se¨¢n!¡± Jon yelled as Erienne stepped back farther. ¡°No one is going to switch anyone! No one is going to break anyone¡¯s fingers either. I¡¯m ashamed of you, Alec. How could you even say such a thing?¡± Jon hobbled over to the hooks on the wall near the door, took down his jacket, and said, ¡°We¡¯ll stay nearby. There¡¯s that little park only just down the way. I need fresh air.¡± ¡°I want to do some shopping while we¡¯re out,¡± Erienne said. ¡°Maybe we can take a hackney carriage to the shopping district, and then walk from there.¡± ¡°Figgict,¡± Alec said vehemently. He stomped over to his duffel bag, dug into the depths of it, and then surfaced with a leather sheath containing a long dagger. ¡°Jon doesn¡¯t need that,¡± Erienne refused as Alec turned with the weapon in his hand. ¡°I do,¡± Se¨¢n spoke up. ¡°You have the one Craig gave you,¡± Alec commented. ¡°Get that out and wear it. Jon, this is for you.¡± ¡°Will you help me put it on?¡± Jon asked him. ¡°I can¡¯t bend my arm around my back easily.¡± As Alec assisted Jon to position the knife so he could quickly reach it, Erienne lifted one finger at Se¨¢n and squinted as if in a warning. Jon put a hand on her forearm and forced it down, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t, Erienne. No one here can stop Alec if he makes good on his warning.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call the Watch ¡ª¡± She protested. ¡°Padraig will agree with Alec,¡± Jon said. ¡°He won¡¯t intervene because you threatened to hurt a child.¡± ¡°Let me make it perfectly clear, Erienne,¡± Alec said with a scowl. ¡°You have no authority over anything Se¨¢n says or does. None whatsoever and you are not to speak like that to him again.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t own me,¡± Erienne huffed. ¡°I¡¯ll say and do whatever I want.¡± ¡°Stop, Erienne,¡± Jon said, placing himself in front of her. ¡°You have no authority over Se¨¢n, and you are not to talk to him that way.¡± When she opened her mouth to object, he put the palm of his hand directly in front of her face. ¡°This is your last warning, Erienne. Don¡¯t.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I have to leave. It¡¯s a long walk to the wharves and I don¡¯t want to be late,¡± Alec said as he moved toward the door. ¡°Please, Jon. Use the knife if you have to. Please.¡± ¡°I will and we¡¯ll be careful,¡± Jon reassured him. ¡°And we¡¯ll have Fia with us.¡± Alec sighed and said, ¡°Se¨¢n, as soon as I have a chance, we¡¯ll go to the armorer and get you weapons. More than just one knife.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Se¨¢n acknowledged. ¡°I like the one Mr. Docherty gave me, but having more choices makes sense.¡± ¡°Please stay together and watch out for each other.¡± Three-quarters of an hour later Erienne settled Jon and Se¨¢n comfortably on a wood and gurygum bench, and then hurried off to explore the shops ringing the park. Jon and Se¨¢n watched children play and passersby go about their errands, commenting casually from time to time when something caught their eye, but otherwise simply enjoying being out in the suns. The wide playing fields of green and blue grass that stretched out in front of them hosted teams of youths playing various sports. Children splashed and swam in a wading pond ringed with Saint Edmunds¡¯ Willows. Several Broad-Leaved Rain trees offered plentiful shade for those seeking respite from the glare of the suns. On the next bench, a girl only a little younger than Se¨¢n sat with tears in her eyes and a slate in her lap. She studied the arithmetic problems written on the slate, scribbled answers with chalk, and then puzzled over it all again with her bottom lip sucked between her teeth. After a moment she sighed and rubbed out her calculations. This happened several times before her mother appeared from one of the shops. The mother set her packages on the bench next to the child, snatched the slate from her, and examined it. The girl¡¯s face brightened with hope and then crashed when her mother shook her head and charged, ¡°You can¡¯t play with your friends until you get all of these problems done and done correctly. Do you understand me?¡± ¡°But Liam¡­¡± the little girl began, and then let her voice trail off. ¡°Liam did all of his arithmetic problems and got all of them correct. He can do what he wants.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m hungry! ¡± ¡°No,¡± the mother snapped. ¡°You won¡¯t get anywhere in life without knowing math. Watch these packages. I¡¯ve got more shopping to get done.¡± The mother walked to one of the stores without a backward glance at the little girl, who sat overwhelmed with defeat. Two girls playing nearby hurried over to the discouraged prisoner of math as soon as they judged that her mother was far enough away. ¡°You¡¯re so stupid,¡± one of them said. ¡°You should have done this at home. Well, we¡¯re not waiting around for you any longer. We¡¯re going to get candy from the little shop on the corner, and you can¡¯t come.¡± The two locked arms and skipped off together. The abandoned girl sank lower on the bench with the slate dangling from her fingers. After a moment she sniffed, set the slate beside her on top of her mother¡¯s packages, leaned an arm against the back of the bench, dipped her head so that masses of red curls buried her face, and sobbed. Se¨¢n raised one hand questioningly at Jon for his opinion. The older brother smiled and tipped his head in approval. Se¨¢n rose and strolled over to the bench nonchalantly. The girl didn¡¯t acknowledge him when he stopped beside her, so he leaned over and scanned the slate. Picking it up, he said sagely, ¡°Hmmmm. Yes. I see. Yes. No wonder you¡¯re having trouble. These are jumping all over the place. That makes it hard to build on what you already know.¡± The girl sniffed, lifted her head, and blinked her emerald eyes. Se¨¢n beamed a disarming smile at her. She sighed and said sadly, ¡°My mother wrote them out for me to learn. I can¡¯t do anything else until I finish them all. I couldn¡¯t have anything to eat for breakfast and now I won¡¯t get dinner this evening.¡± She dropped her head and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m so hungry and they¡¯re so confusing. I¡¯ll never figure them out.¡± ¡°My name is Se¨¢n.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Grace.¡± ¡°I believe that you are,¡± Se¨¢n responded, agreeing with her name mostly to himself. He shifted a bag tied to his belt and rummaged through it as he asked, ¡°Would you like me to help?¡± ¡°Do you understand arithmetic?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. Most of it anyway.¡± He produced a small bag of nutritious beet nut seeds and offered them to her. She stared as if wary of his intention, so he said, ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t have more. I¡¯ll ask my brother if he has enough money on him so that we can get some citrus-ade.¡± Se¨¢n trotted back to Jon, obtained the coins, and then dashed to a street vendor. When he returned with a stick of cheese and citrus-ade for her, Grace pushed her mother¡¯s packages over and scooched after them to make room for Se¨¢n. He settled next to her, took the chalk, and started to use his sleeve to erase the slate chalkboard. ¡°No!¡± Grace cried in alarm. ¡°If I rub them out, Mama will beat me.¡± ¡°We certainly don¡¯t want that to happen,¡± Se¨¢n responded. He looked around and then suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit on the ground and use that wide, flat stone to write on? That way you can ask questions and I can point things out, and when you¡¯re ready, we can come back and work on these.¡± She cast a doubtful eye at her mother¡¯s packages, so he added, ¡°We can watch them, too.¡± Once Se¨¢n and Grace settled cross-legged on the ground in front of the bench, he started with the easiest math problems he could think of, and explained the concepts behind them slowly, using simple terms. The two of them passed her only piece of chalk back and forth as he wrote out examples and then she answered the problems he gave her. Seeing that Se¨¢n would be occupied for a while, Jon rose to his feet, hobbled with Fia onto the wide grass lawn, and produced a small ball from the bag at his waist. Fia barked happily and bounced in circles around Jon until he threw the ball for her to chase. She ran, leaped up, and snatched the ball from the air. She pranced back to where Jon waited and placed it at his feet without needing encouragement. They played this way until Fia tired and Jon noticed a tall, athletic youth with the same red curls and emerald eyes listening to Se¨¢n and Grace. He had two new, unused quarterstaffs in his hands. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 26 Grace Chapter 26 Grace Father¡¯s Reback blood made it easier for us to spend more time outside the barn and corrals, exploring the open fields and sniffing around in the woods. The magi reasoned that he was too peaceful to either run away or cause trouble and the rest of us would stay with him. In nice weather we would catch wild animals and enjoy a picnic. ¨C Prince Eater #34 When the youth noticed Jon watching from the lawn, Jon waved him over. The youth dug into one of his pockets, retrieved two more, larger pieces of chalk that he handed to Grace, and then strolled to where Jon played with Fia. ¡°Those are nice weapons,¡± Jon complimented. ¡°Have you learned to use them?¡± ¡°Not yet. I try to copy what the Armed Watch do when they train, but I can¡¯t seem to get it right. Have you fought with a quarterstaff?¡± ¡°I have, yes,¡± Jon answered. ¡°In competitions and, like you say, training.¡± ¡°Are you part of the Armed Watch? You don¡¯t look like it.¡± ¡°No, I just had the opportunity growing up,¡± Jon answered with a smile. ¡°I could show you some of the movements if you want.¡± ¡°You can? I mean, would you?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Jon agreed, and then laughed. ¡°It will give me something to do while my brother plays tutor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my little sister,¡± the boy explained. ¡°She has so much trouble with math and our mother is so hard on her. She makes her cry all the time and won¡¯t allow me to help. I¡¯m glad your brother offered. She seems to be learning from him.¡± ¡°Let me see if they can watch Fia for us,¡± Jon said and strolled over to hand Fia¡¯s leash to Se¨¢n who accepted it without turning his attention away from his pupil. Jon hobbled back to where the youth waited, accepted one of the weapons, and turned to his own pupil with a smile. ¡°Now, be easy on me. As you can see, I can¡¯t move as well as you do, so don¡¯t beat me up.¡± The boy laughed. ¡°I won¡¯t. I promise.¡± ¡°My name is Jon Holdingfree.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the prince staying at the inn,¡± the boy exclaimed. Almost immediately he corrected himself. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re not. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything.¡± Jon smiled without comment, so the boy continued. ¡°I¡¯m Liam. Liam McCreesh. My sister¡¯s name is Grace.¡± Jon smiled again, and asked, ¡°Are you right or left-handed?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Jon held up a quarterstaff to demonstrate. ¡°Hold the base of the quarterstaff with your left hand. Put the right one here. Your feet should be set just a bit wider than your shoulders and your right foot should be in front, and the other behind you to give you support.¡± From there the fighting lesson expanded and continued long after the arithmetic lesson wound up. When he tired, Jon surrendered the quarterstaff to Se¨¢n. Grace set the slate board safely aside and then plopped next to Fia to pet and fuss over the dog. Although Liam had the advantage of height and weight, Se¨¢n¡¯s skills were more advanced because he had already received considerable training. They fell into an immediate rapport and Liam eagerly challenged his new sparring partner at any opportunity, displaying a vigor he withheld earlier because he didn¡¯t want to risk injuring Jon. Sitting on the bench near Grace, Jon started out giving verbal guidance to the sparring partners but the length of time between instructions increased as he grew more exhausted, and before long Jon dropped his chin against his chest and slept. As she hurried to her rendezvous at the bake shop, Erienne glanced nervously over her shoulder several times to be certain that Jon and Se¨¢n were not paying any attention to where she was headed. Both were completely absorbed in enjoying the business and bustle of the world around them. She was surprised that Se¨¢n acted as if being surrounded by ordinary life was new to him, however, she had banked on Jon enjoying this rare treat after having been trapped in that horrid little attic room. She imagined that even the feeling of the suns on his face would seem enchanting and counted on him wanting to stay a while. She was glad on Jon¡¯s behalf. He was always kind and caring toward her and deserved at least a smidgen of good fortune after all that he¡¯d suffered. She felt that way even though the last time she had tried to be intimate with him he had physically pushed her away and insisted, begged, and then angrily demanded that she leave him alone. ¡°I love Alec,¡± he had said. ¡°Alec doesn¡¯t have to know,¡± she said, trying to talk him into it. ¡°Besides it didn¡¯t both you the other times. Why worry about it now.¡± He had pushed her away more firmly. Even so, if she waited until he was asleep like she had the first time, Erienne was confident that he would willingly go along. The difficulty was to find a time like that when Se¨¢n wasn¡¯t around either. It was getting harder and harder for her to do the things Annie paid her to do. Her entire purpose for being with the Holdingfrees was to help persuade Jon to go along with the plan by The Contingent and Annie¡¯s Rebels to put Jon on the throne instead of Holy King Harrison. His love for Alec was an obstacle and she didn¡¯t know how she would manage this morning¡¯s meeting with Annie. She wanted to ask her for additional money, but without a positive enough report, she doubted that Annie would be agreeable. In fact, there was no telling what would happen. Volatile in the best of circumstances, Annie could be truly merciless when inconvenienced. Erienne couldn¡¯t afford to fail. It was of life and death importance for her daughter that she succeeded. The woman from her old neighborhood would not wait much longer for childcare payments. When she turned onto the lane where the bake shop stood, Erienne was relieved to see Annie just arriving from the opposite direction. Erienne waved a greeting to her, and once the two women had settled comfortably with coffee imported from New East Anglia and pastries, she asked, ¡°How are you doing, Annie? You¡¯re always so busy I don¡¯t see how you ever have time for yourself.¡± ¡°Oh, you know how it is,¡± Annie sidestepped with a smile. ¡°How are things progressing with Jon?¡± ¡°I have to admit that they¡¯re going more slowly than I had hoped,¡± Erienne said strategically. When Annie paused mid-sip and raised her eyebrows, Erienne added, ¡°Physically.¡± Annie nodded and finished her sip so Erienne continued, ¡°Jon doesn¡¯t want to upset Alec that way. Otherwise, he¡¯s listening to me more and asking my opinions. For instance, Alec was against us coming to the park today. He said it was too dangerous. He insisted Se¨¢n carry the knife Docherty gave him.¡± ¡°Many children have weapons in SnakeIn, so I see his point there,¡± Annie commented. ¡°And the sex is really just a means to an end. As long as you¡¯re influencing his decisions to match what we want him to do, that¡¯s what matters. Since he came today, you must be.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Erienne agreed, feigning hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t always know what to do about Alec, though. Jon listens to him without question.¡± Annie surprised her by laughing and changing the subject. She pushed her cup away and leaned forward. Looking directly into Erienne¡¯s eyes she warned, ¡°One thing: You are to target only Jon. Se¨¢n is out-of-bounds. If something happens to Jon, that may change, but it hasn¡¯t yet. In the meantime, don¡¯t try to influence him, and don¡¯t upset him. We can¡¯t risk alienating him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s still a child.¡± ¡°It¡¯s important that you remember that,¡± Annie said crisply. ¡°I can¡¯t emphasize this enough. Leave Se¨¢n alone.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Annie relaxed, leaned back, and searched in her sturdy bag. Taking out a small purse, she smiled and set it on the table beside Erienne¡¯s plate, and said, ¡°This is for you. I want you to know that I do see how hard you¡¯ve been working.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Erienne muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Alec,¡± Annie added and stood to leave. ¡°As I told you when I hired you, he¡¯s a brute. Tom disagrees. He respects Alec, but I doubt we can put Jon on the throne with Alec around. If he gets in the way, I¡¯ll take care of him.¡± She paused, looked up toward the sky, and then leaned over the table and said mockingly, ¡°He¡¯ll have an accident.¡± Laughing heartily at her own joke, she straightened and left the bake shop. Erienne smiled at how smoothly the interaction had gone, bounced the purse in her palm to calculate its weight, and with her face beaming, headed toward the shops. Annie walked two or three shops away, turned, and studied Erienne to see where she went. An elderly couple strolled by and greeted her. She smiled at them widely. They had been the first people to welcome her to SnakeIn, in fact, the old woman had saved her from the magi and introduced her to the Contingent. Several Years Earlier ¡ª an Alley in Hilltown Princess Tatiana ducked sideways behind a pile of rubbish in the alley. She bent down to peer out between a broken chair and the splintered wood of a dry sink and watched in shock as her father¡¯s personal Grays grappled with Tom. She hadn¡¯t understood why Tom would arrange a rendezvous knowing how dangerous it would be. Now she realized that it hadn¡¯t been Tom at all. She didn¡¯t recognize any of the three individuals by name, but the largest Gray had shadowed her father on every occasion that she had ever seen him. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Shit,¡± she mouthed soundlessly. She had spent half an hour evading Magi Soldiers searching for the two of them, but it never occurred to her that the king hunted them, too. What do they care, she asked herself. We¡¯re just two people. He isn¡¯t a prince so would never be the Chosen, she thought, and I wouldn¡¯t be a mage for any reason. Tom was her love and her only purpose, Tom who right now was bound, gagged, and being lugged off to face King Harrison who thought love was treason. ¡°I need to save him,¡± she muttered. ¡°First you need to save yourself,¡± someone answered. Princess Tatiana jerked upright, banging her head on one leg of the broken chair, and spun to face whoever was talking. A stooped, poorly dressed, old woman, stood behind her with a sleepy donkey hitched to a cart overflowing with willow branches, chunks of wood salvaged from the alley, and who knew what else. An artisan, the princess surmised. ¡°I¡¯m with the Rebels, Princess Mackenzie,¡± the old woman explained. ¡°I¡¯ve come to get you to safety. Hide in my cart, under the willow branches. There¡¯s a false bottom, so you¡¯ll have plenty of room. I¡¯m on my way to SnakeIn. I¡¯ll take you with me.¡± ¡°SnakeIn is dangerous.¡± ¡°Yes, but not for members of the Contingent, and you are a prime candidate for First Contingent.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°The ruling class of SnakeIn, and in fact, all of Midhe Thiar. A collection of folks such as yourself ¨C royalty who¡¯ve escaped the tyranny of the magi. It isn¡¯t the king who is evil; it¡¯s the magi.¡± Princess Tatiana looked back longingly toward Tom, but he and the Grays were no longer there. ¡°They¡¯ll kill him. There¡¯s already a decree of execution in place.¡± The woman shrugged, and answered complacently, ¡°Chances are good that Gil will bring him to SnakeIn. He¡¯s the one who usually brings royalty to us.¡± Before the old woman could explain further, footsteps echoed at the far end of the alley. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming. Climb in before they get here. Wiggle under the willow branches. I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t be seen.¡± Forty-five minutes later the old woman was talking with the sentries at the Hilltown main gate, greeting each of them by name and asking about their families. Annie held her breath when one of the sentries stepped to the cart wall and lifted one of the willow branches. The other sentry on duty called out loudly, ¡°Don¡¯t bother. She¡¯s good. She comes in and out all the time. Don¡¯t worry about her.¡± Annie heard the old woman thank them and felt the cart rattle forward. In the dim light filtering between the willow branches, she reached to her throat and threaded out the narrow silk ribbon around her neck to reveal a small gold ring that Tom had given to her. She lay in the bumping, jostling cart with the token of Tom¡¯s love locked tightly in her hand. She wondered if she¡¯d see him again but knew that there was no turning back. She was a Rebel. The old woman delivered Annie safely to the inn belonging to Craig and Kenzie Docherty in SnakeIn. As an example of bad behavior, the magi had taught all the young princesses that Princess Mackenzie had been brutally raped and murdered by the soldier who had promised to marry her. They warned all of the young princesses to be aware of who they are and not befriend criminals. Yet Princess Mackenzie was the happy wife of an innkeeper. Annie had slept in the small attic room where her nephew, Jon, lived now. She remembered lying awake at night, sad and alone, holding Tom¡¯s ring in her hands and wondering if he were even alive. Two dimmings later the old woman came by with her donkey and cart. When Annie came downstairs to greet her, the old woman waved at the cart, ¡°Climb in. There¡¯s something you need to see.¡± Annie glanced at Kenzie and Craig who smiled and gestured to her to go along. The sleepy donkey walked slowly along the main street of SnakeIn, passed narrow lanes and cheaply built tenements, and then back into an upscale neighborhood, and finally turned into the drive of a mansion. Confused, Annie asked, ¡°Did you bring me here to work? Do they want a maid or something?¡± ¡°Or something,¡± the old woman replied enigmatically, as the donkey stopped at the wide front steps. Captain Tom Jarek shoved open the large mansion doors so hard they banged against the walls of the house. He took the steps two at a time, lifted Annie from her seat in the cart, and spun her around and around in an embrace they both hoped would never end. With a quick nod at the old woman in the cart, he carried Annie up the steps and into their new home. Present Time: SnakeIn Se¨¢n and Liam were so intent on their sparring that neither of them noticed two men approaching the bench where Jon napped. It took Grace¡¯s screams and Fia¡¯s barking growls to break into their skirmish. Grace was sprawled on the ground beside the bench with her hands propping herself up while her slate lay broken in pieces on the sidewalk. Jon¡¯s cane was rolling and clattering along the walkway while Jon himself struggled to keep from being dragged off by the two attackers. Fia gripped one of the attacker¡¯s arms in her teeth and was shaking it viciously. Shouting curses, Se¨¢n raced across the wide field of green and blue with Liam on his heels. As they ran, Grace rose to her feet and hit the attacker Fia wasn¡¯t subduing. The man released Jon, slapped Grace¡¯s face, and pushed her to the ground. ¡°Fia, protect Grace,¡± Jon shouted with his damaged voice. ¡°Protect Grace.¡± Immediately the wolfhound released the man she held in her teeth, jumped across Grace, and menaced the girl¡¯s attacker. Unwilling to fight the dog over a girl who wasn¡¯t their target, the two men turned from her to resume their attack on Jon. Se¨¢n and Liam reached his side and battered the abductors with their quarterstaffs. Across the park, Mrs. McCreesh heard the disturbance and barreled into the melee. When Mrs. McCreesh came close, Fia bared her teeth at the woman. ¡°That¡¯s Mama,¡± Grace said through tears. She patted Fia and repeated, ¡°That¡¯s Mama.¡± At the girl¡¯s reassurance, Fia allowed Mrs. McCreesh to lift Grace into her arms. As she backed away holding Grace, Fia kept by their side, growling at anyone who came near the mother and child. One of the kidnappers released Jon to attack Se¨¢n, but Se¨¢n smashed his staff into the man¡¯s legs, sending the kidnapper to the ground. When Se¨¢n swung his staff a second time, the man knocked it aside sharply and brought Se¨¢n crashing to the ground. Yanking the quarterstaff from Se¨¢n¡¯s hands, he tossed it aside and immediately began pummeling the youth. The second man hauled Jon violently up intending to lob the weakened man over his shoulder. Liam landed a sound blow on the man¡¯s back causing him to drop his victim. Jon started crawling toward the bench, so Mrs. McCreesh chided Grace and Fia to stay, and then hurried to Jon and helped him to his feet. Instead of obeying, Grace and Fia ran to retrieve Jon¡¯s cane. When she gave it to Jon, he accepted it with one hand as he urged with concern, ¡°Get back, Grace.¡± Mrs. McCreesh and Grace again moved back several meters so that the bench was between them and the battle. When Fia left their side to run to Jon, he pointed at Grace and snapped, ¡°Protect Grace. Protect.¡± The dog immediately retreated to Grace and her mother. Assessing the fight quickly, Jon aimed a wallop with his cane at the back of the head of the attacker who had Liam pinned to the ground. One of the ornamental phoenix wings split open the man¡¯s skull. Without hesitation, Liam pushed the dead man to one side, leaped to his feet, and rushed the man wrestling with Se¨¢n. As he approached, Se¨¢n pulled Craig¡¯s knife from its sheath and buried it into the man¡¯s shoulder. The man screamed and jerked back, allowing Liam to drag him off Se¨¢n. As he did, Padraig and several members of the Armed Watch charged into the fray. The injured kidnapper was quickly arrested while Padraig inspected the one on the ground, bobbed his head in satisfaction, and said, ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± He strode over to where Grace and her mother cowered but stopped short when Fia bared her teeth and growled. He asked across the dog, ¡°Are the two of you all right, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± the mother replied, her eyes wide and her hold on Grace tightening. ¡°Fia, sit,¡± Jon demanded. He hobbled over to the wolfhound, rubbed her ears, and said, ¡°Good dog. You did really well.¡± Mrs. McCreesh sighed audibly when Fia relaxed, and she asked Padraig, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. Who are these men and why did they attack the pri¡­poor man?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out,¡± Padraig reassured her. ¡°In the meantime, some of the Watchers will escort you and your daughter home.¡± As Mrs. McCreesh bent to pick up the pieces of the broken slate, Grace begged, ¡°Don¡¯t hit me, Mama. I finished all of them. You can¡¯t see it anymore, but I did.¡± Se¨¢n bent down to help Mrs. McCreesh collect the pieces of the broken slate and offered, ¡°I worked with her for a long while and she eventually got all of them right.¡± The mother looked at Liam for an explanation. ¡°She did,¡± Liam agreed. ¡°Don¡¯t punish her. Mr. Holdingfree taught me how to use a quarterstaff while Se¨¢n sat with Grace helping her with her arithmetic. In fact, you can still see some of their work written on the stone right there.¡± Padraig MacGavin looked the mother in the eyes, and asked, ¡°You beat your child over math problems, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°He just killed someone and you¡¯re questioning me about how I discipline my child? That¡¯s incredible,¡± the mother barked. ¡°She¡¯s also refusing to let her have any meals,¡± Liam contributed with exasperation. ¡°She hasn¡¯t been allowed to eat since noon yesterday.¡± The mother glared at her son, but before she could act, Padraig said, ¡°That behavior isn¡¯t legal here in SnakeIn. Children can¡¯t be starved, beaten, bullied, or abused in any manner. Two adults get into a tiff, and one goes down, well, he knew what he was getting into. In Mr. Holdingfree¡¯s case, of course, it was clearly self-defense.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t abuse. I want her to be able to get good employment when she¡¯s grown,¡± the woman stammered. ¡°To do more than scrub other people¡¯s dirty floors like I have to do.¡± ¡°Be that as it may,¡± Padraig said. ¡°I will have to send the Family Guard to investigate.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s ridiculous. The Family Guard is a waste of our tax money. They go after caring, upright citizens because they¡¯re poor and can¡¯t mount a defense. If the child abusers are wealthy it¡¯s a different story completely. The rich always get a free ride.¡± The woman placed one hand roughly on Grace¡¯s shoulder, shot an offended look at Jon, and snapped, ¡°It¡¯s your fault. If your kind would stay where they belong, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame Mr. Holdingfree for your own behavior, ma¡¯am,¡± Padraig insisted. Jon limped over to the packages on the bench and began gathering them together and piling them in Liam¡¯s arms. Watcher Logan retrieved the two quarterstaffs from the ground and stood beside the mother ready to escort her home. The mother sighed, bit her bottom lip, and then dropped her shoulders in acquiescence. Padraig turned to Jon and said, ¡°We¡¯ll walk you and Se¨¢n back to the inn.¡± As the Armed Watch organized around the brothers, Liam finally said contritely, ¡°I hope this wasn¡¯t my fault, Mr. Holdingfree. I didn¡¯t mean to blurt out¡­what I did.¡± Jon stared at the dead man on the ground, studied the backs of the Armed Watchers escorting the surviving kidnapper to the gaol, and then turned to Liam. He gripped the boy¡¯s shoulder lightly and reassured him, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong, Liam. In fact, you and Se¨¢n saved my life. I¡¯ve seen those men before. Someone must have paid them to follow me and attack.¡± Mrs. McCreesh pointed out quietly, ¡°They weren¡¯t simply attacking you, Mr. Holdingfree. They were trying to abduct you.¡± Jon nodded in agreement and replied, ¡°Jon. Please call me Jon. I¡¯m grateful to you, also, Mrs. McCreesh. Thank you for coming to my aid when you did. Liam, we can practice again anytime. Just let me know. I¡¯m at the inn and generally have a great deal of free time.¡± He waved at his injuries in general, and then added, ¡°I¡¯d appreciate having something useful to do.¡± ¡°The same goes for you, Grace,¡± Se¨¢n added, beaming a smile at her. ¡°I¡¯m happy to meet up with you as many times as you wish to go over your arithmetic. Your mother is right that math is a good skill to have, and I don¡¯t mind working with you at all.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Grace said shyly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s wrapped up nicely,¡± Padraig concluded. ¡°Lynch, you stay here until the morgue collects the body, and then join us at the inn. Those of you with the family can swing by there when you¡¯re done, too.¡± He pressed one hand into his jacket pocket, brought out some coins, and added as he held them out to Mrs. McCreesh, ¡°Here, buy the girl a new slate and get food for your children, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Thank you, I will,¡± the mother said, accepting the money with embarrassment. Taking Grace¡¯s hand, she headed home. Ned Logan and two more watchers trailed after her, deep in a conversation explaining single combat techniques to Liam. The two brothers, Fia, Padraig, and the rest of the Armed Watch were at the steps of The Exiled Soldier before Erienne came sprinting up, her arms full of packages. She asked breathlessly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me? What happened?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long story,¡± Jon answered curtly. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about the whole thing after I rest. Right now, I hurt too much to collect my thoughts.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 27 Conspiracy Chapter 27 Conspiracy The other calves would want to come with us, but my mother would never let them. She said that we had to be very careful because if we mixed with others who had higher levels of Reback genes, the magi would be more likely to condemn all of us. She¡¯d admonish, ¡®Your father and I fought hard for this family. You just leave lesser with lesser¡¯. She was right, too, because here I am about to complete the most sacred duty there is. ¨C Prince Eater #34 When Alec arrived home, Jon was asleep with Fia stretched out on the bed beside him. Se¨¢n sat in the uncomfortable wooden chair next to him, keeping a cool cloth over the good side of Jon¡¯s face to reduce the swelling caused by blows from the scuffle. Se¨¢n held another cool cloth over the bruises on his own face. Erienne reclined in one of the upholstered chairs with her feet on the footstool and her knitting needles flying, too focused on her yarn to greet Alec. However, Se¨¢n was restless and eager to tell him all about the altercation. Alec perched on the edge of Jon¡¯s bed to listen and took over holding the cool cloth on Jon¡¯s face. The boy shook his freed hand to restore circulation and placed the tired arm in his lap. Se¨¢n¡¯s relief was so palpable that Alec reached out and took over holding the cloth against Se¨¢n¡¯s face, too. ¡°Go on,¡± Alec encouraged. ¡°Finish telling me what happened.¡± When Se¨¢n reached the end of the story, Alec commented ¡°Quarterstaff? Hmm. I don¡¯t have any work lined up for tomorrow, so we can go out and get you a staff of your own, something that suits your height, maybe with metal tips on each end. A bludgeon, too. They make a new type of small crossbow designed for use with one hand. We¡¯ll look at those, too, since you could hang one on your belt easily.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to fit him out like a soldier,¡± Erienne complained without bothering to look up. ¡°Based on what I just heard, I do,¡± Alec replied. ¡°And since you mention it, exactly where were you when all this was happening? You are supposed to be watching out for Jon. That¡¯s the entire reason you¡¯re here. I¡¯d hoped that you had the good sense to keep an eye on Se¨¢n¡¯s safety, too, but that wasn¡¯t part of the original deal when you moved in. Jon was, and I expect you to be there every single time Jon needs you for any reason. Well, at least Fia understands earning her keep.¡± ¡°Alec ¨C¡± Se¨¢n tried to interject. Alec set down the cloth that had been against Se¨¢n¡¯s face, held up his hand, and said, ¡°I appreciate that you want to defend her, but her actions don¡¯t warrant defending. It¡¯s her job; her employment; the reason she¡¯s here at all. I warned all of you not to go out, but you did anyway. There¡¯s no excuse for her not being there to help.¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t the Armed Watch or a Kings Guard. Why would you expect her to fight?¡± Se¨¢n asked, as he soaked the cloth in the nearby bucket and resumed holding it against his own face. ¡°She is to do anything Jon needs her to do,¡± Alec replied as he lurched to his feet. ¡°That includes fighting if Jon needs her physical protection.¡± Fia rose up and barked once at Alec who lifted her off the bed and set her on the floor. She wagged her tail at Alec who patted her on the head before he strode over to the upholstered chairs, stopping only when he loomed directly over Erienne. She kept her eyes on her knitting and ignored him. ¡°Erienne,¡± he said. He paused, and then repeated, ¡°Erienne.¡± When she still didn¡¯t respond, he clutched her yarn and needles, jerked them away from her, and hurled them across the room. Erienne¡¯s hands lingered in mid-air momentarily and then she dropped them into her lap, leaned her head back against the chair, and heaved a long sigh. ¡°You pay attention when I speak to you,¡± he snarled. ¡°You work for me.¡± Disdain oozed from her as she corrected, ¡°I do not. I work for Annie and Tom.¡± ¡°Then get your ass over to their house and work for them,¡± he boomed. ¡°How dare you!¡± she yelled, hurtling to her feet. ¡°Annie¡¯s right. You are nothing but a colossal brute.¡± Fia moved between them and barked tentatively. ¡°Alec stop,¡± Jon said softly from his bed. ¡°No, Jon,¡± Alec reacted. ¡°I¡¯ve had it. She eats our food and lives in our home. I give her money above and beyond whatever Annie and Tom pay her.¡± ¡°Alec,¡± Jon repeated. ¡°You¡¯re right, but you¡¯re too angry.¡± ¡°You were almost kidnapped,¡± Alec said, enunciating each syllable distinctly. ¡°You or Se¨¢n could have been killed. There is no excuse for her not to have been at your side. Maybe she would have noticed them in time to shout a warning. Maybe not. But if we¡¯re supporting her, she¡¯s going to do at least that one thing well.¡± ¡°That one thing well,¡± Jon muttered, his face turning scarlet. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Se¨¢n jerked to his feet and stormed over to Alec. He rose on his toes trying to look straight into Alec¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°You weren¡¯t there either.¡± Fia inspected each person in the room boiling with emotions and then positioned herself in front of Jon to guard him. ¡°Don¡¯t you start with me, Se¨¢n,¡± Alec snapped. ¡°You know very well that I was working, and that I warned you not to go. I was doing something that has to be done ¡ª earning money for us to live on. By us I mean including you. I paid for the shoes on your feet. I made a special effort to obtain nice clothes for you that fit better than Kenzie¡¯s cast-offs. I appreciate that she did that for you, I do, and I don¡¯t know how we¡¯ll ever repay her generosity, but the only reason you have decent clothes that reflect your status and that fit well is because I earned the money they cost.¡± Se¨¢n opened his mouth to protest, but Jon intervened from the bed, ¡°Se¨¢n, be respectful. You¡¯re talking to the man who saved your life. He was under no obligation to help you at all, especially after the way he was treated by our father and Ava Most Revered. He would have been justified to simply stand there and let them sell you. No one would have condemned him for it, and many would say that he should have let you be hurt as retribution.¡± ¡°He¡¯s entitled to an opinion,¡± Alec said. ¡°Even if that opinion disparages one of the only people who stood by him. I¡¯ll still buy him whatever weapons he needs to defend himself and I¡¯ll still train him so that he knows how to use them effectively and safely. I¡¯m not bothered about any of it. First of all, Se¨¢n, because you¡¯re Jon¡¯s brother I will do anything that I can for you. Second, you¡¯re young, and vulnerable through no fault of your own, so my honor demands that I protect you to the best of my ability. And last but not least, I consider you my friend. My point is simply that Tom hasn¡¯t changed what he gives us even though there are now four of us and a dog.¡± ¡°Leave Fia out of this,¡± Jon said as he wiped his forehead with his sleeve. ¡°I don¡¯t object to Fia,¡± Alec answered. ¡°I love Fia as much as you, and she¡¯s proven her worth here.¡± Jon dragged himself to his feet, took his cane, and limped toward Alec. Beside him, Fia matched his pace. He had only taken a few steps when Erienne declared, ¡°Fine. You don¡¯t want me here? That¡¯s fine. Because you don¡¯t count, Alec. Se¨¢n doesn¡¯t count either. Jon counts. Jon and only Jon. That was my agreement with Annie. You don¡¯t amount to the sand on the bottom of my shoes.¡± ¡°Erienne!¡± Jon cried out. ¡°That¡¯s uncalled for.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like me here, Alec, if you don¡¯t want to be around me, get the figg¡¯t out,¡± Erienne continued unabated. ¡°Annie already assured me if you become a problem, she¡¯ll get rid of you.¡± ¡°Stop it, Erienne,¡± Jon yelled. ¡°Alec is being an ass right now, yes, but what he¡¯s saying is true. You should have been with us in the park. Not on a shopping spree. And you, Alec, need to stop being an ass. She¡¯s only human. She can¡¯t be everywhere and do everything any more than you can. Both of you need to settle down.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll settle down,¡± Alec said. ¡°Right down to the pub. Don¡¯t wait up. I may not be back. Of course, that¡¯s probably fine with you, isn¡¯t it Jon? You haven¡¯t needed or wanted me around since Erienne came along.¡± Alec spun around, nearly smacking into Se¨¢n as he did, and then stomped out the door. ¡°Alec!¡± Jon called after him. ¡°Good. Maybe he¡¯ll stay away,¡± Erienne exclaimed. ¡°Alec is my husband,¡± Jon shouted. ¡°This is his home. If you can¡¯t accept that then you get the figg¡¯t out.¡± Erienne soften her tone, stepped closer, and said, ¡°Jon ¨C¡± ¡°No,¡± Jon cut her off. ¡°Alec is right. You need to talk to Annie and Tom. Not to get rid of Alec. That will never happen, Erienne. But you do need to rework your agreement with them. You have to listen to us, not Annie, and you have to be here for all of us. If you can¡¯t be, you need to leave. Permanently. That¡¯s final, Erienne.¡± He turned toward Se¨¢n and said, ¡°Would you mind helping me down the stairs? I need to talk with Alec.¡± Se¨¢n stepped next to Jon and let his brother drop an arm around his shoulder. Making sure that Fia stayed behind, they headed down the stairs. Unlike Alec, Se¨¢n didn¡¯t yet have the strength to carry Jon, so progress was unyieldingly slow. Halfway down, Jon leaned against the wall to rest and explained, ¡°We have to be careful, Se¨¢n, very careful. I couldn¡¯t say this in front of Erienne, but those two men who attacked us were at our wedding. They were interacting with Annie. When Alec and I left they started to follow us. Gil stopped them.¡± ¡°Gil Braeford was at your wedding?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve seen him a couple times in SnakeIn. I think he¡¯s concerned about my safety,¡± Jon surmised. ¡°I was there when he hauled you away,¡± Se¨¢n objected. ¡°All of us thought he was going to kill you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think about it, or how to process it,¡± Jon agreed. ¡°He knows where I am now, though, and hasn¡¯t made any hostile moves.¡± ¡°I vowed to kill him for what he did to you,¡± Se¨¢n said thoughtfully. ¡°Those first few dimmings, when all I could do was lay in bed and look at the ceiling, I would have encouraged it,¡± Jon commented. ¡°The pressing issue right now is that I think Annie is behind the kidnapping attempt. What Erienne just said supports that. Annie was livid that Alec and I married.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re next in line to be King of Midhe Nuae?¡± Se¨¢n asked with concern. When Jon nodded, Se¨¢n added, ¡°Would you like me to get Padraig?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you out on the streets alone anymore. We have to go back to how things were when you first moved in,¡± Jon said, his brow furrowed with thought. ¡°But if you could send someone to get him, Rory or Callen maybe, he could meet us in the pub. You should be at the meeting, too. Let¡¯s go on down before Alec actually does leave.¡± Se¨¢n assisted Jon down the balance of the stairs, and then to where Alec sat at the bar. When Jon slid onto the stool next to him, Se¨¢n nodded awkwardly and turned to leave. ¡°Thank you,¡± Alec said softly. ¡°I¡¯ll see that he gets back up the stairs safely.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get too drunk, though,¡± Se¨¢n said with a nervous laugh. He reached out to touch Alec¡¯s shoulder and then thought better of the gesture. He added, ¡°Or neither of you will make it.¡± When Alec raised his head to look at Se¨¢n, the boy tossed him a companionable smile and left the couple to talk between themselves. He found Rory and Callen in the kitchen laughing and joking as they scrubbed dishes. Rory immediately agreed to find Padraig, wiped his hands on a towel, and banged out the kitchen door. Se¨¢n stood to one side, out of the way, as Callen continued to wash the mountain of plates, pots, pans, and utensils. Silently, Se¨¢n picked up the towel and fumbled his way through the unfamiliar task of drying dishes. ¡°She hasn¡¯t replaced you, Alec,¡± Jon began as he took a small sip of ale. He leaned closer to Alec so his words would remain theirs alone. ¡°Not in my life. Not in my love. I¡¯m sorry I allowed it to look that way.¡± Alec didn¡¯t respond or raise his head again, but simply lifted the shoulder closest to Jon, and then let it drop. Jon turned away, wiped his hand across his eyes and forehead, and then turned back. ¡°Alec. Alec, please look at me,¡± Jon urged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be alive today if you hadn¡¯t come after me.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Alec mumbled, still looking down. He moved his mug of ale as if to drink, and then pushed it away. Jon leaned so close that his lips tickled Alec¡¯s ear and he whispered, ¡°I love you.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 28 Apologies Chapter 28 Apologies She, my mother, was the one who taught me the best ways to attack prey, and I¡¯m good at it. I¡¯ve never missed a stand-in. ¨C Prince Eater #34 ¡°I apologize, Erienne,¡± Alec said contritely. He knew she was behind the curtain because Fia¡¯s tail stuck out from under the bottom hem and was wagging energetically. Erienne tucked her curtain back a few centimeters and peeked at Alec. Behind him, Jon and Padraig sat in the upholstered chairs while Se¨¢n sat on the wooden one. All three were staring at the fireplace and pretending as if they couldn¡¯t hear everything that was being said. Alec lowered his head in shame when he saw her swollen, red eyes, and tear-stained face, but then raised it back up and continued, ¡°It¡¯s no excuse, but I was horrified that something almost happened to Jon. I have loved him since we were students together. My heart broke when I learned that he¡¯d been beaten and exiled. I sincerely thought that I was dying when we were told to execute him.¡± Erienne sniffled, and then pushed the curtain all the way back without speaking. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been here, you¡¯ve made a major difference in our lives,¡± Alec kept on. ¡°A good difference. Those first few dimmings when Jon¡¯s condition was so serious. I didn¡¯t know whether Jon would live, and I stayed at his side night and day with no breaks for myself, other than the few minutes Rory could spare. You probably realized that I was awake most of the time when you first moved in. I was still worried, still not able to relax and trust your care. It took a few days, but suddenly I found myself sleeping again and having time to do the myriad of things that needed doing. You are valuable. I don¡¯t want you to leave our home. I want you to feel that this is your home, too.¡± Erienne looked down at the floor, still without speaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Alec said again. ¡°I can¡¯t promise that we¡¯ll never disagree, but I can promise to be more respectful when we do. Please at least try to forgive my outburst.¡± ¡°I was upset, too,¡± Erienne finally mumbled. ¡°You¡¯d warned us to stay together and be alert, but off I went shopping. It¡¯s been so long since I was able to shop that I let myself get distracted. You were right. I apologize, too.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not speak of it again,¡± Alec said. He held up his arms. ¡°May I give you a brotherly hug that says everything is forgiven?¡± Only the corners of her mouth turned up. It was not a true smile, but it was nearly one, and she stepped forward to embrace him. He leaned toward her, being careful to embrace her politely, using only his arms. When he straightened up, he left one arm around her shoulder and guided her to where the others sat. Se¨¢n immediately jumped to his feet and offered her his chair. Once she was settled, Se¨¢n meandered over to the opposite side of the fireplace from where Alec rested an arm on the mantel and rose on his toes so he could match Alec¡¯s pose. Jon spoke next. ¡°Erienne, during the argument, you mentioned something about Annie being willing to get rid of Alec. Would you please tell Commander MacGavin exactly what Annie said, and go over that conversation with him?¡± She shuffled her feet, looked toward the pile of clothes waiting to be washed, and then looked down as if studying her shoes. Padraig and Jon waited for her response, but seeing her unwillingness, Jon added, ¡°You can speak freely. Padraig knows who Alec and I were before we came to SnakeIn. He¡¯s been extremely supportive. In fact, he officiated at our wedding.¡± Padraig smiled at the memory, but then readjusted his face to look stern and serious. ¡°She,¡± Erienne finally said softly. ¡°She said he was in the way. That they wouldn¡¯t be able to put you on the throne if he were around. That she was looking for a way to break up the two of you, and that if she couldn¡¯t, she¡¯d have to see about arranging an accident.¡± ¡°Annie and Tom Jarek admitted to you that they want to kill Alec?¡± Padraig asked dumbfounded. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Not Tom,¡± Erienne clarified. ¡°Only Annie.¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Jon cursed. He pushed against the arm of the chair to stand, balanced upright with his cane, and then walked across the room and stood with his back to everyone else. Alec glanced at the others and then moved close to Jon without speaking. Fia leaped from Erienne¡¯s cot and circled the room sniffing at each person, before settling on Padraig. Sitting beside him she nudged her head under his hand so that he would pet her. After a few insistent attempts, Padraig accommodated the dog and suggested into the strained silence, ¡°Abdicate.¡± ¡°Is that legal?¡± Se¨¢n asked. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever heard that we either have to accept the throne, and the Ritual along with it, or be killed. I¡¯ve never heard that there was another way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Annie wants Holy King Harrison to do,¡± Padraig said. ¡°Abdicate or face execution. Why not take her at her word? Abdicate before she harms Alec.¡± Jon turned slowly to face the Commander of the Armed Watch, and said thoughtfully, ¡°Now that you point it out, I do remember her saying that. Don¡¯t you, Alec?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Alec replied. ¡°But you weren¡¯t here to have heard that, Padraig. How do you know?¡± Padraig smiled enigmatically. ¡°It sounds like a good idea, Jon, but you have to make the decision for yourself. No one else can decide something like that on your behalf,¡± Alec pointed out. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to abdicate,¡± Se¨¢n blurted out. ¡°Gunnar¡¯s next, and then me, and I already know that I don¡¯t want to be part of that horror. Where can we find someone to prepare the document so that it is legal? I want to sign my abdication right now.¡± ¡°Wait here,¡± Padraig said, rising to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll send one of the boys to her house. It¡¯s only a few blocks away.¡± He walked toward the door, paused, and then turned back. ¡°Erienne, I appreciate how much help you¡¯ve been, and I offer you my gratitude. Unfortunately, because you are close to Annie and Tom, I must ask that you not leave this room for any reason for the next four dimmings.¡± ¡°Four dimmings!¡± She parroted back in surprise. ¡°But I have to walk Fia, and you know, piss and whatever.¡± ¡°Alec will just have to add Fia to his responsibilities. There¡¯s no way around it,¡± Padraig countered. ¡°Jon and Se¨¢n need to stay out of sight, too. You¡¯ll all just have to use the night chamber pot. If you aren¡¯t willing to follow my directives voluntarily I will take you into custody for conspiracy to commit murder.¡± The magistrate arrived at the inn about half an hour later with her loose, silk robes fluttering around her, and flaunting an ostentatious scepter in her hand. Behind her, a young assistant with his cap askew and his sleeve snagged on a portable desk, hurried to keep up while juggling the desk, ink, quills, paper, and the magistrate¡¯s seal. Padraig asked Alec and two of the Armed Watch to wait with Erienne in the dining room while Se¨¢n and Jon talked with the magistrate confidentially. The documentation for each of the brothers was soon written in triplicate and then witnessed by Padraig, Craig Docherty, and a member of the Armed Watch. The first copies were sealed and dispatched to Holy King Harrison with the magistrate expressing her hope that the king did not punish the messenger for the unwelcome news. The second copies were sealed and retained by the magistrate for her records as a precaution against Holy King Harrison¡¯s anger. Jon and Se¨¢n were each given the third copy of their respective abdication documentation for their own use. When it was time to pay the magistrate for her legal counsel, Jon was at a loss since Alec handled their finances. Padraig and Craig roared with laughter at his predicament, and then Padraig produced the coins from his own purse. ¡°You¡¯re in debt to me now, Jon Holdingfree,¡± he chuckled as he paid the magistrate. ¡°Only until Alec returns and reimburses you,¡± Jon countered. ¡°I¡¯ll have to move fast then,¡± Padraig rejoined, refusing to concede. He smirked at Jon and even the magistrate laughed. Padraig walked the magistrate and her assistant down the stairs to the front door of the inn. A quick wave garnered the attention of an Armed Watcher who immediately fell into step beside the magistrate. ¡°Wait, I have to pay her,¡± Alec said hurriedly. ¡°My purse is upstairs. How much was it?¡± ¡°Colossal, enough for me to move into a nice little cottage overlooking the harbor,¡± Padraig joked before revealing the truth. ¡°You can repay me anytime. No hurry.¡± ¡°Now is best,¡± Alec specified. ¡°Come on back upstairs, or wait here while I dash up. I¡¯d rather pay you right away and know that we¡¯re square.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come up,¡± Padraig said. He turned to Erienne and offered his arm. She paused, and then said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll be up in a short while. I have to¡­um. Unless, of course, you don¡¯t trust me to come back up on my own.¡± Padraig tipped his head in the direction of Watcher Lynch standing beside them and said, ¡°Lynch will keep a close eye on you. My advice is not to push the issue.¡± Padraig turned and started up the stairs after Alec, so Erienne went through the kitchen to the back door. As she walked past Kenzie, she motioned with her eyes for the innkeeper¡¯s wife to come with her. ¡°Wait up,¡± Kenzie called out as if she¡¯d just thought of it. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you. I just have to put these biscuits aside to cool.¡± When Watcher Lynch walked outside with the two women, Kenzie turned to him and said, ¡°I know you have a job to do, but could you at least give us some privacy? We¡¯ll just be right there.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 29 Bargain Chapter 29 Bargain There¡¯s a certain way to drop our heads before plunging a horn into our prey that makes it easier to rip off whatever we target. She made me repeat that motion over and over until I could do it without thinking about it first. ¨C Prince Eater #34 Tara Citadel ¡°Well, well,¡± Ava Most Revered clucked as she leaned her arms on the railing of her balcony observing Gil Braeford in the full formal dress of the Armored Grays being escorted through the Grand Hall by Novitiate Ainsley. ¡°If it isn¡¯t Harrison¡¯s obedient Gray dog.¡± Gil bowed deeply as she added, ¡°You must be proud of your son, sixteen years old and next in line for the Crown.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a son.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a harsh statement. Hearing it breaks my heart.¡± ¡°I never had a son and you¡¯ve never had a heart.¡± ¡°We have things to discuss.¡± ¡°Do we?¡± ¡°Yes, about the princes.¡± ¡°Princes? There¡¯s only Gunnar. The others are dead. I¡¯m including Se¨¢n since no one knows where he is. He¡¯s probably dead like all the rest of them.¡± ¡°Not all of them, Most Revered.¡± Ava clicked her fingernails on the railing pensively for several seconds before she said, ¡°Come up then.¡± Gil bowed deeply again and disagreed, ¡°Begging your pardon, Most Revered. Your own laws and traditions prevent me from coming any closer than the Great Hall. As attractive as the thought of visiting your chambers might be.¡± The novitiates and priests present in the hall giggled and whispered approvingly among themselves. The Most Revered ignored them, yet the rhythm of her fingernails changed to impatience. ¡°Very well. Meet me at the willow.¡± ¡°Thank you, Most Revered,¡± Gil replied in his coldest, official voice. Disregarding the answering scowl on her face, he bowed a third time, swiveled sharply, and marched from the Great Hall. Gil knelt under the Saint Edmunds Willow holding his helmet in the crook of his arm and staring at the ground. He was one of only two people who knew that this was the spot where Ava Most Revered, Incarnate Divinity on Terra Saint Edmunds, ruthlessly murdered her own child and then scraped out a shallow grave with her fingertips. She had expected him to dig it, but he had cursed at her and refused. He vividly remembered how she dangled the infant by one foot and tossed the girl into the dirt as if she were disposing of dog shit she wanted to get rid of before it stank. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. It still stunk. Not olfactorily but in his heart and his soul. Even these years later, Gil¡¯s stomach churned. ¡°You can be such an emotional sap,¡± Ava Most Revered said from behind him. He rose and reluctantly shuffled around to face her. As his eyes locked on hers, he deliberately fastened his helmet over his head. ¡°By the Survivor, leave the damn thing off so I can see your face,¡± Ava snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t blaspheme,¡± Gil said brusquely. ¡°You¡¯re the blasphemer. You and everyone else from New East Anglia. I¡¯m the Divine Universe Manifest, not Olivia Raedwald. She was the overindulged niece of a mogul who purchased the entire planet and leased large portions of it to those criminals who built prisons,¡± Ava scoffed. ¡°The only reason she made it out of the crash alive was that the crewmembers were so afraid of the Raedwalds that they saved her rather than themselves.¡± Gil looked down and back at the tiny, unmarked tomb, and then raised his head and said, ¡°I can give you one prince if you leave the others alone.¡± ¡°How did Jon survive? Everyone believes that he¡¯s dead. Did you save him? Soldiers are turning over every stone in the kingdom to find Prince Se¨¢n. How long has he been with you?¡± ¡°I can give you one prince if you leave the others alone.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve finally realized that you cannot win by fighting me. I can¡¯t think of any other reason why you would hand over someone you¡¯re sworn to protect ¡± ¡°I see no other way to save any of Harrison¡¯s sons except by sacrificing one to become the Holy Prince. One prince, if you leave the others alone.¡± ¡°Which?¡± ¡°Se¨¢n.¡± ¡°I want Jon.¡± ¡°His husband wouldn¡¯t rest until he hunted us both down and killed us.¡± ¡°So, kill him first.¡± Gil shook his head. ¡°I will give you Se¨¢n if you leave the others alone.¡± ¡°I want Jon. And that damn archer, Mulrian.¡± ¡°No deal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not negotiating, Gil. I¡¯m telling you. As long as Se¨¢n and Gunnar leave Midhe Nuae and never return, I will let them live out their lives in peace and happiness.¡± She paused, and then amended, ¡°SnakeIn is acceptable if they think that city won¡¯t kill them. But either way, for that to happen, you must give me Mulrian so I can use him to control Jon. Otherwise, I¡¯ll come after both princes.¡± Gil didn¡¯t answer immediately, but as she withdrew, he said, ¡°Mulrian and Jon for the lives of Prince Se¨¢n, Prince Gunnar, and Reginald¡¯s unborn child.¡± ¡°I always underestimate you, Gil. Reginald¡¯s child,¡± Ava said with genuine admiration, and then she chuckled loudly. When she noted the ominous glint in his eyes, she wiped away her laughter with one hand, and agreed, ¡°Fine. Mulrian and Jon for the lives of Prince Se¨¢n, Prince Gunnar, and the unborn child. It was good to see you again, here, just the two of us. Almost like it used to be.¡± Ava Most Revered turned her back to him and walked toward the Citadel. ¡°Ava,¡± Gil called after her. When she paused without looking back at him he warned, ¡°Break your promise and I will personally feed you piece by piece to the Prince Eaters.¡± She walked on without acknowledging his threat. Gil¡¯s eyes followed her until she was too far away to see, and then he returned his attention to the murdered baby. He bent to one knee, placed his helmet on the ground, pressed the palm of his left hand where the child rested, placed his right over his heart, and prayed, ¡°Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, once again I humbly ask, as I have asked for the past sixteen years, that you keep this innocent child in your arms, protected from eternal evil, and safely in paradise where there is no sorrow.¡± In all of the Chronicles of the Magi, Ava thought smugly, she was singular. Throughout the history of Midhe Nuae, only a handful of the Most Revereds gave birth. There were no regulations against doing so. In that one aspect, at least, all magi were free to do as they wished. For the Most Revereds, however, it was simply outside of tradition. For Ava to have not only a child, but a son who was a Prince of the Realm was extraordinary. In addition, being the Most Revered gave her unlimited access to her son as he grew, a benefit that the mothers of the other princes were denied. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 30 Son Chapter 30 Son There¡¯s a way to shift our weight to push other Prince Eaters away from food. It is hard for them to overcome and gives us an advantage. My father taught me that technique in case there are ever more of us attacking than the prey would be able to sustain. ¨C Prince Easter #34 A dimming had passed since Ava Most Revered had spoken with Gil, and she found herself standing to one side of the king¡¯s dais, shifting her gaze in confusion between her son, Prince Gunnar, proud of his confidence as he ambled into the throne room, and his father, Holy King Harrison slouching as if the weight of the entire world weighed him down rather than a few Prince Eater horns. It was unusual for Harrison to surprise her or to do anything without her knowing about it well ahead of time, yet he had with this summons. She feared that this meeting would come to no good conclusion, but at the same time, she hoped that it meant Harrison was honoring her only child. A group of Armored Grays was gathered outside the throne room, pacing uneasily and anxiously talking among themselves. Their duty to Prince Gunnar was compromised by the King¡¯s Guard who forbade their entrance. Ava had wondered how long it would be before the Grays broke down the door. Her own Magi Soldiers were accosted at the door, too, but since they answer solely to the Most Revered, Ava had simply laughed. Nell Most Revered had established the mercenary army after King Tiernan openly executed Gr¨¢inne Most Revered and Ava continued to find them extremely useful. She took them with her into the throne room despite the objection of the Kings Guard. Prince Gunnar bowed to the Most Revered, bowed more deeply to the king, and then stood quietly self-possessed while the king collected his thoughts. ¡°Where is Prince Se¨¢n?¡± Holy King Harrison asked with a meek voice. Gunnar spread his hands wide in a gesture of ignorance and queried, ¡°Was he to attend to you, also? Shall I go to the nursery to get him?¡± ¡°You know as well as you are standing there, that Se¨¢n is no longer staying in the nursery. It was completely closed, and the nanny dismissed years ago,¡± Harrison said in aggravation. ¡°That may have been premature on my part since you seem to still need to be in one.¡± ¡°Why are you addressing your inquiries about Se¨¢n to me, Your Majesty? If he is missing, that would be characteristic, would it not?¡± Gunnar asked, adding the title of respect for good measure. He unfolded one arm to reveal King Indulf¡¯s memoir Exiled in Wild Midhe Nuae. Holding it up for Harrison to see, Gunnar added, ¡°Have you read this, sir? It¡¯s a remarkable account of the early days of our country.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about Indulf¡¯s exploits, real or imaginary,¡± Harrison responded, ¡°I order you to explain your comments about His Royal Highness, Prince Se¨¢n.¡± Seeing a storm gathering, the Most Revered stepped forward to intervene but was halted mid-step by the Kings Guards. ¡°Harrison?¡± she said in concern as her own soldiers moved to defend her. The king held up one palm dismissively and repeated, ¡°Explain your comment, Prince Gunnar. I won¡¯t continue repeating myself.¡± ¡°Se¨¢n was a na?ve child who was going down the same path as Jon¡­full of tears, regrets, and moodiness,¡± Prince Gunnar commented self-assuredly. He opened the book in his hand and idly flipped pages as if anything it might impart was of greater value than the life of his brother. Holy King Harrison glared at his son. ¡°Was? What did you do, Gunnar?¡± The prince laughed with delight, turned on his heel, and strode toward the exit of the throne room. A party of the Kings Guards blocked his path. ¡°Why is it, Father,¡± the prince asked as he turned back to the conversation. ¡°That you care so much about Se¨¢n and yet so little about Jon?¡± He pointed at the Most Revered and continued, ¡°You allowed your dearest Ava and her thugs to beat Jon until he was senseless. They didn¡¯t simply break bones, Your Majesty, they came close to killing him. And what did you do? Did you try to protect or defend him? Did you even ask him to explain what he had been doing? No, you used your enormously precious jewels to carve through his cheek. You permanently disfigured him.¡± ¡°He was a traitor,¡± the Most Revered argued. ¡°He ran to shirk his duty to the Crown. He tried to avoid the Ritual.¡± ¡°Well, By the Survivor, I guess I¡¯m not the last one to know about everything. Is that truly what you think he was doing?¡± Gunnar asked sarcastically. ¡°You poor misguided fool. He was picking moonflowers for his boyfriend.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie,¡± Ava retorted. ¡°All the girls loved Jon.¡± Harrison shook his head. ¡°They did. The young men, too. But there was only one person Jon loved and I hoped they would marry.¡± ¡°He was picking seedlings for the archer,¡± Gunnar commented. ¡°What archer?¡± Ava hissed. ¡°Mulrian. You know, the archer the late Sergeant MacDonald abused. She¡¯d have had him in the dungeons starving to death before much longer. I¡¯m certain of it.¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t supposed to find him so quickly,¡± Holy King Harrison muttered. ¡°I meant for Mulrian to find him first and take him someplace safe, someplace they could live together happily.¡± ¡°SnakeIn?¡± Gunnar questioned. ¡°If need be,¡± the king said. He held out his arms to the servants surrounding his throne chair and they hurried forward to help him gain his feet. He moaned, twisted, and stretched his horn-covered back, and then walked to the edge of the dais. ¡°That sergeant got there too figgict soon. Now they¡¯re dead. I simply wanted Jon to be happy. If it weren¡¯t for your potions, Ava, I would not have harmed him at all. I can¡¯t apologize to him. Not even in my dreams at night. He¡¯s dead, and I¡¯m to blame.¡± The king moved to the dais steps and held out his arms again. The servants hurried forward, steadied him using his arms, and assisted him down the steps. Harrison continued, ¡°I will never forgive myself and I will never forgive you, Ava. At least he killed that damn sergeant before he died.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Gunnar guffawed, slapped his own legs, wiped the moisture from his mouth, and then whooped gleefully again. The Most Revered and Holy King Harrison gawked at him. When he finally caught his breath, the prince declared, ¡°I¡¯m still not the last one to know everything.¡± Still holding the book, Gunnar folded his arms across his chest nonchalantly. ¡°Mulrian did find Jon first. I saw it for myself. Funny, how easily things change from one moment to the next. Suddenly now everyone cares about Jon, and everyone cares about Se¨¢n, but no one cared about Reggie, no one cared about Ethan, and no one thought to wonder about unimportant Gunnar. I rode out, too. I saw everything that happened that day and since then. Jon and Mulrian are living in SnakeIn. They had a lovely wedding that the entire neighborhood came out to see. Their waltz was simply divine! Mulrian lifted the son you butchered and cradled him in his arms as he spun elegantly around the entire dance floor. Far more gracefully than I would have given him credit for. Can you even imagine? Mulrian gave up his entire future for an exiled prince so mangled he will never walk again, never be able to care for himself in the slightest way, and yet, there they were, deeply in love and newly married. It almost brought tears to my eyes. As for Sergeant MacDonald, it turns out that Mulrian did get a good shot at her. There¡¯s nothing as honorable as a solid crossbow bolt through the back. Well, maybe not honorable, but certainly efficacious. The Commander of SnakeIn¡¯s Armed Watch killed her. Mulrian tried to keep the SnakeIn¡¯s finest from killing any of the archers, but they didn¡¯t listen. The commander didn¡¯t listen to MacDonald, either. The sergeant tried to tell him something and his response was to slam that heavy war axe straight into her skull.¡± He paused as if savoring the memory and then added in admiration, ¡°That truly was beautiful.¡± ¡°Jon is alive!¡± Harrison gasped. ¡°No, that can¡¯t be,¡± the Most Revered said, pretending to be shocked as if she was hearing it for the first time. ¡°Be quiet, Ava, and stop acting as if you care,¡± Harrison bellowed at her. Her eyes flew open wide at the king¡¯s audacity to speak to her in that tone, but she quickly complied. He added in a more normal voice, ¡°The only thing you want is unlimited power. I wonder why you haven¡¯t eliminated the entire royal family and crowned yourself.¡± ¡°I might.¡± ¡°Arrest her,¡± the king commanded. The Kings Guards marched directly to the Most Revered, but they were met halfway there by the Magi Soldiers. ¡°Stand aside,¡± the Commander of the Kings Guards demanded fiercely. ¡°Stand down,¡± the Commander of the Magi Soldiers demanded with equal ferocity. ¡°This is too rich,¡± Gunnar said, laughing again. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill each other trying to prove who¡¯s strongest and who¡¯s right. Well, go ahead. When the dust settles, I¡¯ll be the only one who survives the cull.¡± Harrison spun on his heels and tread angrily to within centimeters of his son. His eyes narrowed. The muscles in his face, neck, and shoulders bulged out like a beast¡¯s. The horns on his back sprang out straighter. ¡°Where is Se¨¢n?¡± ¡°I sold him,¡± Gunnar said, equally loud but without fury. ¡°Afterward I learned that Mulrian rescued him. I followed the only buyer who survived that rescue, prepared to beat Se¨¢n¡¯s whereabouts out of him, but somehow he threw himself headfirst out a third-story window right in front of SnakeIn¡¯s Armed Watch.¡± Gunnar shook his head in feigned bewilderment. ¡°I suppose, a tender thing like Se¨¢n could be anywhere, pleasing anyone by now. He''s probably dead. That means I really am the Last Prince.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even a prince,¡± Harrison yelled as his hard diamond rings came across Gunnar¡¯s face violently. Ava screamed. The Grays in the hallway crashed through the door, their swords and weapons ready. Gunnar¡¯s head snapped sideways, blood poured from the slice on the prince¡¯s cheek, and then the king swiveled his hand and brought it back the other way, slicing Gunnar¡¯s opposite cheek. The late King Indulf¡¯s memoirs thudded to the floor as the injured prince groaned and bent forward holding his ruined face. ¡°Arrest Gunnar, immediately!¡± the king yelled hotly. ¡°I want him executed by First Sunset today.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± the Most Revered shouted in desperation. ¡°He¡¯s all we¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°I¡¯m king, Ava, not you,¡± Harrison snapped. ¡°You¡¯ve threatened treason. He committed it. I will never let either of you have the Crown. I¡¯ll let the entire dynasty fall rather than allow worms to take control of Midhe Nuae.¡± The Kings Guards scrambled toward Prince Gunnar, who looked around desperately, drew the short sword of Jon¡¯s that he had pilfered from MacDonald¡¯s body, and hurled himself at his father. Harrison¡¯s eyes narrowed, his lips curled up and deep, menacing growls rattled from his throat. His leg and arm muscles expanded. His shoulders curled forward as he dropped his head to aim the horns on his back directly at the prince. Two of the Grays dove toward the prince to stop him, but Gunnar leaped over their hands and landed on King Harrison¡¯s poisonous rack of horns. The prince tried to shriek but his jaw flapped uselessly where the king had all but severed it from the muscles in his face. Froth bubbled up and mixed with the blood. Gunnar swung Jon¡¯s short sword over his head, down over Holy King Harrison¡¯s shoulder, and into the king¡¯s upper chest. With his final ounce of strength, he twisted Jon¡¯s sword, enlarging the wound. The king dropped to his knees. His hands crossed over the hilt of the sword. His body shrank to its normal size. His son sagged, lifeless, bayoneted onto his back. The king pitched forward, letting go of the hilt of the sword so he could stop his fall. Servants raced forward, and once the king was secure in their grasp, the Grays pried Gunnar from the horns. Holy King Harrison stood and shuffled forward painfully. Servants appointed to help him moved along with him until he was face to face with Ava: his former lover, Gunnar¡¯s mother, and the Most Revered. She stood stricken by the sight of her dead son and the man who killed him. The man she had always said was his father. Harrison stopped directly in front of her, removed his right arm from the servant¡¯s hands, and grasped Ava¡¯s hand. He jerked it sideways onto the point of one of the lethal horns springing from his shoulder. The sharp pain of the horn¡¯s tip brought her back to reality. ¡°I¡¯ve been immune to the poison longer than you¡¯ve been on the throne,¡± she hissed. ¡°I started paying the cost of becoming the Most Revered the morning after our first time in the garden.¡± Holy King Harrison dropped her hand, clenched the hand of the arm unimpeded by the sword in his shoulder, and plowed his fist into Ava¡¯s jaw. A Magi Soldier grabbed the Most Revered and pulled her back as the blow hit, lessening the damage to Ava¡¯s face. Two other Magi Soldiers stepped toward the king but thought better of their actions when the Kings Guard mobilized toward them. They moved back to where they were standing and remained still. The king stepped back in defeat and shuffled toward the exit behind the throne chair. ¡°Harrison,¡± she called after him. ¡°Harry, don¡¯t overreact here. We need to sit down and decide what we¡¯re going to do next. Find Se¨¢n and reclaim him? Or invest our time in recovering Jon?¡± The king cringed and leaned over the sword hilt in his chest. With great effort, he straightened regally. To the servants, he said, ¡°I need a healer.¡± To the Commander of the Kings Guards, ¡°And now I am ruling that she be executed today before Second Sun sets.¡± He started toward the door again, stumbled, and then said over his shoulder, ¡°Tell Gil to come get his son. I won¡¯t allow a royal funeral for his unclaimed.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 31 Refusal Chapter 31 Refusal All the tricks my parents have taught me helped me keep a hold of the back legs of Prince Eater #46 when he went down in a fight a couple dimmings ago. What¡¯s that? Why not eat each other? We need food to stay alive and once someone is so injured that they can¡¯t stand, they¡¯re done for anyway. I was able to bring both legs and a good part of the rump back to my parents. ¨C Prince Eater #34 It took Annie three-quarters of an hour to respond to the message Erienne sent via Kenzie. Two of her personal mercenaries broke down the locked door and burst into the small attic room. Annie and three more mercenaries flung themselves through the entryway after the first two. All six had their swords drawn. Padraig stood in front of the fireplace, an untouched mug of ale in his hand. Alec stood beside him with one arm propped casually on the mantel. Jon and Se¨¢n were each in an upholstered chair. Erienne and Fia sat on her cot with the dividing curtain hooked completely open and Erienne clinging tightly to the wolfhound¡¯s collar. Ringing the room were members of SnakeIn¡¯s Armed Watch with their crossbows raised and aimed at the six intruders. ¡°Annie,¡± Padraig said, feigning hospitality. ¡°How nice to see you again. I hope you don¡¯t mind that I invited a few of my friends.¡± ¡°Stand down,¡± Annie snarled. ¡°Why would I be the one to stand down?¡± Padraig questioned. ¡°You¡¯re the one who barged in with swords drawn and not even the courtesy of a polite knock.¡± ¡°You know very well that we need Jon,¡± she growled. ¡°He¡¯s our future.¡± ¡°He¡¯s abdicated,¡± Padraig said. ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. He can¡¯t!¡± ¡°He did. It¡¯s completely legal,¡± Padraig said undaunted. ¡°Your own words demanding Holy King Harrison¡¯s abdication gave Mr. Holdingfree a way to rid himself of the Kingdom of Midhe Nuae once and for all.¡± As they spoke, Annie¡¯s soldiers sheathed their swords, which provoked Annie¡¯s anger even more. She turned and yelled, ¡°Raise your weapons and fight like true patriots.¡± Fia lurched forward to spring from the bed, but Erienne reinforced her grip on the dog¡¯s collar. The mercenaries looked at each other, shuffled their feet, and moved around nervously, nearly bumping into each other in the crowded space. Finally, their leader said, ¡°our business relationship is over, Contingent Jarek. Thank you for this opportunity. As a professional courtesy, we will deduct our fee for this excursion from the amount due us. Thank you again.¡± The mercenary strode through the shattered door and led his fellow soldiers down the stairs. Annie gaped after them for several seconds, then turned back to Padraig and the others. Her fingers instinctively ran over her mouth as she realized that none of the Armed Watch had lowered their weapons. She eyed each of their positions, gauged the distance to where Alec stood and the number of people between them, and then lowered her own sword. Padraig lifted the uncomfortable wooden chair, banged it down in the center of the room, and said, ¡°Please sit down.¡± She dropped into the chair and rested her sword across her lap. Padraig signaled to the Armed Watch to stand down, and then he retrieved a second mug of ale from the mantle. He handed it to Annie with a smile, saying, ¡°Here. This might help un-muddle your thoughts.¡± She sipped the ale and muttered, ¡°What are we going to do? We need a king.¡± Padraig relaxed his shoulders, and finally took a sip of his ale. As soon as the edge of the mug touched his lip, Annie hurled her mug aside and lunged at Alec with her sword. Sensing her movement before seeing it, Se¨¢n leaped from his chair, snatched Jon¡¯s cane, and swung it up against Annie¡¯s sword arm. The sword¡¯s blade missed Alec¡¯s chest and only sliced a shallow groove across his arm before clattering from Annie¡¯s grasp. Her agonized scream of defeat rattled the windows in The Exiled Soldier and turned heads as far away as the ground floor pub. Fia sprang from the bed, dragging Erienne after her until the young woman was forced to release her. Padraig snatched the cane from Se¨¢n and returned it to Jon. When he reached to grasp Se¨¢n¡¯s arm, Fia slammed her front paws on his back, shoving him to the floor. Padraig rolled over to find Fia growling into his face. The Armed Watch swung their crossbow toward the wolfhound, forcing Erienne to hurl herself over Fia to protect the dog. Alec angled Se¨¢n behind him and faced Annie with steely determination. Padraig¡¯s head and shoulders sagged. He said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t shoot the dog.¡± ¡°Fia sit,¡± Jon said. The dog backed up and sat beside Jon without taking her eyes off the man threatening her family. Erienne sighed and scrambled back to her cot. Padraig rose, keeping a vigilant eye on Fia, and approached Annie where she sat on the floor crying. As he knelt to examine her injury, he chided, ¡°You deserved that.¡± ¡°I had to try,¡± she said, defeat making her voice sound hollow. ¡°I had to.¡± Without looking up, Padraig said, ¡°Lynch, run for Healer Callahan. This arm is broken. Oh, and before I forget, Lynch, fair play. Excellent work ensuring that Erienne would be able to tell Kenzie what happened so she, in turn, would get word to Annie. They may also need to be charged.¡± Watcher Lynch acknowledged Padraig and ran out the door. Annie tossed a hard look at Erienne and jeered, ¡°You¡¯re done. I¡¯m not paying you one single coin more.¡± ¡°But Alannah,¡± Erienne protested, lurching to her feet but not crossing the room. ¡°Figg¡¯t your daughter,¡± Annie snarled. ¡°You¡¯re both done.¡± Erienne sank back onto the cot as Padraig helped Annie to her feet and escorted her back to the wooden chair, where she sat silently scheming her next move as she surveyed the room slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t, Annie,¡± Padraig warned when he saw the look in her eyes. ¡°I will tie you to that chair.¡± She didn¡¯t answer the Commander of the Armed Watch, but her eyes settled on the younger of the two brothers and she exclaimed, ¡°Se¨¢n!¡± ¡°I abdicated, too,¡± Se¨¢n said evenly. ¡°I guess that leaves Gunnar. He¡¯ll love it, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°Gunnar¡¯s dead,¡± Annie corrected. Se¨¢n sprang to his feet in shock, looked to Jon for guidance, and then, realizing there was nowhere to go and nothing to be done, sank back into the chair dolefully. Jon leaned forward to reach for Se¨¢n¡¯s hand. His brother clasped it desperately, and together they listened to the rest of what Annie was saying. ¡°A red messaging bird arrived just before I left. The king demanded his execution and when Gunnar charged at him in anger, the king killed him, but not before he got the king with Jon¡¯s sword.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Se¨¢n muttered, unable to comprehend the turn of events. ¡°Why are we all suddenly dying? Is our father dead?¡± ¡°How¡¯d he get my sword?¡± Jon asked, having trouble processing the information himself. ¡°From Sargent MacDonald¡¯s dead stomach,¡± Annie said, still speaking softly. ¡°The king is badly injured, perhaps fatally injured, but I have not heard that he has died. It¡¯s imperative now more than ever, that one of you step up to be king if we¡¯re going to end the unholy magi.¡± ¡°Start a council or something,¡± Padraig commented. ¡°It works here in SnakeIn. Why can¡¯t it work throughout Midhe Nuae?¡± Annie bit her lip as she considered his suggestion. Thundering footsteps sounded on the stairs, and Tom raced into the room, Healer Callahan and Watcher Lynch behind him. Fia rose to her feet to defend them against the new intruder but resumed sitting when Jon¡¯s hand waved downward in front of her. ¡°Annie, are you okay? Alec? Jon? What¡¯s going on,¡± Tom asked loudly, the words faltering over his tongue. ¡°Why are so many of the Armed Watch here? Who broke the door? Se¨¢n! Se¨¢n, were you attacked again? Or you Jon?¡± ¡°Annie tried to kidnap Jon and kill Alec so she could make Jon king,¡± Se¨¢n clarified matter-of-factly. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°You what!¡± Tom said as he stumbled forward to where Annie was sitting. Healer Callahan tried unsuccessfully to push Tom aside so that he could get to his patient but was forced to step back to let the storm pass. Padraig singled out Watchers Lynch and Logan to stay and then sent the rest of the Watchers to their other duties. ¡°You make it sound criminal,¡± came Annie¡¯s retort. ¡°You know that we need one of them: Jon or Se¨¢n.¡± ¡°It is criminal. What is your problem, Annie?¡± Tom asked angrily. ¡°Where is the person I married? The woman who hid under a wagonload of willow branches to gain her own freedom? Why can¡¯t you accept that other people have choices, too? SnakeIn can be an evil city where monstrous things happen, but the people who live here have choices.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve abdicated, Tom,¡± she spat out, leaping to her feet. ¡°Both of them. We¡¯ve got no one to hold up to the people as a fresh hope. Without a ruler, a leader for the ordinary person to get behind, we¡¯ll lose everything. They already love Jon. They¡¯re ready to revolt because of what happened. It¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°Figgict,¡± Tom yelled. He clenched his fist, his face turned scarlet, and suddenly he spun around and crashed a fist into the wall. Annie leaned backward in shock, almost tipping the chair over. Padraig darted between them and held out his arms as a barrier. Tom held his breath for a split second and then continued, ¡°Can you blame them, Annie? Both of their older brothers were mutilated and killed. Their father ¨C he¡¯s your father, too ¨C is permanently deformed and sick most of the time. There¡¯s nothing there for anyone honest and compassionate.¡± Annie stared at him without responding, so Healer Callahan used the stand-off to seize his chance. ¡°Mrs. Jarek, please roll up your sleeve.¡± Noticing the healer for the first time, she tugged at her sleeve obediently. When he probed the area with his fingers, Annie¡¯s face paled and she started to lose consciousness. She began to tip sideways out of the chair, and Callahan called out, ¡°Tom, a little help here, please.¡± Tom didn¡¯t move. Instead, he stood with his feet apart and his fists clenched as if he were about to charge into battle. Alec flicked his gaze between Jon, Se¨¢n, and Padraig, and then stepped forward himself and held Annie upright. When Callahan was satisfied that the bones were realigned, he painted a cast on her arm and fashioned a sling for her. Healer Callahan stood and looked toward Tom to explain the care she would need, but when Tom didn¡¯t acknowledge him, he said to the room at large, ¡°She needs to keep from using that arm for the next several dimmings. Fortunately, the fracture is not as severe as it might have been if she had been hit with more force. I¡¯ll look at taking the cast-off in six dimmings, but it will take a very long time beyond that before it heals completely. Resting it is critical.¡± Callahan turned to Alec and added, ¡°If you¡¯ll roll up your sleeve, Alec, I¡¯ll see what¡¯s to be done for that bloody arm. ¡± The entire room waited in silence as Alec stood motionless while the cut was repaired. Callahan straightened at the end of his task and said, ¡°There. That will do it.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Alec responded politely. ¡°Tom, would you like us to make a good faith payment for Healer Callahan¡¯s services until you can get home and straighten things out?¡± ¡°I just came running,¡± Tom stammered uncertainly and began patting each of his pockets. Callahan held up the palm of his hand and said kindly ¡°Stop by when you can, Tom.¡± He nodded to the room at large, excused himself, and left the room. ¡°This does not change our relationship,¡± Tom said, trying to summon a kind look of friendship despite his anger. ¡°Unless you want nothing to do with us anymore.¡± ¡°Annie has to stop,¡± Jon said. ¡°But you, Tom, are always welcome in our lives.¡± ¡°Annie, too,¡± Alec added. ¡°If she lets this go.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Erienne asked. ¡°Am I still welcome?¡± Jon ran his hand over his forehead, looked at Se¨¢n and Alec, and then said, ¡°You¡¯ve got several things to atone for, Erienne, and we have to set down some new rules, but yes, this is still your home.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t help her,¡± Tom countered. ¡°Not financially. I¡¯ll always help you Jon, Alec, Se¨¢n, but that traitor won¡¯t get a penny.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your decision to make,¡± Alec agreed. Looking at Erienne he continued, ¡°Tom makes a good point, Erienne. One you need to think about. Personally, I don¡¯t know when I will forgive you for endangering Jon again.¡± In his mind, the sounds of groaning and pleasure from the evening he heard Jon and Erienne together broke in waves against his thoughts. He tried to ignore them. ¡°And I don¡¯t know how we¡¯ll go on from here, practically speaking, Erienne, but we need to work with each other not against each other.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stop the financial support for the rest of you,¡± Tom reiterated. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t anyway, since that was part of what Harry¡­Holy King Harrison stipulated when he arranged everything. Members of our family who escaped were to be helped in any way possible, but especially financially.¡± ¡°Thank you, Tom,¡± Alec replied as Jon and Se¨¢n agreed. ¡°Technically, all Erienne did this time was let Annie know about the abdication,¡± Jon pointed out to Alec and the room at large. ¡°That will be public knowledge soon anyway.¡± Alec shrugged and nodded, both at once. As he did, Annie realized for the first time that the person she had tried to kill only a few minutes prior was the one to come to her aid. She lifted her head and shoulders away from Alec and shifted her eyes to Tom in confusion. Tom didn¡¯t meet her gaze. Freed of Annie¡¯s weight, Alec strode over to where Erienne still sat on her cot, folded his arms across his chest, and said, ¡°Tell us about your daughter. How old is she?¡± ¡°Two.¡± ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Alannah.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t she living here with you?¡± ¡°It was too risky,¡± Erienne admitted without looking up. ¡°It seemed safer to leave my baby with my old neighbor, the one who took care of Fia when I was looking for customers. I don¡¯t like the way she treats Alannah, but I didn¡¯t have any other options. Now I don¡¯t have a way to pay her.¡± Alec tossed a questioning glance over his shoulder toward Jon and Se¨¢n and then he strode over to his duffel bag. Rummaging into the depths of it he retrieved a sizable, but not large, pouch of coins, strode back over to Erienne, and asked, trying to sound stern and kind simultaneously, ¡°How much do you owe her?¡± Erienne continued to look at the floor and mumbled, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. No one will ever want Alannah. Her skin isn¡¯t soft like most people¡¯s. It¡¯s tough, and her eyes are nearly hidden behind those lashes. She¡¯s ugly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call her that,¡± Padraig objected. ¡°Those are simply characteristics of Midhe Nuae¡¯s original people.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen to her, now,¡± Erienne offered with despair. ¡°Tell me how much you owe the caregiver,¡± Alec repeated. ¡°This is the last of my savings. If there¡¯s enough here, I will pay off your debt and bring Alannah here to live with us.¡± Erienne¡¯s head sprang up. ¡°You would do that?¡± ¡°The child needs a home,¡± Jon interjected. ¡°She could have moved in as soon as you did. You have a lot to make up for, but the child is blameless. We¡¯ll make space for her.¡± Erienne ducked her head to wipe tears, while Jon mouthed at Alec with guilty concern, ¡°The last of your savings?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you like how the caregiver treats your daughter?¡± Padraig asked. ¡°Bruises. Sometimes I find bruises,¡± Erienne answered. ¡°And she weeps so pathetically when I leave after a visit. It makes me afraid that there¡¯s more.¡± ¡°Bruises?¡± Padraig said with abhorrence. ¡°Let us know when you go to get her, Alec. If I¡¯m available, I¡¯ll go with you. Otherwise, two Watchers will join you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go just as soon as we¡¯re done here,¡± Alec replied. ¡°Erienne, you¡¯ll come, too.¡± ¡°Oh, please,¡± Annie said impatiently. ¡°We have an entire kingdom to gain control of and all of you are whining about a snotty-nosed brat.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t Annie,¡± Tom warned. ¡°Do not.¡± ¡°We need to talk about Ava,¡± Annie plunged on. ¡°The Most Revered is the pinnacle of all the evil in Midhe Nuae. She controls everyone, regardless of what they want in their lives.¡± ¡°Like you do?¡± Tom asked bluntly. ¡°You¡¯re just as bad. Maybe worse because you¡¯re not running a kingdom. As evil as she is, that¡¯s at least part of what¡¯s behind her actions. You¡¯re just demanding people do whatever you tell them to.¡± Jon and Se¨¢n rose from their chairs and started to step toward the argument. Alec stepped between them and Annie, waving at them to move back. Fia stood and placed herself in front of Jon protectively. As Annie bit her bottom lip pensively and stepped toward Tom, Padraig said, ¡°First Contingent, you are under arrest for attempted kidnapping and attempted murder.¡± ¡°Padraig wait,¡± Alec interjected. ¡°There¡¯s another way.¡± He kept his arms outstretched to prevent either Se¨¢n or Jon from moving closer to Annie, but said calmly, ¡°The entire Contingent is royalty. Stop and look at yourselves. There¡¯s bound to be a leader among you. Think about what Tom just said. Why don¡¯t you rule? You could be the king and run the kingdom. That¡¯s a natural extension of what you are doing now.¡± ¡°Men rule,¡± she replied, calmness returning to her voice. ¡°Women become priests, magi.¡± ¡°The king is not ruling. Ava Most Revered is. More importantly, why does that matter?¡± Alec asked. ¡°You¡¯re already doing things that have never been done before.¡± Padraig moved toward Alec and the others while Tom stepped closer to his wife. He squeezed her uninjured arm and said, in almost a whisper, ¡°You¡¯d be a good queen, Annie. You understand how all of it works, and how much better it all could work. I think Alec¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± she asked softly, raising her eyes to his. ¡°Yes,¡± he responded, his fury draining and his affection for his wife returning. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she said, bluntly. When Craig and Rory came up to the attic that evening hauling a new door, they found Alec with his shoes off and his feet on the footstool with Jon¡¯s. Alannah sat on Alec¡¯s lap, but every few minutes the pretty child would change her mind and beg to be held by Jon and the two obligingly handed the fussy baby back and forth. Se¨¢n sprawled on the floor with his back leaning against Fia and worked, inexpertly, on fletching. From time to time he held up a shaft and feathers to Alec, asked for advice, then settled back to his task. Alec wondered if all of SnakeIn had heard the curses of the woman who had been providing childcare when Padraig confronted her and refused to allow anyone to pay her. He was sure that stress was the reason Erienne had complained of a bad headache. She was resting on her own cot, leaving Jon and Alec to attend to Alannah who had been crying off and on since they had brought her home. As they sat with the frightened, unhappy toddler, Alec said, ¡°We can¡¯t raise a child, Jon.¡± ¡°You saw how bad the conditions were,¡± Jon responded. Alec nodded his agreement and began to sing a lullaby softly in his deep, velvety baritone: The suns are sleeping, my beautiful child. Tomorrow is waiting, my beautiful child. Sleep, my child, slumber, my love, Tomorrow is waiting for my beautiful child. The song calmed Alannah and she contentedly stuck her fingers into her mouth. Before long she used the wet fingers to climb across Alec¡¯s legs, over the footstool, and into Jon¡¯s lap where she sagged trustingly against Jon¡¯s chest. ¡°That was a pretty song,¡± Craig Docherty said as he and Callen hauled the door in. ¡°We could hear you as we came up the stairs. Did your mother sing that to you?¡± ¡°My father,¡± Alec responded, blushing. ¡°My own mother passed when I was too young to remember.¡± ¡°You could probably pick up some extra coin singing in the pub downstairs,¡± Craig continued. ¡°If you want to, that is.¡± He noticed his son wrinkling his nose and glared a fatherly warning at the youth to stay silent, but said, ¡°Callen, lad, run down and ask your mother for some of the cloth naps she keeps in case any guests have a child who needs changing. We have one here.¡± The youth trotted quickly down the stairs. Jon and Alec looked at each other, and then Alec cleared his throat and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What did the new door cost? I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± Craig shook his head but didn¡¯t smile and didn¡¯t shift his concentration from repairing the door frame. ¡°Wasn¡¯t you who broke it. Annie has a way about her, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 32 Bounty Chapter 32 Bounty #46¡¯s mother was angry and came after us, of course. The older Prince Eaters fought her off. Before anyone was seriously hurt, though, the magi separated them. She was still alive when they took her somewhere else. ¨C Prince Eater #34 Liam and Grace appeared at the inn a dimming later. Liam had his quarterstaffs tied across his back, while his younger sister clutched her new slate tightly. They entered the pub tentatively, and when Craig Doherty scowled at them, Grace ducked behind her brother for protection. Liam quickly asked if Mr. Jon and Mr. Se¨¢n Holdingfree might be available to help them with practice. Craig Doherty blinked in surprise and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send Rory up to ask. In the meantime, please wait in either the dining room or out in front of the inn. It isn¡¯t suitable for the little girl to be in the pub.¡± They walked hesitantly into the dining room and waited until Se¨¢n came bounding down the stairs. As he neared the bottom he called out, ¡°Grace! Liam! It¡¯s so good that you¡¯ve decided to take us up on our offer. Alec will bring Jon downstairs shortly.¡± Grace¡¯s smile widened when she heard Se¨¢n¡¯s voice, then spread from ear to ear when he came through the door. She tugged on her brother¡¯s sleeve and asked, ¡°Liam, am I supposed to bow?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Se¨¢n replied before Liam could speak. ¡°We¡¯re best friends, and this is my home.¡± ¡°I have more arithmetic,¡± Grace said with a plea in her voice. ¡°Momma wrote them out for me to do earlier today, but I don¡¯t understand them.¡± ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Se¨¢n asked. ¡°No, thank you,¡± Grace said, glancing down to the left. ¡°Yes, she is,¡± Liam spoke up. ¡°Our mother refused to let her have breakfast again. I don¡¯t know how she expects Grace to be able to figure anything out when she¡¯s so hungry.¡± Craig Docherty had been standing just outside the door, waiting to indicate to Se¨¢n that he didn¡¯t want the little girl in the pub again, but as soon as he heard Liam¡¯s response, he said, ¡°Well, don¡¯t you worry about it, Grace dear. My Kenzie is in the kitchen cooking right now. We¡¯ll fix you something straight away. Se¨¢n, there¡¯s at least another hour before customers start coming for a midday meal, so go ahead and set up anywhere. I¡¯ll be right back with something for your friends.¡± As Se¨¢n helped Grace into a chair and she set her small bits of chalk beside her slate, Liam spoke up, ¡°You said that someone would bring Mr. Holdingfree down. Is he all right?¡± ¡°He is,¡± Se¨¢n said, smiling congenially. ¡°Stairs are still difficult for him, so his husband carries him. Well, Jon comes down or goes up as far as he can, and then Alec helps him the rest of the way. Every day he does a little better, goes a little farther.¡± ¡°Alec,¡± Liam said pensively, and then asked, ¡°Alec Mulrian? The Legendary Royal Archer?¡± ¡°Holdingfree, the Broke and Ordinary,¡± Alec said from the doorway. Jon stood next to him leaning heavily on his cane. Liam¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment, and he stammered, ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry. I did it again.¡± ¡°Liam, you simply have to learn how to behave yourself,¡± Grace admonished her 17-year-old brother seriously. Se¨¢n, Jon, and Alec burst into laughter, and then Jon hobbled forward and dropped one arm over Liam¡¯s shoulders, and inquired, ¡°How¡¯s the sparring going?¡± Liam swallowed to regain his composure and answered, ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone to practice with. I just pretend that someone is fighting me and follow the movements you taught me.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve come to the right place, at the right time,¡± Jon responded. ¡°I¡¯m in a little too much pain today, but Alec the Broke and Ordinary is actually better at fighting than I am. He¡¯s done it for real, and he¡¯ll be happy to train with you. Let¡¯s go on out back.¡± ¡°Mama told me that you have a daughter now,¡± Grace spoke up hastily before the men could walk away. ¡°Can she come out and play with me after I do my math?¡± Jon winced remembering how the other girls in the park had ridiculed Grace. He smiled at her and said, ¡°She is much younger than you are. She¡¯s only two.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Grace responded sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll be happy to play with you, though¡± Alec chimed in encouragingly. ¡°You would need to treat her as if you are her big sister since she¡¯s so little. But I think she will be happy to be friends with you.¡± Grace brightened at that, so Jon headed toward the door, asking over his shoulder, ¡°Se¨¢n, are you coming?¡± ¡°Not just yet,¡± Se¨¢n answered. ¡°I¡¯m going to work with Grace on her arithmetic. Maybe we¡¯ll come out when that¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Will you teach me how to fight, too, Mr. Broke?¡± Grace asked. ¡°Mr. Broke,¡± Jon laughed. ¡°Good one, Grace. Good one.¡± The girl looked at Se¨¢n in confusion and he whispered, ¡°His name is Holdingfree. Broke and Ordinary was a joke.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she answered. After a moment she looked at Alec and said sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, no don¡¯t be,¡± Alec answered kindly. ¡°Mr. Broke is as good of a description for me as anything else. And yes, I¡¯ll be happy to show you some defensive moves you can use.¡± ¡°Coming through,¡± Craig Docherty called from behind Jon and Alec. When they stepped aside, he hurried into the dining room with two plates of food on one arm, a glass of milk in one hand, and a small mug of ale in the other. He set the food on the table next to where Grace¡¯s slate and remnants of chalk were laid out and gestured for her and Liam to sit. ¡°The fighting and the numbers can wait until you two have eaten,¡± he encouraged. ¡°Se¨¢n, there¡¯s a large slate and boxes of chalk in the storage room back of the kitchen. Kenzie saves everything. Rory and Callen used it when they were Grace¡¯s age. You¡¯re welcome to them, and they will give you more space to write.¡± Se¨¢n jumped to his feet and said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Docherty.¡± He leaned way over so that one ear was pointed directly at Grace, arched an eyebrow at her, and waited. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Docherty,¡± Grace obliged. Se¨¢n smiled his approval and left to search for the larger slate. Grace looked at the food in front of her with such longing that Craig cajoled kindly, ¡°Go on, Hon. Eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Go ahead and eat with your sister,¡± Jon agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll be out back when you¡¯re ready. Alec, would you bring Liam¡¯s quarterstaffs? That way he can relax while he eats.¡± Alec crossed the room, so Liam drew the weapons off his back. When he surrendered them, Alec smiled reassuringly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of them.¡± With one more nod to Liam, who still seemed uncomfortable, Jon and Alec left the siblings to their meal. Se¨¢n returned before they were finished, so he quietly moved a table against the wall so he could dust off the slate, lean it up to write on, and then busied himself arranging the chalk and eraser. Once everything was ready, he took up Grace¡¯s slate to review the problems Mrs. McCreesh had assigned her. Liam was so eager to spar with Alec that he gulped down his food and hurriedly gathered his dishes to take them to the kitchen. ¡°Go left down the hall,¡± Se¨¢n instructed. ¡°Say something nice to Mrs. Docherty when you drop off the dishes, and then head out the back door. Jon and Alec will be right there somewhere.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Se¨¢n and Grace focused on her arithmetic for nearly the full hour before patrons began to file into the dining room for the midday meal. Se¨¢n asked Grace to gather up the chalk while he returned the table and chairs to their original spots, and quickly took Grace¡¯s dishes to the kitchen. When he returned she had secured the box of chalk and her small slate in her bag and was waiting for him. ¡°We¡¯ll put this away later on, so we won¡¯t be in Mrs. Docherty¡¯s way,¡± Se¨¢n told Grace he as tucked the large slate under one arm. He and Grace held hands as they walked to the back garden where Liam and Alec were sparring intensely. Se¨¢n and Grace sat beside Jon on one of the back garden benches to watch. After a few minutes, some of the inn¡¯s patrons also gathered to enjoy the practice battle. When Jon called for the two fighters to break, Alec and Liam bowed respectfully to each other and walked toward the bench to sit. A gentleman with two teenage sons stepped up to Alec and said, ¡°Good afternoon. My name is Lachlan O''Hara. I am wondering if you are accepting new pupils. Both of my sons are interested in learning proper fighting techniques.¡± ¡°I, um¡­¡± Alec stammered. ¡°I¡¯m happy to pay, of course,¡± Lachlan interjected. ¡°I don¡¯t have money to pay,¡± a woman standing nearby spoke up. ¡°But I would be happy to exchange something with you so that my son can learn, too. My name is Catrin Evans. My son is Morgan. I could sew up some nice shirts for you, or baby clothes ¨C I heard you have a baby now and growing babies always need clothes. Or I could trade some jars of my beet nut preserves. Beet nuts have an abundance of protein and in preserves, they soften and are easier to chew.¡± As Alec drowned in the impatient looks from the small crowd who were now intent on his answer, he glanced toward Jon for guidance. Erienne said from the kitchen doorway, ¡°You¡¯ve asked at the perfect time. He just opened the training calendar for this season. He¡¯s an expert in other areas too, such as archery.¡± Jon and Se¨¢n both laughed at the look on Alec¡¯s face when he realized that Erienne had outmaneuvered him into accepting students and that there was no turning back. Rolling her eyes at the two brothers, Erienne brought Alannah over to where Grace was sitting and set the baby beside her. Alannah tipped her head to look at Grace, and then smiled and held out one finger to touch Grace¡¯s cheek. The girl laughed and touched the baby¡¯s cheek. The baby touched Grace¡¯s nose, and then Grace touched the baby¡¯s nose, which made Alannah giggle. They played that way until Erienne gestured toward the large slate Se¨¢n had removed from the dining room, and asked, ¡°Grace, dear, would you take down these people¡¯s information so that the master will be able to make a record of it when he returns to his office? It was a good thing you brought this along, that was very clever of you.¡± The little girl smiled proudly, jumped to her feet, and eagerly started to print out the names and contact information. Fia, who had followed Erienne outside, was thrilled to see her young friend again and waited beside the girl as if the wolfhound would help Grace with her printing. Alannah pulled at Fia¡¯s fur and batted her affectionately, then decided to lean against the dog to sleep. Fia obligingly moved closer to the bench. Alec was soon teaching three groups of students daily. One group would assemble early in the morning before the students had to head home to do their chores and the other students would gather in the evening after their chores were complete. His third group of pupils was an assortment of girls around Grace¡¯s age whose mothers wanted them to be able to defend themselves. Aside from the obvious value of the extra income and various items he had accepted as tuition, Alec found that by once again using the skills he¡¯d trained in all his life, he¡¯d begun to feel better about himself. Simultaneously, children in the neighborhood began to come to the inn asking for help with their studies. Many of them were being taught at home and tutoring had never been available to them before Se¨¢n began helping Grace. Se¨¢n started meeting with pupils in the dining room between mealtimes. When either Se¨¢n or Alec had more students than could be readily taught alone, Jon found himself assisting. Between that and parenting Alannah, Jon steadily began to return to his former, happier self. The days settled into a comfortable routine for the makeshift family in the little attic room. Se¨¢n tutored children with their studies daily. Alec was in demand as a trainer and needed to occasionally add extra sessions. Alannah continued to cling to her favorite Papa Jon, and even Erienne seemed happier without Annie¡¯s pressure hovering over her. One morning while Alec shaved him, Jon asked, ¡°What are you up to today? I¡¯d like to go outside if you¡¯re not too busy. Walk for a bit. Sit in the shade on the inn¡¯s front porch.¡± ¡°I¡¯m never too busy for you,¡± Alec responded sincerely. ¡°I¡¯m almost done here, so we can go out in a few minutes.¡± Alec and Se¨¢n helped Jon downstairs, and then Se¨¢n and Fia headed to the kitchen in the hope of getting a snack or finding Rory and Callen. Jon and Alec sat on the veranda for several minutes while Jon caught his breath. Alannah clung to Jon and babbled incessantly in that universal toddler language understandable only to them. The three strolled through the neighborhood without any particular destination, Alannah dashing from pebble to flower to stick, fascinated by everything. The two men allowed the tapping of Jon¡¯s cane to say all that needed to be said between them. When they returned to the inn, they sat on the porch again, until they thought enough time had gone by that Erienne would have completed her morning routine and was dressed. Jon climbed halfway up the second flight of stairs before he wore out and allowed Alec to take him the rest of the way. ¡°Are you going to be around, Erienne?¡± Alec asked as he set Jon on his feet and paused to be sure Jon was steady. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about shopping for some clothes and a couple of things we need. If you plan to be out, however, I can go another time. Alannah is taking a nap. Se¨¢n has students coming by, but he says he¡¯ll be up here afterward.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to take a nap, too,¡± Jon contributed. ¡°I won¡¯t need much looking after while I¡¯m asleep.¡± ¡°Still,¡± Alec responded. ¡°I don¡¯t have to go today if Erienne has plans of her own.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any particular plans,¡± Erienne answered. ¡°I¡¯m happy to stay here with Jon this afternoon. It will give me a chance to work on the blanket I¡¯m knitting.¡± Alec strolled along the crowded sidewalks of Market Lane on his way to Second Chance Clothiers. Alannah, Se¨¢n, and Erienne were squared away for the moment, however, Jon was finally starting to regain weight and needed a new wardrobe. At the door of the used clothing shop, he paused to allow two customers to come out, and then entered and went straight to the best garments at the rear of the shop. Jon¡¯s recovery was proving to be an ongoing challenge to their finances, but for Alec the alternative was unthinkable. He would deny himself something, rather than see Jon ill-dressed or having to make do. Jon was strong enough to walk the sidewalks of the neighborhood, interact with students, or socialize with other guests of the inn. In Alec¡¯s mind that good news brought with it the urgency of Jon having a wardrobe suitable for a former prince. He pushed aside his reverie and focused on his task when a finely made cotton shirt caught Alec¡¯s attention. He purchased that shirt and two similar ones, along with three sets of trousers. With his purchases wrapped securely in paper and string, Alec turned toward home, hoping Jon would want to sit in the more private garden behind the inn before Alec¡¯s evening students came by. The sidewalk was even more crowded than it had been earlier, and the slow progress was trying Alec¡¯s patience. He had managed to go only a few blocks when Erienne¡¯s voice caught his ear. Alec paused and retraced his steps, hoping that he was mistaken. He stopped to scrutinize the narrow lane where he had heard her voice. Between the used furniture store and the tinker¡¯s shop, he saw her. The soft breeze caught her hair while her eyes and smile were radiant. One of her hands rested tenderly on the arm of the Commander of the Magi Soldiers. He¡¯d eschewed his uniform for rough work clothes and covered his baldness with a flat cap, but he was still, unmistakably, the hardened commander. ¡°Erienne!¡± A few passersby turned at Alec¡¯s audible gasp, curious, but not overly interested. Erienne, herself, gave no indication that she¡¯d heard at all. When she moved close to the officer, he wrapped one arm around her waist and Alec heard him say clearly, ¡°You¡¯ve done well, Eri. We don¡¯t need Jon since we managed to get Se¨¢n. You were right to get in touch.¡± ¡°I expect the bounty for both Jon and Se¨¢n from the Most Revered,¡± Erienne declared as she moved more closely to the commander. ¡°I gave you both of them.¡± ¡°You did,¡± the Commander of the Magi Soldiers agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll see you get your full reward.¡± Alec spun on his heels, tucked his package closer to his chest, and raced through the crowd toward The Exiled Soldier, sometimes pushing folks to one side, other times jumping over children. Uncharacteristically, Alec wasted no precious time apologizing, or acknowledging whispers of ¡°That¡¯s the Archer!¡± Behind him, in the narrow lane, directly between the used furniture store and the tinker¡¯s shop, the Commander of the Magi Soldiers pulled Erienne against him. A second soldier stepped from the shadow with a length of coiled wire. As the commander placed a warm, deep kiss on Erienne¡¯s mouth, the second soldier tucked the wire between the couple, snapped it taunt, and garroted Erienne. The commander held her arms immobile and gazed unflinchingly into her eyes while she died. The tinker looked up from her work just as the commander pushed Erienne¡¯s limp body away. Springing to her feet, the tinker shouted, ¡°Murder! They¡¯ve killed her!¡± In the City of SnakeIn, this would not always be enough to gain anyone¡¯s attention, but one of the passersby who turned toward the commotion bellowed, ¡°They¡¯re Magi Soldiers. The one with the hat is their commander!¡± Another voice hollered, ¡°I saw him at the Ritual! He kept them from rescuing Reginald and Ethan. Get him!¡± SnakeIn residents poured from the shops and ran from other streets into the narrow lane brandishing whatever weapon came to hand: clubs, sticks, boards, knives, and in the tinker¡¯s case, a heavy iron kettle which she bounced off the back of the commander¡¯s head, dropping him to the sidewalk. The second soldier turned to run only to find the other end of the lane packed with more of the angry mob. As half of the throng pulverized the downed Commander of the Magi Soldiers, the rest pounded and beat the trapped soldier until the narrow lane ran red with vengeance. Alec didn¡¯t stop running until he was at the top of the four flights of stairs where members of the Armed Watch stood guard. One of them opened the door as Alec raced up and waved for him to hurry through. Craig Docherty and Padraig MacGavin were crouched beside a body that had Jon¡¯s phoenix-topped cane embedded in its head. Rory was quietly picking up scattered clothing and broken dishes. Callen was carefully collecting the broken glass from Jon¡¯s medicine bottles while Kenzie mopped blood from the floor. Liam McCreesh perched on the edge of Alec¡¯s cot holding his sister Grace and Alannah as the two children sobbed intensely. Jon sat in the center of the room cradling Fia¡¯s dead body and crying. Se¨¢n was nowhere to be seen. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 33 Prize Chapter 33 Prize My parents love me. They have always protected and cared for me no matter who attacked me. ¨C Prince Eater #34 When Alec dropped to his knees beside his husband, Jon muttered to him in shock, ¡°She saved my life. I thought she had gone out with you or Erienne, but she was sleeping on Erienne¡¯s cot. Se¨¢n screamed when the first intruder came through the door, and she came flying from behind the curtain. She sank her teeth into one of the men wrestling with Se¨¢n. The attacker booted Fia, bowling her over. She scrambled back onto her feet and leaped at the intruder who was trying to sink his knife into me. He let go of me long enough for me to hit the second one with my cane. I tried to get to Se¨¢n, but I was attacked again. Alannah darted through the chaos to the top of the stairs, and began screeching at the top of her lungs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we came running,¡± Craig commented. ¡°Personally, I think the baby and Fia together saved Jon¡¯s life. Possibly Se¨¢n¡¯s too. If she hadn¡¯t screamed, they may have continued to fight with him here. Se¨¢n isn¡¯t the type to surrender.¡± ¡°When I realized that one of the men was kneeling on Fia, I threw myself at him,¡± Jon continued. ¡°My weight was enough to free her, but when he raised his knife again, Fia heaved herself between us. I think she was trying to get to the man¡¯s throat. The knife is still in her heart. I¡­I didn¡¯t have the courage to remove it.¡± Jon leaned against Alec who wrapped his arms around his husband and rocked gently without speaking. Craig and Padraig had risen to their feet when Alec entered, and as Jon fell silent, Padraig added, ¡°Callen alerted the Watch and we moved like lightning to get here.¡± ¡°Grace and I saw them dragging Se¨¢n toward the roof,¡± Liam spoke up sadly. ¡°We had just gotten to the top of the stairs when the door flew open. Grace launched herself into the knees of one of the abductors, knocking him down, so I tried to wrestle the others off Se¨¢n. The man struggling with Grace tried to toss her down the stairs, so I ran to help her.¡± The youth took a steadying breath and admitted, ¡°I couldn¡¯t save them both.¡± ¡°You made the right choice,¡± Craig Docherty reassured him. ¡°It was a difficult situation. Your sister was in danger of being killed. She¡¯s fine because of your actions, and there is still hope for Se¨¢n.¡± Padraig kicked the dead intruder viciously and added, ¡°This one won¡¯t be trying to kidnap anyone else.¡± ¡°The thing is,¡± Craig spoke up. ¡°We have no idea where to start looking for Se¨¢n.¡± ¡°Hilltown,¡± Alec stated, his voice drained. ¡°They took him for the Ritual.¡± Jon moaned softly. ¡°Padraig, you need to talk with Annie and Tom,¡± Alec continued. ¡°We need to find out if they were fooled, too. She is working for the Most Revered. I saw her with the Commander of the Magi Soldiers when I was on my way home from shopping. They looked as if they were lovers, and he promised her that the Most Revered would pay her the bounty for both Jon and Se¨¢n.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t heard,¡± Padraig said as he shuffled his feet and looked at the floor. ¡°Magi Soldiers executed her. People nearby came to her defense and beat the two soldiers to death, but they were too late to save her. I was on my way here because of Se¨¢n when a watcher caught up with me to let me know.¡± ¡°Figgict,¡± Jon muttered. He threw himself on the floor again with his face buried in his arms. ¡°Figgict.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know, Jon,¡± Alec comforted. He brushed one hand through Jon¡¯s hair. ¡°None of us knew.¡± ¡°But I¡­I¡­.¡± his voice trailed off. ¡°I know,¡± Alec responded. ¡°I¡¯ve known for a while.¡± ¡°Yet¡­you¡­you,¡± Jon stammered, raising his head to look at his husband. Jon dropped his head back down, his shoulders trembled and his sobs grew more intense. ¡°Hush,¡± Alec said kindly as he rubbed Jon¡¯s back. ¡°Hush. We¡¯ll be okay. We¡¯ll work it out. Right now, we¡¯ve got to see Fia honored with a proper burial and figure out how we are going to rescue Se¨¢n. That¡¯s our priority.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send a runner to Annie and Tom, and then have him get replacements for Jon¡¯s medication,¡± Padraig announced. He stuck his head out the door to give instructions to the Armed Watch in the hallway, and then added, ¡°Gather all of the Armed Watch and send them to the pub downstairs immediately.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll clear the pub so that we can hold a meeting there,¡± Craig added. ¡°Callen can finish up here,¡± Kenzie chimed in. ¡°I¡¯ll get some food cooked and tap a fresh keg for those who attend.¡± ¡°Grace and I will watch the baby,¡± Liam volunteered. Padraig and Craig thumped the attacker¡¯s body down the four flights of stairs while Rory conducted Fia respectfully to the back garden. While Callen stayed behind to continue cleaning, Kenzie held her apron folded so that it covered the broken dishes and pieces of shattered glass so she could take them to the bins outside. Alec followed behind them with one arm supporting Jon. Halfway down he paused to allow the others to move well ahead of them and then whispered softly ¡°Jon. Dear Jon, please. You¡¯re crying so hard. You¡¯ll hurt the wound on your face. Please, Jon.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°I didn¡¯t deserve Fia. She shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± Jon muttered. ¡°And I shouldn¡¯t have, shouldn¡¯t have¡­you know.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Alec said, trying to reassure him. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have. I didn¡¯t mean to. I was¡­I was asleep, and I thought it was you. I woke up and it wasn¡¯t. We¡­again¡­but¡­I mean, but none of that matters because¡­because I hurt you.¡± ¡°Yes, you did,¡± Alec responded gently. He encouraged Jon to sit down on a step and then sat next to him, before continuing, ¡°Jon, this past onslaught of time has been horrible. Mistakes were bound to happen. The path you¡¯ve had to walk has been much harder than mine. You are a prince, and everything you knew or believed in has been torn away. You¡¯ve lost your health, your family, home, loved ones, prestige, financial security¡­¡± ¡°You. I¡¯ve lost you.¡± Alec wrapped Jon in an embrace and said softly, ¡°Put your head against my shoulder and rest. I¡¯ll hold you safely. You¡¯re sore. You¡¯re tired. You¡¯re grieving. You haven¡¯t lost me. I love you more today than I did yesterday, and tomorrow I will love you more than that. You¡¯re safe.¡± Jon leaned against Alec until his tears subsided, and then Alec helped him the rest of the way downstairs and to where Rory had nearly prepared the grave. Alec finished the last of the digging, and together the two lowered Fia gently to her final rest. Kenzie appeared from the kitchen and by unspoken agreement was the one to eulogize Fia¡¯s noble sacrifice and say a short prayer for the wolfhound. Jon stood silently by the grave for several minutes and then put his arm over Alec¡¯s shoulder to walk back to their room. Alec strolled beside him until Jon nodded, and then Alec lifted his husband and took him to their small home. When they made it to the top of the stairs, Alec carried Jon into the room rather than putting him on his feet in the hall as he would normally do. Callen was gone and he had taken all the cleaning supplies with him. The curtain sectioning off Erienne¡¯s small area was gone, and her clothes were folded neatly on her cot. All the beds were made with fresh linens, the cushions on the chairs were in place, and the small window was opened to let air circulate. Even Jon¡¯s cane had been washed and polished. Alec had no idea how the youth could have gotten all of that done in the short time they were downstairs unless Liam and Grace had helped him. Grace and Alannah were asleep on Alec¡¯s cot while Liam sat next to them in the uncomfortable wooden chair, the strain of the ordeal lining his youthful face. Alec strode across the room, and as soon as he set Jon gently on his bed, Jon rolled so that his face was against the wall. As he did so, Catrin Evans and Morgan appeared in the open doorway. When Alec looked toward her, she said softly, ¡°I heard about what¡¯s happened, so I came right away. Healer Callahan is delivering a baby ¨C a rough delivery. Do you need him urgently?¡± Jon shook his head without turning toward them, so Alec said, ¡°No, thank you for thinking of that. Jon seems to be only bruised.¡± Catrin smiled comfortingly and continued, ¡°Padraig says not to worry about your students. It¡¯s too late to send word to them so he will work with them himself. I know you¡¯ll go after Se¨¢n, so I¡¯ll care for the baby while you¡¯re gone. She can¡¯t go with you, and she knows me and Morgan already. She¡¯ll be safe with us, and my other children can help look after her. She won¡¯t be alone, and she won¡¯t be neglected. I know it isn¡¯t an easy choice to make, but when it comes down to it, what else can you do? Se¨¢n needs you. SnakeIn stands by you and Jon.¡± When Alec nodded in agreement, she walked over to Liam and said as she took the baby into her arms, ¡°You bring your sister, Liam. Morgan will bring along some of the baby¡¯s things, and let your mother know that you are resting safely at my place.¡± ¡°Our mother doesn¡¯t care where we are,¡± Liam responded automatically. ¡°She never has. She only comes around long enough to be mean to Grace and then she leaves again.¡± ¡°Well, Morgan and I care. And so do Jon and Alec,¡± Catrin replied. ¡°Right now, Jon and Alec need privacy to talk and work out what they want to do next. It isn¡¯t because they don¡¯t care about you. They do.¡± ¡°We do,¡± Jon muttered toward the wall. ¡°Jon and I consider you part of our family,¡± Alec added. He rose and walked over to Liam. ¡°We appreciate that you¡¯re here for us.¡± Liam shrugged but rose obediently and lifted Grace from the bed. The mother of the student adjusted Alannah in her arms and tiptoed out the door. Liam followed, but paused long enough to say, ¡°I¡¯m going with the two of you and fighting for Se¨¢n.¡± After a moment, Alec closed the door, and then stretched out on the bed next to Jon, wrapped his arms around him so that Jon was resting against him, and quietly held him. Tara Citadel ¡°You are a hard-won prize, my dear prince. Two operatives and the commander of my soldiers, and that¡¯s just from today,¡± the Most Revered said as she walked in a slow circle around Se¨¢n, inspecting him. Turning her head toward one of the Magi Soldiers she ordered, ¡°Get him some better clothes. He¡¯s a prince, not a guttersnipe.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want your clothes,¡± Se¨¢n interjected, straightening his shoulders and standing taller. ¡°You would rather face your fate naked, Chosen?¡± she sneered. ¡°My fate isn¡¯t yours to determine,¡± Se¨¢n disagreed. ¡°I already abdicated, legally and completely. I have a closet full of clothes provided by my father, the Holy King, but know that I would indeed walk naked rather than be anything that you want me to be. I am proud to wear what I have on.¡± ¡°You¡¯re proud of those rags?¡± ¡°Alec worked hard to give me these clothes; worked out of love and respect, compassion and honor. All things you know nothing about, Least Revered.¡± She strolled over to an ornate desk, opened the top drawer, and retrieved all three copies of Se¨¢n¡¯s Declaration of Abdication. She held them up so that he could see them, and then held them against a candle flame until all that remained were ashes. Wiping her hands, she said, ¡°As pathetic as Erienne was, she did prove to be valuable in the end.¡± She laughed. ¡°Least Revered. Prince Reginald called me that, too. It¡¯s still funny, especially considering who had the last laugh.¡± ¡°Reggie and Ethan will have the last laugh,¡± Se¨¢n responded calmly. ¡°Through me. Eventually, you will realize that. Maybe not until your final breath, but you will realize it. Reggie had only two young brothers who didn¡¯t understand how evil you are until it was too late. I have an army.¡± ¡°What army? Jon Holdingfree, as he calls himself now? He isn¡¯t coming; he can¡¯t walk. Alec Holdingfree? He can¡¯t see past Jon. That silly girl, Erienne? She¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s good. As young as you are, you already have the self-confidence to be king,¡± the Most Revered assessed. She canted her head and studied the young prince for several, long moments, and then abruptly spun to the soldiers ringing the perimeter of the room. ¡°I said, get him some decent clothes.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 34 Declarations Chapter 34 Declarations Do you still see my parents? I hope they didn¡¯t leave. They¡¯re still there? That¡¯s good. I¡¯m not as nervous knowing that they are watching. I disappointed them once when I lost a fight with another young Prince Eater and they had to save me. I will not disappoint them again. ¨C Prince Eater #34 First Sun the next morning an early knock on the door roused Alec. He rubbed his eyes, dragged his hands through his hair, and glanced at Jon. Catrin had kept Alannah overnight, and this was the first time in many dimmings that he and Jon were alone. As often as he had wished that very thing, now it seemed wrong, empty, and incomplete. He rose, automatically buckled his knife at his waist, and strolled to the door. When he opened it, the Grays Commander was standing there in full battle dress and helmet. Beside him was a second Gray much smaller in stature. ¡°What do you want?¡± Alec challenged, his hand snapping to the knife. Gil Braeford removed his helmet and said, ¡°I want to go after Se¨¢n and want you to go with me.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t I see it?¡± Alec asked himself aloud. He took his hand from the hilt of his knife and rubbed his forehead with his fingers. ¡°You¡¯re the delivery man. You were spying on us, you piece of shit.¡± The smaller Gray cleared his throat and lifted off his helmet. Liam McCreesh grinned at Alec¡¯s astonishment. Gil and Liam stepped to one side to reveal Lachlan O¡¯Hara, his sons, and a group of Alec¡¯s other students. Alec¡¯s eyes skirted across them and he asked, ¡°Why are all of you here? Why are you dressed like that, Liam?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a member of the Armored Grays,¡± Liam explained proudly. ¡°Rory and I joined the Grays yesterday evening.¡± He waved to the entire assembly standing in the hall and added, ¡°We are going after Se¨¢n immediately and want you to go with us.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll execute us,¡± Alec snapped. ¡°And I won¡¯t see Jon killed, not even for Se¨¢n.¡± Gil Braeford shifted his weight from foot to foot, dipped his head in acknowledgment, but responded, ¡°I understand. The problem is that no one else will save the boy. He has you, Jon, and the Grays.¡± ¡°Annie is already gathering the Rebels,¡± Alec pointed out. ¡°Her help will be invaluable,¡± Gil concurred. ¡°However, she wants Jon or Se¨¢n to be king. She¡¯ll save him on her own terms, for her own reasons. If Annie saves him, we¡¯ll have to rescue him twice.¡± ¡°I see your point,¡± Alec agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you, but not Jon. I have to be certain that Jon is someplace secure first. I won¡¯t risk his life.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t your life to risk or not risk, Alec,¡± Jon interjected as he limped forward. ¡°I won¡¯t stand by idly while my last brother is destroyed. I tire easily. I have spasms of pain that I can¡¯t control. I can¡¯t always use my voice as well as I¡¯d like. I don¡¯t know how much use I can actually be, but I¡¯m going after Se¨¢n. The entire Kingdom of Midhe Nuae needs most of what Annie is after, and together I think we can help keep her under control.¡± Alec sighed his acceptance of Jon¡¯s decision, and then turned to Gil Braeford and asked, ¡°What¡¯s Se¨¢n to you, anyway?¡± ¡°My pledge to Harrison,¡± Gil answered. ¡°He knew Ava would alter him in ways he could neither predict nor prevent. He begged for and received unwavering fealty from us to his sons. All of the Grays are pledged to protect the princes, aid them, and preserve their lives, even at the cost of their own.¡± Gil¡¯s eyes moved to Jon as he explained coldly, ¡°We lost two Grays who were gambling on duty, so there¡¯s forty-eight of us.¡± ¡°Fifty,¡± Liam corrected. Gil smiled at Liam and answered Jon¡¯s unasked questions, ¡°Jon, you were in too much agony to realize it at the time, but I was extremely careful when I rode you out to the field and set you down. I didn¡¯t abandon you. I retreated a safe distance and stood guard until your husband reached you. That was Harry¡¯s plan. My eye was on that wolf when you shot it, Alec. You couldn¡¯t take the time to search the ground thoroughly, but if you had, you would have found my bolts there. Your father wanted the two of you to escape.¡± ¡°His ring was awfully sharp for someone who wished me well,¡± Jon said with bitter sarcasm. ¡°In terms of your protection, that wolf was so close I could see down its throat. First that bull, and then the wolves.¡± ¡°Bull?¡± Gil asked. ¡°You were delirious. There weren¡¯t any bulls, only pasture rats and wolves. The wolf wasn¡¯t that close.¡± ¡°The wolf was going for his throat, for figgict sake, and your figgict king mutilated him, and then mandated his execution,¡± Alec objected heatedly. He swung his face right then left then looked directly at Gil and challenged, ¡°And don¡¯t call Jon a liar. I saw the bull¡¯s hoof prints in the ground.¡± Jon looked at Alec in surprise and then focused on Gil as the Grays Commander explained, ¡°Holy King Harrison, driven by the influence of Ava¡¯s drugs, lost control of his emotions and hit you, Jon, despite his own efforts to stop himself. He cried in my arms afterward. The Writ of Execution was signed by the Most Revered, not Harry.¡± ¡°Padraig hurried us inside when we arrived at SnakeIn,¡± Alec said as realization dawned on him. ¡°You and Padraig work together.¡± ¡°When necessary,¡± Gil admitted. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Alec clenched and unclenched his fists, barely able to restrain his anger, until Jon said softly, ¡°That¡¯s the way it¡¯s always been. The magi control the king by any means necessary. Royalty who dissent ¨C if they¡¯re fortunate ¨C escape to SnakeIn. The magi avoid the city because if the residents don¡¯t destroy them, the city itself will. The king, too, because of the horns. That¡¯s what the city defenses target.¡± ¡°Magi don¡¯t have horns,¡± Alec pointed out. ¡°Not externally, but to become a mage, a girl is given doses so that she develops an immunity,¡± Jon explained. ¡°The city defenses will destroy anyone with even traces of it in their system.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bluff,¡± Gil contradicted ¡°The city doesn¡¯t kill the magi. Watchers on duty do the killing, or sometimes the residents of SnakeIn do. There are two wide bands of altered stone in the main gate, and narrower bands in smaller gates along the perimeter walls, that The Four Glorious modified to react to the presence of the chemicals ¨C the poison ¨C in the Prince Eater horns. If an intruder has those chemicals in their system, the stones send out arcs of Holy Lightning to trap the intruder in place. It isn¡¯t enough to kill anyone. The sentries on duty do that. And magic has nothing to do with it. Despite the name, it isn¡¯t even holy. On Earth, they called it electricity, and they used it for many things, like making vehicles move without being pulled by horses, or bringing waterfalls right into houses. It sounds like far-fetched storytelling, but it¡¯s cited by The Four Glorious in their scholarly papers. On Earth it damaged the land, so they refused to allow its use beyond what was needed to protect SnakeIn from the kingdom. The point is that it is possible to work around SnakeIn¡¯s detection system. I¡¯ve been doing it for years.¡± ¡°You have the poison inside you?¡± Alec asked. ¡°Full of it,¡± Gil said. ¡°I¡¯ve been dosing myself every day since Harry became Holy in his Ritual. One prick of a horn each day.¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the Most Revered control you the same way she does my father?¡± Jon asked. ¡°There¡¯s some connection between her bracelets and the horns,¡± Gil explained. ¡°She not only creates that lightning but also uses them to render Harry unconscious.¡± Everyone fell silent as the others considered the new information. Finally, Gil continued, ¡°The detection field at the gates is only a few stones in width. There are two, obscure entrances ¨C not pleasant ones ¨C that were never modified. Once inside even someone saturated in the poison can move about as freely as anyone else. But that isn¡¯t the question on the table right now. I need your help to save Se¨¢n. Are you coming?¡± Instead of answering, Alec squared his shoulders and pointed at the students gathered in the hall. He cleared his throat and told them, ¡°I have no say in what Liam and Rory do now that they are Grays. And you are an adult, Lachlan, but none of the rest of you are going. You are all good students, but you¡¯re not soldiers. I will not allow you to march to your deaths. Stay here. Continue training and practicing. Guard the inn. Help guard the city. The day will come when you will be soldiers and will be called on to fight. Prepare for that day.¡± The students grumbled and started voicing objections. Lachlan O¡¯Hara held up his hands to quiet them, and said, ¡°All of you come with me. We¡¯ll go downstairs and discuss what to do next.¡± Alec nodded his thanks to Lachlan and when they disappeared down the next landing, he wrapped one arm around Jon¡¯s waist, wiped his forehead with his free hand, and finally returned his gaze to Gil and asked, ¡°When do we leave?¡± ¡°The two of you leave as soon as your gear is packed,¡± Gil said. ¡°Liam and Rory will ride out with you. I will meet you outside the city walls.¡± As Alec, Jon, Rory, and Liam rode to the main gate they were quickly joined by SnakeIn volunteers who wanted to fight against the magi with them. Other residents gathered on the sidewalks to see them off with shouts and cheers that brought a smile to Jon¡¯s face, ¡°Archer Mulrian! Archer Mulrian!¡± The Watchers stationed at the drawbridge came from their hidden gatehouses and saluted, not the two youths for their bravery and not Jon Holdingfree whom everyone had known all along was The Prince Rescued by Love. They saluted the Legendary Royal Archer Alec Mulrian. When the group got beyond the wooden bridge and onto the road toward Hilltown, Rory paused for a final look back at his parents. Pointing at the city¡¯s stone walls, he called out, ¡°Look.¡± Two new iron cages swung beside Beathas and King Indulf. One displayed the body of the late Commander of the Magi Soldiers, while the second gibbet held what was left of his accomplice. Annie stood in front of the pub fireplace in almost the same spot where Jon and Alec wed. Tom stood at her side, as did her aunt, Kenzie Docherty. As First Contingent, Annie¡¯s responsibilities included leading not only this meeting but also the actions resulting from it. If the decision was war, she would lead the Contingent¡¯s Army, which styled themselves as Annie¡¯s Rebels, against the Most Revered, and if necessary, against her own father. Other members of the Contingent faced similar choices since all were exiled members or descendants of exiled members of the royal family: aunts, uncles, first, second and third cousins. Not every city official in SnakeIn was ex-royalty but by design, every member of the ruling Contingent was required to be. Since her broken arm was still wrapped, she held up one hand to quiet an assembly of ordinary citizens, members of the Armed Watch, merchants, tradespeople, and agents who had or would infiltrate Hilltown. When the crowd settled, she began, ¡°Another prince is about to be tortured, possibly killed in the Ritual, the child Prince Se¨¢n.¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of my son¡¯s best friends,¡± Mrs. McCreesh said in astonishment. As others in the crowd nodded in recognition, she asked, ¡°Why would they do something so horrible to a nice boy like Se¨¢n?¡± While Mrs. McCreesh loudly voiced her opinions at the assembly, Grace McCreesh and two of her friends from training slipped into the kitchen. One girl stayed by the door as the lookout while Grace and the second girl swiftly rummaged through the drawers, cupboards, and cabinets. ¡°I need weapons that I can hide in my clothes,¡± Grace commented as if reminding herself as much as providing instructions. ¡°Like this?¡± Grace¡¯s friend held up a paring knife. ¡°Yes, that one¡¯s good,¡± Grace agreed. ¡°I wonder if it will cut through rope?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look in the storage room for a rigging knife like my Papa uses,¡± the girl responded and darted into the storage room behind the kitchen. While she was gone, Grace confiscated a wooden mallet for tenderizing meat, and a boning knife with an unusually long, thin blade. When her friend returned with the object she sought, Grace tucked the rigging knife in her bag and said, ¡°Thank you both. I¡¯m going to fight for Se¨¢n.¡± ¡°Where did you learn to use these?¡± The lookout asked. ¡°Mr. Holdingfree hasn¡¯t talked about weapons.¡± ¡°Watcher O¡¯Leary,¡± Grace replied with a smile. ¡°Mr. O¡¯Leary began teaching me long before Mr. Holdingfree started his classes.¡± ¡°If we can sneak away, we¡¯ll go, too,¡± her friends offered. ¡°Don¡¯t get in trouble with your Mama and Papa,¡± Grace warned. ¡°I don¡¯t want you sent to bed without your dinner or anything. I¡¯m leaving in a few minutes with the others.¡± ¡°They agreed you could fight with them?¡± the girl who found the rigging knife asked. Grace laughed. ¡°They have no idea I¡¯m going.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 35 Alarm Chapter 35 Alarm Check behind us ¨C not like that, easy, casually as if you¡¯re simply looking ¨C see that pretty girl who¡¯s still reddish-brown? She¡¯s my girlfriend. My mother said that we¡¯re too young to be in love, so we¡¯ve kept it a secret, just between the two of us. I wanted to run away together, but then I was picked and she wasn¡¯t. I¡¯ll never see her again. We can¡¯t even say goodbye. ¨C Prince Eater #34 ¡°It¡¯s an abomination, that¡¯s what it is,¡± a man at Annie¡¯s meeting interjected. ¡°Combining species together like that is bad science.¡± ¡°Not just two animals,¡± a second man interposed. ¡°Animals and humans. They call it holy when it¡¯s a complete sacrilege.¡± Annie let the crowd work itself up before continuing, ¡°The Contingent believes that the monarchy is on its last legs. Three of Harrison¡¯s five sons are dead. Our intelligence indicates that he killed one of them himself. Both Jon and Se¨¢n have completely renounced any right to the throne. Although the Most Revered either doesn¡¯t know yet or doesn¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go after him and get him back,¡± Mrs. McCreesh demanded. ¡°We will,¡± Annie agreed. The crowd cheered and stomped for several minutes before quieting so she could go on. ¡°We believe it¡¯s time to go all the way ¨C eliminate the magi completely. The Most Revered, her priests, and all of her soldiers. After that, we¡¯ll get rid of the Prince Eaters. We have the fighting strength. We have good intelligence about the unrest within Hilltown. It¡¯s time.¡± Annie paced the length of the room making eye contact with various people in the crowd, and then paced back, doing the same. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± The crowd burst into rowdy celebration again, forcing Annie to wait until they calmed before she explained, ¡°Jon, Alec, and Gil have already left.¡± ¡°Rory joined the Grays,¡± Kenzie contributed. ¡°He¡¯s gone, too.¡± ¡°And my Liam,¡± Mrs. McCreesh spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of him.¡± ¡°The Unclaims!¡± someone shouted. ¡°They both should be whipped.¡± ¡°That large Gray and the Most Revered have been seen enjoying sex with each other more than once. I doubt that Gunnar was even a prince,¡± someone said harshly. ¡°They will be joining up with Jon and Alec to rescue Se¨¢n,¡± Annie shouted over the din of the argument so she could garner the crowd¡¯s attention. ¡°We have a plan in place to rendezvous with them outside of Hilltown whether or not they can find and extract Se¨¢n from danger. If they are not able to get to him, our first priority will be to rescue the boy. If they have him, we head straight into battle.¡± ¡°What about our allies inside Hilltown?¡± someone in the crowd asked. ¡°How much do they know about all of this?¡± ¡°We sent red messaging birds about Se¨¢n immediately,¡± Annie replied. ¡°They¡¯ll be ready the moment we vote for the fight.¡± ¡°Figgict voting,¡± one of the men called out. ¡°Let¡¯s burn the entire place to the ground.¡± Three of Annie¡¯s Rebels strolled along the rough streets of SnakeIn near the wharves, talking and laughing, but never losing track of what was happening around them. Two prostitutes who were standing on the corner of the street and a shadowy lane smiled at the men. One of the three companions broke off, spoke softly to one of the women, and then disappeared down the lane with her. When they were securely out of sight, the man leaned to her ear and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± The other two men continued walking but soon paused to joke with a group of sailors milling outside a wharf-side pub. After greeting each other heartily, one of the two men said, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± The sailors nodded in agreement, spoke hastily, and then split off into pairs, each pair strolling down separate streets, pausing at the doors of shops and the entrances to pubs and saying, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± The man and woman emerged from the lane and rejoined their companions. The woman casually smoothed down the front of her unmussed blouse and said to her friends, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± They moved away from the corner and then, like the sailors, they broke off in different directions. The three men continued down the street, greeting people, and telling various ones, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± The castle in Hilltown was unusually quiet, with only a few servants awake, some in the kitchen, some moving from room to room stoking fires and preparing for the morning. When the delivery wagon from the bakery stopped by the kitchen door, the cook¡¯s assistant hurried outside, collected their purchases, and smiled when the driver leaned over and said, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± The cook¡¯s assistant brought an assortment of the baked goods inside, paused beside the young scullery maid, and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± The scullery maid found a reason to dart outside to where a group of servants had gathered, and said to a footman, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± He nodded and strolled leisurely toward the stable until he turned a corner out of sight of the castle. He quickened his pace until he¡¯d caught up with the stablemaster. He greeted him and said, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± From the wharves and tenements of SnakeIn to the mansions and castle of Hilltown, the same two words were repeated and carried forward. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Alec shifted in his saddle and gazed over the land stretching out to the horizon. The two suns made it difficult to see even with a sturdy brim protector shading three sides of his eyes. In the distance, Hilltown looked small and insignificant, like something out of a dream rather than the place he¡¯d lived almost all of his life. Gil rode at his right, and Jon at his left. Beyond Jon rode Rory and Liam. Alec turned his head when he heard Jon¡¯s quiet moan of pain and noted how Jon rolled his neck and shoulders and rubbed the damaged side of his face. When Jon reached down to rub his leg, Alec turned back to Gil and suggested, ¡°We have to rest. The ride has been too hard on Jon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hurting,¡± Jon admitted as he stopped his horse. ¡°Keep riding! No one said you can stop,¡± Gil bawled and then, noticing the anger boiling on Alec¡¯s face, softened his tone. ¡°We¡¯re too exposed to stop here. We¡¯re close to shelter. When we get there, we¡¯ll be safe and can make additional plans. It¡¯s late enough in the day that we can hold tight there until morning. Nothing will happen to Se¨¢n before we get there. Ava needs him too much to let him be hurt or abused.¡± He signaled his horse to move forward and led the small band of rescuers along a path not visible from the hilltop. As they descended to the small glen winding between the hills, Alec wondered where they were headed. A camp just beyond the edge of the woods? A hunting shed? His jaw dropped open as the woods parted, the glen widened, and the gates of a sprawling estate greeted them. A pleasant fountain babbled in the front garden. Multiple rows of stables wrapped from one side to the back of the manor house. Alec imagined the two tall towers rising behind it would give a sentry a clear view all the way to Hilltown. The approach was wide, designed to be easy on the horse¡¯s hooves, and lined with shade trees. Mounted on each side of the drive, the forty-eight Grays waited at attention as their commander approached. ¡°Welcome to Braeford Estates,¡± Gil said expansively. As he spoke, several grooms came hurrying from the stables to care for the horses. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Gil paused his horse in front of one of the officers, waved Liam and Rory forward, and continued, ¡°Declan, these noble gentlemen wish to join the Grays. Liam, Rory, meet Sargent Declan Connolly. Go with him and he¡¯ll get you oriented. We¡¯ll sign your contracts and induct you formally after First Sun dawns tomorrow. That¡¯s our tradition. New beginnings when First Sun comes up. Executions when Second Sun goes down.¡± Alec swung off easily and then turned to help as Jon lifted his leg to move it over the horse¡¯s back. Jon¡¯s horse shifted its weight unexpectedly, causing Jon to lose his balance and tumble sideways from the saddle. The startled horse darted forward with one of Jon¡¯s feet wedged in the stirrup. A groom raced to catch the horse¡¯s bridle while Alec caught Jon and ran full-tilt beside the horse holding him so he wouldn¡¯t be dragged across the ground. When the groom stopped the horse, Alec plucked Jon¡¯s foot from the stirrup and then carried him up the steps to set him down near the front door. Instead of releasing Alec, Jon embraced him harder, buried his face against Alec¡¯s shoulder, and mumbled, ¡°He needs me, and I can¡¯t do the simplest thing. He needs me ¡ª I have to.¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± A voice asked from inside the house. Alec looked up to acknowledge the greeting and saw a woman much younger than Gil, wearing fine, expensive clothing, and exquisite jewelry even though her eyes looked exhausted. From time to time she would reach up unconsciously and rub her upper arms as if she were cold. When Jon didn¡¯t lift his face from Alec¡¯s shoulder, she continued, ¡°My name is Colleen. Colleen Raedwald. Gil is my husband. Welcome to our home. Please come inside.¡± ¡°Jon?¡± Alec asked softly. ¡°Let¡¯s go in and sit down.¡± Jon nodded but didn¡¯t speak and pulled away from Alec¡¯s embrace sufficiently to walk. As they moved through the ostentatious main door, Gil came up the front steps two at a time calling out, ¡°Is Prince Jon all right?¡± ¡°Since when has he been Prince Jon?¡± Alec asked suspiciously. ¡°Since we crossed the border of Midhe Thiar,¡± Gil said. ¡°In the kingdom, he is the prince.¡± ¡°If the kingdom knows he¡¯s Prince Jon, they¡¯ll kill him,¡± Alec replied. When Gil laughed, he asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your optimism, Mulrian, your optimism,¡± Gil laughed. ¡°Few of us, Jon included, are likely to come out of this alive. We have Harrison¡¯s blessing, but not necessarily his cooperation because of Ava and her poisons. And if it comes to that, I will sacrifice you in a heartbeat to ensure the safety of Prince Se¨¢n.¡± As an afterthought, he added, ¡°Or Prince Jon.¡± Alec drew in his breath and responded, ¡°I¡¯d sacrifice myself, too, for Jon. But don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to trade Jon for his brother because you¡¯ll die trying.¡± ¡°I just told you ¨C¡± Gil began, before Alec shut him down. ¡°At my hand. In your home, in the castle, along the road, at the base of Holy King Harrison¡¯s throne, in the Great Hall of Tara Citadel. Here and now if I need to. If you hurt Jon, or I learn that you are planning on hurting Jon, you¡¯re a dead man,¡± Alec finished. ¡°Enough of all that bravado, both of you,¡± Colleen interrupted with a flirtatious smile for her husband. ¡°Let Prince Jon get inside and rest. He¡¯s hurt.¡± With that, she tugged on Alec¡¯s sleeve so that they would follow her, and she led them through to a drawing room. She rearranged the pillows on a long sofa and said, ¡°He can sit here. That way he can put his legs up. He may have strained a muscle, or worse.¡± Jon allowed her to fuss over him as he settled onto the sofa. He was able to move his feet and bend his knees with what was for him relatively mild pain and inconvenience. There was a tender area on his head where he had smacked it into the horse¡¯s haunches, however, his most serious wound was his revulsion at himself. ¡°Here, this will help,¡± Gil said, producing a decanter of brandy and several glasses. After offering a short glass to Jon, he presented another to Alec with a smile and then poured one for himself without offering Colleen a glass. He savored his first sip and said, ¡°Let¡¯s give ourselves fifteen or twenty minutes to rest, and then we¡¯ll talk about what¡¯s next. Jon, it¡¯s important that you are part of the plan, not only because he¡¯s your brother, but also because you¡¯re on the list for the throne, as is any male member of the royal family. As far as I know, there are no others left, but if I¡¯m wrong, this is the time to speak up about it. Family secrets need to take a back seat here.¡± Gil drew in a long drink of brandy, refilled his glass, and then topped off the others¡¯ glasses even though he was the only one actually drinking. Jon studied Alec¡¯s face, searching for an answer to a question he didn¡¯t know whether or not to ask, and then said, ¡°Rory.¡± ¡°The new recruit?¡± Gil asked in surprise. ¡°He¡¯s royalty,¡± Alec answered. ¡°And Callen, too.¡± ¡°The innkeeper¡¯s wife is my father¡¯s sister, Princess Mackenzie,¡± Jon explained. ¡°I don¡¯t know if my father even knows about Rory and Callen. Aunt Kenzie was going to tell us what happened to drive her from Hilltown, but she never had the chance. Rory is the heir presumptive to Se¨¢n. If nothing changes, Callen will follow Rory.¡± ¡°Figg¡¯t. That explains why Craig¡¯s wife never seemed to be around at the same time I was. He was figgict hiding her,¡± Gil grumbled. ¡°She should not have been allowed to give birth to sons and if I had known she would not have. Well, what¡¯s done is done. We can get Rory in on the discussion easily enough. Does he know?¡± ¡°We have no idea,¡± Alec said. ¡°As Jon indicated, we never revisited the subject.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t be a Gray either,¡± Gil said. As he walked to the hallway entrance, his thoughts processed the ramifications of the world learning that Rory was a Prince of the Realm. Aloud he exclaimed, ¡°Figg¡¯t. He was so excited, and looking forward to being part of the rescue party going after Se¨¢n.¡± He looked down the corridor, saw Declan Connolly passing at the far end, and called to him, ¡°A moment of your time please.¡± The sergeant strode over to where Gil stood and the two of them talked quietly. ¡°That sure adds a wrinkle to things,¡± Declan commented. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to stay with the others in the soldier¡¯s wing either.¡± Rory entered the parlor hesitantly, confused as to why he alone was summoned. Alec stood, slid a chair into their circle for him, and said, ¡°Rory, please come in, sit here beside Jon.¡± ¡°I heard that you have been hurt again, Jon. Are you okay?¡± Rory asked. ¡°Mostly embarrassed by my inadequacies,¡± Jon replied. ¡°We asked you here because we have to discuss rescuing Se¨¢n, but before we do that, we have to discuss something with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a prince,¡± Rory said confidently, anticipating Jon¡¯s next words. ¡°Callen and I knew that sooner or later you would get around to asking us about it. We discussed it right after you and Alec arrived. We don¡¯t want anything to do with it.¡± Gil tilted his head to listen to Rory¡¯s declaration, rose to his feet, and walked to the brandy decanter. He poured a short glass for Rory and then strolled back to the others. ¡°I admire your practicality, Son, but you have no choice,¡± Gil Braeford said as he shared the tiny amount of sustaining alcohol with Rory and then sat. ¡°Being a prince is different from deciding what coat you¡¯ll wear on what day. Your mother is sister to the king. That means you¡¯re a prince.¡± ¡°Princesses are nothing,¡± Rory contended. ¡°Ava Most Revered sells them or gives them away. If she can¡¯t do either of those she sends them away to die alone. The only way they matter is if they become magi, and then they become the most powerful individuals in Midhe Nuae. My mother did none of those things. She is unimportant and her children are even less so.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. The magi proclaimed me dead. They even produced an official death certificate. They probably did the same to Mackenzie,¡± Colleen agreed. ¡°The Magi had nothing to do with that. Harrison arranged for the death certificate,¡± Gil corrected. ¡°He wanted to keep the magi from tracking you down and killing you. You have too much knowledge about the magi and the Tara Citadel.¡± ¡°My mother wasn¡¯t a mage,¡± Rory pointed out. ¡°She was simply a princess who loved a soldier. The Royal Archers put a quiver¡¯s worth of bolts through his brain.¡± Jon coughed, while Alec rubbed his eyes uncomfortably and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m so ashamed of my profession. Ashamed of myself.¡± ¡°Who did you kill, Alec?¡± Rory asked. ¡°Me, no one,¡± Alec answered. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve fought against mercenaries sent by angry nobles, and against armed rebels, but never what you¡¯re talking about. The first time I was asked to do so was with Jon. I thought my heart stopped beating when I received the orders.¡± ¡°My mother kept running,¡± Rory added as he nodded his acceptance of Alec¡¯s answer. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t,¡± Gil interjected. Everyone in the room looked at him in astonishment. ¡°Harrison carried her from the Courtyard.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Jon challenged. ¡°I was there,¡± Gil answered. ¡°Jon, you¡¯ve seen the scar that cuts across the center of Harrison¡¯s face?¡± When Jon nodded, Gil explained, ¡°He received that when he risked his own life to protect mine.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 36 Identity Chapter 36 Identity It¡¯s all because of the magi. All of it. They ¡ª Wait. Who¡¯d they call? Humility? I¡¯m Humility! I¡¯m next. Okay. Deep breath. Deep breath. Here goes. For God, the Kingdom, and our Holy Prince Harrison. ¡ª Prince Eater #34 Twenty Years Earlier, year 364 ¨C Castle in Hilltown Holding up his hand to keep Prince Harrison from speaking, King Tiernan added, ¡°It¡¯s a figgict good thing for you that you¡¯re the Last Prince.¡± Prince Harrison understood that his father¡¯s sarcasm was acceptance of his fealty, so he rose to his feet and looked around the Courtyard. Magi were wrapping the body of the late Most Revered. Two of the Kings Guard were restraining Novitiate Ava O¡¯Connor as two others conversed directly with Mentoring Priest, Nell. As Prince Harrison watched two of the Kings Guards hold Ava between them, her wrists tied with a small length of rope, Nell nodded in agreement to whatever was being said. Prince Harrison bit his lower lip in anger, turned completely in a circle, and then faced his father, ¡°What are they doing to Ava? And where is Gil?¡± King Tiernan sighed and said softly, ¡°The Late Most Revered added their names to the Writ of Execution she issued for Ciaran and your sister. It¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°You can withdraw it,¡± Harrison objected. Defeat marred the king¡¯s aging face. ¡°I am helpless to override anything the Most Revered orders.¡± ¡°Useless old man,¡± Prince Harrison snapped. ¡°You¡¯re the king. Act like it.¡± The prince clenched his fists at his side, and the Kings Guards promptly surrounded him with their halberds ready and their swords drawn. ¡°Leave Harrison alone,¡± the king demanded. ¡°Your Majesty, begging your pardon, but he¡¯s insulting you and threatening your safety,¡± one of the Kings Guards said respectfully. ¡°The figg¡¯t he is,¡± King Tiernan corrected. ¡°He¡¯s angry because the magi ordered that young lady to be punished in some unspeakable manner than executed.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t a Most Revered,¡± Prince Harrison objected. ¡°You had her executed. Are you saying that you can kill the top mage in all of Midhe Nuae without repercussions, but you can¡¯t overrule her commands? That you don¡¯t outrank a dead body? All she was trying to do was help Princess Mackenzie. Who wouldn¡¯t have been moved by what happened? Ciaran¡¯s dead, bloody body trapping Mackenzie like that.¡± ¡°And besides that, you¡¯ve been overly friendly with the novitiate,¡± King Tiernan added. He paused, gazed into his son¡¯s eyes, and continued, ¡°Harry¡¯s right. Half of you go to her and bring her back here. Guarantee her safety. I don¡¯t give a figg¡¯t what the magi say, or what anyone else says. Anyone who tries to stop you is to be summarily executed, regardless of that person¡¯s rank.¡± The king held the palm of his hand to his son and curled his fingers several times. ¡°Her name?¡± ¡°Ava O¡¯Connor,¡± Prince Harrison supplied. ¡°Bring Ava O¡¯Connor to the royal residences in the castle and be certain she is comfortable until I can give her an audience. Find two or three lady¡¯s maids to attend to her.¡± The Kings Guards dropped their weapons, bowed deeply to the king, and then just as deeply to Prince Harrison, and then a detail raced off to rescue Ava. ¡°Harry, you need to go after your friend,¡± the king continued. ¡°I ordered nothing beyond removing him from my presence. Unfortunately, Tatiana¡¯s soldier did not have his captain¡¯s permission to be with her or to leave Hilltown. Aiding him would be seen as a criminal action by the Kings Soldiers. My guess is that your friend will be flogged, and maybe much worse. Although it is against my orders, soldiers enjoy torturing prisoners when they know that the prisoners will never be able to complain afterward. Take four of the Kings Guards, and run. If they have hurt him in any way, arrest them.¡± Prince Harrison spun to race in the direction King Tiernan indicated, but the king stopped him. ¡°One more thing, Harrison. He isn¡¯t simply your friend. His actual name is Gilbert Braeford Raedwald. He¡¯s your cousin. My brother Marston¡¯s son. My brother and I drew lots to determine which of us would go free and which of us would suffer the Ritual. My brother made his escape in a night soil wagon. Although he¡¯s reticent about it, Gil Braeford is a Prince of the Realm. Anyone harming him harms the Crown. Be sure the Kings Soldiers understand that. Now, go. Two of you go with him.¡± Harrison and the guards raced from the Courtyard, along the paved walkways, and banged into the Headquarters of the Kings Soldiers. The commander was sitting behind his desk, accepting a glass of wine from an officer with a sharp aquiline nose. ¡°Your Royal Highness,¡± the officer greeted, bowing slightly. The Commander of the Kings Soldiers stood slowly, dipped his head rather than bowing, and asked, knowingly, ¡°What can we do for you, Prince Harrison?¡± ¡°Gil Braeford,¡± Harrison said urgently. ¡°Release him to me immediately.¡± The commander and officer glanced at each other, and then the commander replied, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that isn¡¯t possible. He abetted a soldier¡¯s desertion, and as such, is being punished.¡± ¡°King Tiernan has ordered that he not be harmed. Belay that punishment,¡± Prince Harrison ordered. ¡°Sir,¡± the commander began condescendingly. ¡°Of course, you would try to use your father¡¯s name to intervene. I mean no disrespect. You¡¯re young, and don¡¯t understand the ways of the world yet. He has to be punished. Otherwise, everyone would be helping anyone who doesn¡¯t want to follow orders.¡± ¡°His Majesty commands you to release my cousin, Gil Braeford, to me immediately,¡± Prince Harrison bellowed. ¡°Your cousin?¡± The commander questioned, a smirk teasing his lips. ¡°My cousin. A Prince of the Realm.¡± Harrison repeated, signaling for the Kings Guards to draw their weapons. ¡°Son of my father¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°Your uncle ran from the Ritual,¡± The commander argued. ¡°Surely he was executed.¡± ¡°The first thing my father did as king was to nullify the Writ of Execution and extend the Crown¡¯s Eternal Forgiveness,¡± Harrison said. ¡°My Uncle is alive and well, and you are about to torture a Prince of the Realm.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The officer¡¯s glass of wine slipped from his hand and shattered. ¡°Commander, sir,¡± one of the Kings Guard offered. He gestured to the three other guards, carefully omitting Prince Harrison so it would seem as if the prince had known all along. ¡°King Tiernan revealed it to us today when he learned of the situation here and sent us to offer support to His Royal Highness. I am sure that if either of you had known of it, none of this would be happening.¡± The commander glanced at one of the interior doors self-consciously. Instantly, Harrison and the Kings Guards slammed through the door and barreled down the hall. The Officer and the Commander of the Soldiers raced after them, shouting at the top of their lungs every few meters, ¡°Stop the punishment. There¡¯s been a mistake. Stop the punishment.¡± They traveled down worn stone steps to a set of heavy doors with two armed sentries on either side of it. Seeing the prince, officers, and guards racing toward them, the sentries pulled the heavy doors open and bowed their heads as the prince and his retinue ran by. To Prince Harrison¡¯s dismay, the Kings Guards pressed ahead of him and held him back from entering the room. When Harrison tried to push the Kings Guards aside, the Officer and the Commander helped restrain him. ¡°This isn¡¯t a place for you, Your Royal Highness,¡± the officer said as he forced Harrison¡¯s sword from his grip. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to see this. Let us handle it from here.¡± Over their shoulders, Harrison could see inside the room. Gil Braeford was tied face down, naked, and spreadeagled on a wide table. A soldier with his pants pulled down straddled the prisoner. The look of satisfaction spread across his face was shared on the faces of all the other soldiers, and the soldier mocked loudly, ¡°By the look of your back, Traitor, you¡¯ve run up against the law before this. Who¡¯d you piss off that time?¡± When the disturbance at the door interrupted his taunting, the soldier leaped from the table and promptly pulled up his pants. Prince Harrison struggled to get past the Kings Guards and opened his mouth to shout, but before any words could come out, the sound of a whip cracked in the air. Two soldiers flanking Gil took turns lashing the prisoner so that only brief seconds passed between lashes. The commander bellowed, ¡°Hold. Stand down.¡± Whether the executioners could not hear or chose not to, the whips continued to strike. Livid, Prince Harrison planted a powerful fist on the commander¡¯s jaw, sending the man unconscious to the floor. Before he could swing a second time to take down the officer, the two guards released their hold on Prince Harrison and heaved themselves at the officer, taking him to the floor. Freed, Harrison roared into the room, dodging, and ducking around the soldiers who tried to prevent his interference. Realizing belatedly that he had no weapon, Harrison threw himself across the table. The first two lashes cut deeply into Prince Harrison¡¯s face and then bit across his neck and shoulders. The prince took half a dozen rounds of flagellation before the Kings Guards made it into the room and dispatched the executioners. The soldiers in the room collectively realized for the first time that they had taken part in injuring the Last Prince. Aware of the harsh punishment the king would mete out, they backed away hoping to escape while the Kings Guards helped Prince Harrison to his feet and then freed Gil Braeford. Harrison gasped, rolled his shoulders gingerly, and then as one of his hands went to the deep cut on his face, announced regally, ¡°All of you are under arrest for attacking and abusing a Prince of the Realm, Gil Braeford Raedwald. In addition, the two wielding the whips are under arrest for striking Princes of the Realm.¡± ¡°They¡¯re dead, Your Royal Highness,¡± one of the Kings Guards testified. ¡°You, soldiers at the door, come here immediately,¡± Prince Harrison demanded. The two sentries edged into the room and bowed to the prince. He looked them over slowly, allowing the blood to run unchecked from his cheeks and nose until their fear was palpable in the air, and then he said, ¡°Collect the rest of the regiment and bring them to this room as quickly as their feet will move. Go.¡± One of the Kings Guards sorted through the stack of Gil¡¯s ripped clothing that had been tossed into one corner of the room. Although the shirt and other clothing were too damaged to be worn, the guard managed to salvage Gil¡¯s trousers. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him further,¡± Harrison said kindly as the guard assisted Gil to dress. ¡°Let¡¯s carry him to my own apartments.¡± ¡°I can walk, I think,¡± Gil said bravely, but collapsed when he tried. ¡°Get the royal family¡¯s personal healer, right away,¡± Harrison ordered. The first group of soldiers who responded to Prince Harrison¡¯s summons, helped one of the Kings Guards lift Gil so they could transport him face down on their clasped arms. As they carried the youth past Prince Harrison, the prince saw the reason for the soldier¡¯s earlier derision: underneath the fresh, bloody whip marks on Gil¡¯s back was a carpet of scars from an earlier flogging. Gil had been nowhere but his home and here, so Prince Harrison wondered who had punished him. Once they left the room, the remaining Kings Guards asked, tentatively, ¡°Your Royal Highness, shouldn¡¯t you also see a healer for your face?¡± ¡°In good time,¡± Prince Harrison assured the guard. He strode purposefully to the door of the torture chamber, and shouted loudly, ¡°Hang on, Gil. I¡¯ll be right behind you, and I¡¯ll see that you are taken care of. I just need to retrieve the key to these doors. These soldiers are not going to see sunslight anytime soon.¡± The soldiers gathered at Harrison¡¯s summons stood by helplessly as he locked their fellow soldiers inside the room where the torture had taken place. Prince Harrison cautioned them with an ominous voice, ¡°They¡¯re to stay right here until His Majesty sentences them.¡± The next morning as the rays from First Sun scattered across the horizon, Prince Harrison checked on Gil¡¯s healing and then joined the king, all the magi, and residents of Hilltown at the Tara Citadel for the Investiture elevating Mentoring Priest Nell to Nell Most Revered. ¡°Walk beside me, Harry,¡± the king said to his son as they headed toward the castle after the ceremony. They had strolled only a few meters when King Tiernan paled, clutched at his chest, and collapsed. Healers struggled to repair Tiernan¡¯s heart, but he died that same evening with Prince Harrison beside him, holding his hand. Proclamations of condolences poured in from around Midhe Nuae, as, holding to tradition, the funeral was held the following morning. The day after that was Prince Harrison¡¯s Ritual. Like every Chosen before him, Harrison was sick from the ordeal afterward so governing the country fell to Nell Most Revered. The moment he recovered, however, Holy King Harrison sent the Kings Guards to retrieve the prisoners locked in the torture chamber so they could be sentenced. The guards quickly returned with the report that no one in the room was still alive. ¡°I didn¡¯t say to not give them food and water,¡± Holy King Harrison objected when he heard the report. ¡°Only detained. They would have been uncomfortable by this time, but not dead. Anyone of authority could have come to me to get the key. I wanted them punished, but I also understand that, although illegal, their actions were in keeping with what they were expected to do. I would have ordered the execution of the commander and that officer, but not other soldiers.¡± ¡°They did not starve to death, Your Majesty. Someone broke the lock. The doors were wide open,¡± the Kings Guards clarified. Determined to investigate for himself, but unaccustomed to walking with so many horns already deforming his body, Holy King Harrison obtained the help of servants and a sling chair to make the arduous trip to where he had sequestered the soldiers. Most of the soldiers had been killed by crossbow bolts that had been left in their bodies or hacked to death with a battle axe. The commander and the officer had been garroted. King Tiernan had come to Harrison¡¯s apartments and as soon as the healer had treated Gil, the king apologized personally for the mistreatment and established a stipend for Gil, saying that was one of the few ways available to make amends for an unforgivable situation. When Harrison became king a day later, one of his first acts was to present Gil with the Medal of the King¡¯s Honor for Heroism. At the time Harrison said, ¡°The soldiers responsible for harming you are dead. If that were not the case, you would be able to witness their floggings and executions.¡± Gil bowed as he accepted the honor, and as he straightened and their eyes met, Gil understood that Harrison had figured out he had killed the soldiers. He also saw in Harry¡¯s eyes that he would never be betrayed. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 37 Fealty Chapter 37 Fealty I¡¯m feral. I don¡¯t have a number or a name. Why do you want to know? ¡ª Prince Eater, undocumented Present Day ¨C Braeford Estates ¡°My father, Craig, hid my mother in his family¡¯s cottage until they gave up searching for her, and then he smuggled her into SnakeIn, where he married her,¡± Rory continued, breaking into Gil¡¯s ruminations. ¡°They purchased The Exiled Soldier together.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered where he found the money,¡± Gil remarked. ¡°His family was never rich.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t consider it anyone else¡¯s business,¡± Rory replied, a warning for Gil in his eyes. Tension roiled between them until Jon spoke, ¡°Regardless of your wishes, Rory, with only Se¨¢n and I left in the hierarchy, we have to proceed as if you are fully and truly in line for the throne. If Ava Most Revered ends up needing a Chosen, you¡¯ll do.¡± Rory shrugged. ¡°Callen and I signed our own documents of abdication. We copied yours and then put them in our father¡¯s safe back home.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t hold up,¡± Gil said dismissively. ¡°Not with Ava Most Revered, and I doubt that Harrison would accept it either. To him family is family.¡± Gil sighed, and then went on. ¡°And you cannot be a member of the Grays. We¡¯ll fix you up a room in the family wing, near Jon and Alec, and get you back to SnakeIn in the morning.¡± ¡°I am fighting for Se¨¢n, not running like a coward,¡± Rory stated. ¡°I don¡¯t want you in the Grays if you¡¯re a prince,¡± Gil repeated with finality. ¡°The decision is mine, not yours.¡± ¡°You can fight beside me,¡± Jon offered. Rory sipped the last of his small glass of brandy, looked around the room pensively, and then said. ¡°I¡¯d like that, Jon. Thank you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Gil denied them sternly. ¡°Absolutely not. You have no combat training, and you may be the kingdom¡¯s last hope for a ruler. I will not allow it.¡± ¡°You allowed Prince Reginald and Prince Ethan to be slaughtered,¡± Rory countered. ¡°I was in the crowd. I saw what happened.¡± ¡°You think I wanted to stand there and watch Reggie die? Reggie, the only one of you princes who considered me his uncle. He was like my own son,¡± Gil replied, the cold anger in his voice far beyond what Rory¡¯s remarks should have evoked. Undaunted the youth continued, ¡°You allowed their murder, and then you allowed Prince Jon to be beaten to where he now has permanent physical damage, and then nearly kidnapped in the park. You allowed Gunnar to be murdered by Holy King Harrison himself. And, you¡¯ve allowed Se¨¢n to be kidnapped not once but twice. You aren¡¯t very good at protecting anybody. What makes you think you have any right at all to tell me to do anything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the commander,¡± Gil snarled, leaning forward in his chair. ¡°Not of me,¡± Rory disputed. ¡°The Armored Grays answer to the princes now,¡± Jon interjected. ¡°Like me. Like Se¨¢n. Like Rory.¡± ¡°Where Jon goes, I go,¡± Rory declared. ¡°Shit,¡± Gil snapped. ¡°Why the figg¡¯t are any of you here? All three of you are insubordinate fools.¡± ¡°Gil, no,¡± Colleen spoke up. ¡°You stay out of this,¡± Gil said, pointing at her angrily. ¡°You are here in this house only as a favor to Harrison, no other reason. I got stuck with you when Prince Jon disregarded his own safety to go out and pick posies. If Se¨¢n was older, you¡¯d belong to him.¡± Swinging his arm widely at the others in the room, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve slaved. I¡¯ve begged. I¡¯ve bargained and traded. I¡¯ve killed. I¡¯ve watched my best friend be tortured while I was helpless to prevent it. I¡¯ve virtually prostrated myself in front of that dried old prune of a mage. Jon and Se¨¢n, Harrison keeps harping. Jon and Se¨¢n. What more am I supposed to do?¡± Jon looked around for a side table but saw none, so he leaned forward, put his untouched glass of brandy on the floor, and pushed himself to his feet. Alec placed his glass down also and declared, ¡°Where Jon goes, I go. Please return our horses to us at once.¡± ¡°Only the two you rode. The ones that the child and his friend rode belong to me,¡± Gil said angrily. ¡°We¡¯ll double,¡± Alec replied. Jon held out one hand toward Colleen and asked, ¡°Will you come with us? Please.¡± She shook her head. The three comrades walked out of the parlor, across the main hallway, and exited the front door. Rory assisted Jon down the stone steps of the porch while Alec strode ahead to survey their surroundings. They walked several meters down the drive and stood in the open air, waiting for their horses. At first by ones and twos, and then rapidly, all the members of the Grays appeared at their side. They looked from one to another in confusion, and then formed a ring around Prince Jon and the others. Some fumbled with their helmets, unsure whether or not to don them. Others readied their swords for a battle they did not yet understand. Gil stood in the front doorway with his arms crossed over his chest and shouted furiously, ¡°Get away from them. Return to your duties.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Begging your pardon, Commander¡± one of the Grays protested. ¡°Prince Jon is our duty. And now that we know about Prince Rory, he, too, is ours to protect and defend. Fealty demands it.¡± Gil marched across the porch, down the steps, and directly up to Jon, stopping only when Alec¡¯s arm flew up and blocked his forward momentum. Gil smirked nastily and said, ¡°Arrest Mulrian for reckless jeopardy of the princes¡¯ lives.¡± ¡°Here we go again,¡± Alec quipped with contempt as he drew his sword. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± Prince Jon warned. ¡°Belay that order,¡± the Gray who protested barked. ¡°I promised the Most Revered that I¡¯d deliver Alec Mulrian to her,¡± Gil admonished. ¡°Mulrian for the safety of Se¨¢n, and Reggie¡¯s unborn child. That¡¯s our agreement, and with Se¨¢n¡¯s kidnapping, it¡¯s become more imperative. By the Survivor, I will deliver him.¡± Gil lunged at Alec, but Liam¡¯s quarterstaff entangled Gil¡¯s feet and sent the Gray to the ground. Jon snatched Alec¡¯s sword and pricked Gil¡¯s throat lightly with the tip. ¡°I command you to stand down,¡± Jon directed. Gil revealed his hands to show that he was weaponless, shook his head as if to stop his thoughts from spinning, and then collapsed all the way onto his back. ¡°I surrender,¡± Gil said quietly. ¡°You promised Ava Most Revered that you would deliver Alec Holdingfree to her?¡± the protesting Gray questioned. ¡°I did, yes,¡± Gil affirmed. ¡°Only to ensure the princes¡¯ wellbeing. Only so she wouldn¡¯t hurt Se¨¢n or seek vengeance by pursuing Colleen to get to Reggie¡¯s unborn son. We¡¯re calling him Fitzreginald, for the time being, anyway. He¡¯ll get a proper name once he¡¯s born. That¡¯s why she¡¯s so disgustingly fat and was vomiting all the time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a sorry way to talk about anyone,¡± Alec said with indignation. ¡°Let alone a lovely woman who¡¯s expecting.¡± Gil rolled his eyes in response as if Alec were unbelievably na?ve, and continued, ¡°When the Most Revered came for Reggie, Harrison decided to marry Colleen to Ethan or Jon so the unborn prince would be close enough to protect.¡± ¡°Ethan died with Reggie,¡± Jon said softly. ¡°We¡¯re only fifty Grays. We can¡¯t fight all her mercenaries and probably battle the Kings Soldiers, too. Sacrificing your boyfriend is a small price to pay for the lives of two princes.¡± ¡°Two princes?¡± Alec questioned. ¡°There are five, including Colleen¡¯s baby.¡± Gil grunted. ¡°You coward,¡± Liam spit out. Liam unfastened his helmet from its hook on his waist and tossed it in the dirt beside Gil Braeford. ¡°Now that I know the truth, I¡¯m glad that you weren¡¯t able to take my oath yet.¡± Turning to Prince Jon, Liam said, ¡°If you are willing to have me, I will be honored to fight at your side.¡± Liam dropped to one knee and pledged, "I, Liam McCreesh, do sincerely promise and swear, that I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to His Royal Highness Jon Raedwald ¨C¡± ¡°Holdingfree,¡± Jon corrected automatically. ¡°Se¨¢n and Rory, too.¡± ¡°Their Royal Highnesses Prince Jon Raedwald Holdingfree, Prince Se¨¢n Raedwald Holdingfree, Prince Rory Docherty, Prince Callen Docherty, and the unborn Prince Fitzreginald Raedwald. I will defend them to the utmost of my power against all conspiracies and attempts whatever, which shall be made against them or their person, Crown, or dignity; and I will to my utmost endeavor to disclose and make known to His Royal Highness, His Heirs and Successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies which may be formed against him or them; and I do faithfully promise to maintain, support, and defend, to the utmost of my power, the Succession of the Crown.¡± ¡°I am honored and accept your pledge, Liam McCreesh,¡± Jon said regally despite not understanding entirely what was happening or why Gil had betrayed his oath. Liam rose to his feet, and one by one the other Grays followed his example. Gil pushed himself from the ground, dusted his clothes, and then bent his knee to Prince Jon. Once the words were spoken, he raised his face to Jon and waited for acceptance. Jon looked at Alec, and then at Rory, and then Liam, and then sighed. ¡°I am honored by your pledge, Gil Braeford,¡± Jon replied. ¡°I must point out, however, that your word is tarnished because you bargained with Alec¡¯s life.¡± ¡°I was simply trying my best to safeguard the princes as is my duty,¡± Gil explained. ¡°To that end, he is expendable.¡± ¡°He is my husband, my love, and my life,¡± Jon said darkly. ¡°Do not act against him again or I will kill you. I hesitate to accept your oath, but will on the strength of your friendship with Holy King Harrison. Do not prove me wrong.¡± ¡°I will not, Your Royal Highness,¡± Gil agreed. ¡°I apologize to you for causing you to doubt me. Please, let¡¯s return inside. The evening meal will be ready soon. The envoys from Annie will be here shortly to coordinate our plan.¡± ¡°Where else is there for us to sleep?¡± Jon said, turning to the Gray who had questioned Gil. ¡°Even the stables will do. I do not feel safe staying in the main house. Um¡­I don¡¯t know your name.¡± ¡°Connolly, Sergeant Declan Connolly. No place reachable before nightfall,¡± the Sergeant answered. ¡°Even the stables are under Commander Braeford¡¯s authority. I volunteer to stand guard at your chambers tonight, inside or outside, if that will help ease your concerns.¡± ¡°As will I,¡± Liam added. ¡°He isn¡¯t the commander,¡± Jon said stonily. ¡°You are. Commander Declan Connelly.¡± By the time Annie¡¯s envoys arrived three-quarters of an hour later, they had reconvened in the study, and Gil had unrolled a sketched map of the castle, Tara Citadel, the Courtyard between them, and the countryside surrounding the castle beyond the gorefish moat. ¡°Jon, I don¡¯t want you in the middle of the battles,¡± Gil said. ¡°You¡¯re too valuable and can¡¯t move quickly enough to be in the thick of it. Let¡¯s station you here, on this portion of the castle roof.¡± Gil thumped his finger on a section of the map and continued, ¡°From there you¡¯ll have clear shots to the front steps of the Citadel, the Ritual Arena, the main portcullis, one of the side entryways, and most importantly, the Courtyard itself.¡± ¡°That portion of the roof doesn¡¯t have a good exit,¡± Declan Connolly interjected. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be able to escape easily.¡± ¡°Rory and Liam will be with him,¡± Gil countered. ¡°Neither youth is combat-ready, but they¡¯ll excel in the purely defensive maneuvers needed to protect Prince Jon in the very unlikely event of an attack. The Magi Soldiers will be too busy with Annie¡¯s Rebels and the Grays to go after one lone person.¡± ¡°A valuable person whose aloneness will make him an easier target,¡± Declan protested. ¡°That location makes him even more vulnerable.¡± Ignoring the objection, Gil leaned forward and pointed at the sketch of the castle and surrounding land as they coordinated where to dispatch the Grays, when Annie¡¯s Rebels would advance, how many Rebels were already planted inside Hilltown, and especially how many were already present inside the castle itself. ¡°We will join all of the Rebel Army outside of Hilltown, keeping well out of sight until a handful of us have entered the city to search for Se¨¢n,¡± Gil said. ¡°When the fight begins, it will be outside the walls of the city.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± the Senior Envoy objected. ¡°Since your Grays can pass through the gates so easily, we should do that. We have hundreds of fighters ready inside the city walls, and they are willing to help us get the rest of the Rebels inside. Attacking the city from within will mean that we¡¯ll be that much closer to the King and the Most Revered. They are the most important targets, once Se¨¢n is rescued.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Declan agreed. ¡°Leaving Jon on the inside while we¡¯re outside the walls increases the risk to him even more.¡± Alec shifted in his seat and looked over to meet Jon¡¯s eyes. As he did, Jon commented, ¡°I agree with them, Gil. Sieging a castle is difficult, and unnecessary since we can walk right in. No one will question the Grays.¡± ¡°I have confidential information that I can¡¯t share just yet,¡± Gil countered. ¡°It concerns the whereabouts of Ava Most Revered. There is a point where she will be open to attack, and we may be able to cinch this quickly and spare a great deal of bloodshed. We have to do it my way.¡± ¡°Mr. Braeford,¡± the Senior Envoy protested. ¡°The rumor in Snake In is that your true allegiance is to the magi, rather than the royal family.¡± ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 38 Strategy Chapter 38 Strategy We live by the river, in the long grasses and brush between the woods and the water. We have protection for our families there and can defend our young from attack. ¡ª Prince Eater, undocumented ¡°Rumors? I don¡¯t run my campaigns on rumors,¡± Gil snarled. ¡°Keep your gossip to yourself.¡± ¡°No, please do not keep it to yourself. We need all the information we can get,¡± Jon asserted. ¡°As it happens, that particular piece of news has been known for several years. Our father formally removed Prince Gunnar from the line of succession the day Gunnar was presented to him as a newborn.¡± Gil leaned back in shock. His eyes swept Jon up and down before he said, ¡°Harry wouldn¡¯t do that. I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Jon said with a laugh. ¡°You¡¯ve been hiding your true identity for years, Gilbert Raedwald. Holy King Harrison formally removed you from the line of succession at the same time that he removed Gunnar. He also had his daughter¡¯s remains moved from under the willow to the family cemetery. She¡¯s there among the infants that were stillborn or died so soon after birth that they were never named. I can show you her grave when there¡¯s time.¡± Gil¡¯s face paled and he sank back in his chair. His glass tipped sharply but before it slipped from his hand, he tightened his grip and mumbled, ¡°I prayed all those years over empty ground.¡± Jon didn¡¯t pause to gloat over Gil¡¯s grief, but continued, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, he raised Gunnar and all of us thought of him as a sibling, but we knew he was not. That is probably why he acted against Se¨¢n ¨C it was the only hope he had of getting the Crown.¡± Gil¡¯s shoulders dropped as he tried to process what Jon revealed. ¡°Your fealty to Holy King Harrison has never been in question. Your loyalty to the princes is something you still have to prove. There is no such thing as confidential information that you withhold from the Crown. In this case, me. It is your sworn duty to share any information you have.¡± Gil pressed his hands into fists of frustration, violently bashed them against the map covering the table, and said, ¡°We¡¯ll do it my way. That¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°We will not,¡± Declan countered. ¡°As commander, the recommendation is mine to make to Prince Jon. I propose that one party of us will go in first, and then the others come through in small groups using several entrances. That will draw less attention than all fifty of us marching in fully armed at once. And there¡¯s no reason for us to do that since the Grays are well-known and accepted. We¡¯ll rendezvous at the Courtyard.¡± Gil glared furiously at Commander Connolly, opened his mouth to object, but closed it with a hard swallow, and continued, ¡°The Grays will leave before First Sun. We¡¯ll split up and go in following Commander Connolly¡¯s instructions. Our goal, first and foremost, will be to scour the city to search for Prince Se¨¢n. Annie¡¯s Rebels from SnakeIn need to disperse around the perimeter of the city, ready to charge in at a moment¡¯s notice. An old, inconspicuous pub I know about will serve well as headquarters.¡± The members of Annie¡¯s Envoy nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll send word when it¡¯s time to attack.¡± Gil turned to Alec and said, ¡°You¡¯re the best archer we have. I want you to be ready early and keep flexible about where you¡¯ll be. We may have to change the plan once we¡¯re on the ground.¡± Jon looked at Alec, hesitant to interfere, but finally asked, ¡°Is that necessary? I don¡¯t like being separated from Alec during the battle.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch out for him,¡± Declan Connolly vouched. ¡°And assign someone else to do so also.¡± ¡°Alec?¡± Jon asked his husband. Alec shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a war. I have to go where my skills will be the most useful.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Jon agreed. ¡°For his own safety, we¡¯ll try to find Prince Se¨¢n with as little bloodshed as possible,¡± Gil expounded. ¡°The prince is most likely imprisoned in the Tara Citadel, in which case, we will be unable to gain access. No men are allowed beyond the meeting hall on the ground floor. The magi have priests specifically trained to prevent that type of intrusion. The rare breach of the ground floor has always resulted in the death of the intruder and whoever caused them to enter the private residences.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that we simply ignore the Tara Citadel?¡± Jon asked. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. If there¡¯s a chance Se¨¢n is being held there, we¡¯re going in.¡± ¡°And we must secure the Citadel if we¡¯re to take down the magi,¡± the Senior Envoy added. Everyone in the room nodded in agreement except Gil. ¡°I can get in,¡± Colleen offered. She had been standing back against one of the walls listening to them formulate a plan but walked forward when she saw a purpose she could fulfill. ¡°I told you to stay out of this,¡± Gil declared. ¡°Harrison went to great effort to get you out of the magi dungeon and spirited to safety. He has already prepared the proclamation saying that you are Reggie¡¯s widow and your child is a new Prince of the Realm. You will not dishonor or insult that by endangering your unborn son.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand by and not help,¡± she responded. ¡°Not after what they did to Reggie.¡± ¡°What Reggie saw in you is beyond me,¡± Gil said in frustration. ¡°You don¡¯t listen. You don¡¯t cooperate. The other reason I don¡¯t want you involved is that if someone in the Citadel recognizes you, that will betray all of us. I married you because Harrison demanded that Reggie¡¯s baby be saved and be kept safe. Until Fitzreginald is born whole and healthy, caring for him is your main role. After that, you can leave the baby with me and do whatever you want. But not until then.¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°My suggestion makes sense, Gil. I¡¯m female and I¡¯m already familiar with the interior of the Citadel.¡± She leaned over the map, traced her finger along undrawn paths, and said, ¡°For one thing, Reggie showed me several tunnels that link the Citadel and the Castle which most people don¡¯t know about. For another, the source of Ava Most Revered¡¯s power ¨C the Holy Lightning ¨C is at the top of Tara Citadel. I¡¯ve had to feed her bracelets for her, so I know how to get there.¡± ¡°What do you mean, feed her bracelets?¡± Jon asked. ¡°She has two identical sets and there¡¯s a place where she puts them to keep them functioning. She wears one set while the other is being replenished by the Glow Nest on the roof,¡± Colleen answered. ¡°Otherwise, the second set is in the jewelry box by her bed. The Glow Nest isn¡¯t really for her bracelets, although they do use its power. It¡¯s mostly for the equipment used in the Insubstantiation Process, you know, the Ritual. It¡¯s terrible what happens to the princes. I¡¯ve had to feed and care for them. It¡¯s sad. They were so handsome. I wish they would have let me see Reggie afterward, no matter what he looked like.¡± ¡°Reggie died in the Ritual,¡± Jon said. ¡°He and Ethan both.¡± ¡°Ethan did,¡± Colleen said but shook her head. ¡°Reggie went through the entire process. I was told that he¡¯s the first one who has since King Tiernan. They needed to streamline Holy King Harrison¡¯s Ritual, so he didn¡¯t go through the entire process. He may not even know the truth about it.¡± Before she could explain further, the Senior Envoy said, ¡°Let¡¯s stay on topic so that we get our strategy worked out. You make good points, Colleen. We won¡¯t truly succeed unless we take down the magi, and eliminate their power. We need to attack this Glow Nest if you can get us into the Citadel.¡± ¡°I can, yes,¡± she replied. ¡°I told you no. I will not allow you to risk Prince Reginald¡¯s unborn child. If you are caught, they will kill you, and not easily. Who knows, they may even keep you alive until the child is born so they can inflict the Ritual on the baby. I¡¯m tired of you always arguing. I pledged to Harrison that I would protect Reggie¡¯s child. Once the child is born and in my custody, you¡¯re done. Until then I¡¯ll do whatever I must to save Reggie¡¯s child,¡± Gil rose to his feet, leaned across the map, and slapped the table with the flat of his hands so hard that Colleen jumped in fright and dropped the glass in her hand. As it shattered on the finely made carpet in the study, Alec, Rory, and the envoys ran across the room from where they had stood listening. Some drew their weapons, but all of them placed themselves between Gil and his wife. The Senior Envoy put his hand on the hilt of his sword and said, his voice level, ¡°Unfortunately, we need you for the battle ahead of us. Otherwise, Mr. Braeford, you would be in chains at this very moment.¡± The Junior Envoy placed her hand over the hilt of her short sword and shifted her feet as if readying herself to fight. Commander Declan Connolly glanced at the other Grays standing in the room and joined the Junior Envoy facing Gil down. ¡°Stop!¡± Jon called out above the din. When the room quieted and everyone had turned to listen, he continued, ¡°Gil is right. Not in threatening you, Colleen, but birth is difficult enough, without you deliberately going into danger and risking an unborn prince. As the most senior ranking member of royalty present, I forbid you. Your idea has merit, and we do need to incorporate it into the overall plan. Rory, Liam, please assist Mrs. Raedwald upstairs so that she can rest and collect herself where she¡¯s safe from Gil¡¯s intimidation. In an hour, Colleen, one of us will come up and talk with you about your ideas and suggestions.¡± Rory and Liam bowed to Prince Jon and then helped Colleen toward the main staircase. She fearfully clutched her face with both her hands, while Rory gripped her elbow gently to steady her. They had walked halfway to the study door, when she paused, took one hand from her face, and cradled Rory¡¯s chin. She moved his face right, moved it left, and then turned back to the others and remarked, ¡°He would make a pretty novitiate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Rory said at once. ¡°Thank you, Prince Rory, Sir, but we can¡¯t risk you,¡± the Senior Envoy said without waiting for anyone else¡¯s reaction. ¡°You hypocrite,¡± Gil snarled. ¡°You threatened to throw me in chains for protecting Prince Reginald¡¯s direct descendant, but won¡¯t let him take a risk because he¡¯s at the very bottom of the line of succession. Reggie¡¯s son will be at the top of it. By the Survivor, you¡¯re all¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Liam McCreesh interjected forcefully before Gil could complete the insult. ¡°I¡¯m not a prince.¡± The strategy meeting lasted until almost midnight, but despite the hour, the envoys sent by Annie¡¯s Rebels chose to begin their return journey immediately. A detachment of the Grays, assigned to guard Callen Docherty, rode out with them. By the time they left, Jon felt he had a good handle on the plans for the next day¡¯s campaign but was at a loss as to how to fall asleep. He lay awake next to Alec, listening to the soft sounds of footsteps outside the chamber door, and wondered if it was Liam or Declan pacing back and forth. A soft scratch on the door woke Alec and brought Jon to his feet. Declan Connolly let himself into the room, waved behind him to ensure Liam continued to stand guard and moved silently into the room. ¡°Forgive me,¡± he said. ¡°I need to discuss tomorrow¡¯s events with the two of you privately.¡± ¡°Please, sit,¡± Jon said as he opened a palm toward the chair at the bedside. ¡°I¡¯m not comfortable with all that transpired in today¡¯s meeting but don¡¯t have enough to act on any of it, and I don¡¯t think we could act on it in this environment,¡± Declan began. ¡°The idea of separating the two of you is troublesome. On the surface, Alec being with the rest of us makes sense, but something isn¡¯t right.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like Jon being trapped on that roof,¡± Alec agreed. ¡°At one time or another, I¡¯ve been stationed all over the castle roof, and that area only has one exit, a stairway that runs up from the kitchen. If that door gets blocked, the only other escape for Jon is to jump.¡± ¡°Several years ago, I visited friends who lived in the northern mountains over in New East Anglia,¡± Declan said. ¡°They often traveled from the top of a mountain to the base by sliding along a rope. They¡¯d use a metal contraption over the rope to protect their hands.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of those,¡± Jon commented. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one.¡± ¡°Do you think we could create something like that for Jon and the two boys to retreat from the rooftop?¡± Alec asked. ¡°Some of us, maybe a detail from Annie¡¯s Rebels who are already in Hilltown, could be hiding in that stand of trees right there, and be ready to assist them from the rope, and then cut the line so that no one can follow them down.¡± ¡°My thoughts exactly,¡± Declan agreed. ¡°There¡¯s a groom in the stables who is good at putting together things like that. He¡¯s my partner. We plan on marrying after this round of battles. I¡¯ll see if he can come up with something.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Jon said. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Will you be awake for a few minutes, Alec?¡± Declan asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want young Liam on his own if trouble presents itself, but if you¡¯ll be awake, I¡¯ll run to the stables right now. It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Alec assured him. ¡°I¡¯ll stay up until you let us know you¡¯ve returned.¡± Declan nodded and hurried from the room. When the door closed, Jon snuggled closer to Alec and rested his head on Alec¡¯s shoulder. Their embrace lasted until Declan opened the door slightly and called, ¡°All set.¡± When the door clicked shut, Alec nestled Jon closer, running his hands across Jon¡¯s chest, and licking tiny kisses along his shoulder. In response, Jon nipped amorously at Alec¡¯s neck. Afterward, with the habit of a soldier able to sleep whenever the opportunity to do so presented itself, Alec fell asleep quickly. Jon lay next to him counting Alec¡¯s soft snores. Too soon, First Sun rose, and Alec left his side. Jon listened to him move around the chamber, washing, dressing, and readying himself for the battle ahead. When Alec leaned across the bed to kiss Jon goodbye, Jon caught him in an embrace and only let go with reluctance. After he left, Jon simply stared at the ceiling. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 39 Hilltown Chapter 39 Hilltown When the tall reeds are not enough to protect us from the two suns, there¡¯s mud along the banks that we can roll in. The children sleep together disguised as the mud itself while the rest of us keep watch. Sometimes one of them gets stuck, and if it isn¡¯t one of my own, it¡¯s a snack. ¡ª Prince Eater, undocumented Colleen, Liam dressed up to be Lily, and Rory dressed up to be Rosy, left as First Sun began to glow on the horizon. ¡°Good morning,¡± one of the grooms greeted them unexpectedly. ¡°It¡¯s early for a ride, Mrs. Raedwald. Would you like me to saddle your horse?¡± ¡°It is early,¡± Colleen agreed. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see that you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°I had something to do for Declan that couldn¡¯t wait,¡± the groom justified. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°My horse, yes, but my guests will need the small carriage. Thank you,¡± Colleen replied. ¡°We¡¯re going into Hilltown to shop. I¡¯m only going long enough to show Lily and Rosy all of my favorite milliners and tailors. They both arrived sorely in need of essentials. I promised them that they could go today. I warned them that we need to stay together.¡± ¡°All the grooms know that Mr. Braeford forbade you to go near the coming battle, Mrs. Raedwald,¡± the groom stated. ¡°We¡¯ve been told not to provide you with any means to get there ¨C horse or carriage.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t succeed without me,¡± Colleen entreated. ¡°You don¡¯t have to let Gil know about it.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t, Mrs. Raedwald. It isn¡¯t that,¡± the groom protested. He walked about ten paces away, his eyes worried, and then strode back. ¡°Never a word. I was simply thinking that with all that¡¯s going on these days, they might not have another opportunity to get into Hilltown. I don¡¯t blame them a bit. Your horses will be ready momentarily. Let me give you the name of a friend who owns a livery stable. He¡¯s a good soul, and he will take good care of you.¡± The groom disappeared and a few minutes later reappeared driving the lady¡¯s carriage. He jumped down, secured the reins, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll return in a jiffy with your riding horse, Mrs. Raedwald.¡± As soon as the groom entered the stables, they removed a variety of weapons they had hidden about them and stashed them in the trunk on the back of the carriage. The groom took longer than Colleen anticipated, but as soon as he reappeared, Rory/Rosy started to swing into the carriage without waiting for assistance until the groom rebuked, ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Lady Rosy. One moment please.¡± He dismounted, led the horse to Colleen, and helped her to mount. The groom turned to assist Liam/Lily into the carriage and then bowed to Rory/Rosy and gallantly held out a hand. As Rory/Rosy complied the groom said quietly, ¡°If you get into trouble, Rory, sir, get to Prince Jon on the roof. Remember. Jon on the roof.¡± The groom took a bag from his shoulder and pulled out a flintlock pistol, powder and balls. Holding it up he said, ¡°This is a brand new technology for us. From New East Anglia. My friend Captain Reid just brought these to Midhe Nuae. I was hoping to show it to Declan, but you may need it where you¡¯re going. Let me just walk around here so that I¡¯m on the other side of the carriage from the house, and I¡¯ll show you how to use it.¡± When he was certain that he was out of sight of anyone who might be watching from the house, he explained loading, aiming, cleaning, the advantages and the cautions, and concluded, ¡°My suggestion is that once you are well away from the manor, stop if you can, and each of you try shooting it. Initially, you won¡¯t be very accurate, but that will come. I haven¡¯t had it for long, but I¡¯m starting to get a good feel for it. For now, try to aim for the largest part of whoever is your target, like his back, or the center of his chest, or his ass if that¡¯s all you can see. These are all the lead balls I have, so don¡¯t use them all up practicing. I can get more, but you need to save some in case you need to use it in Hilltown today.¡± He returned the weapon to the bag and set it on the seat next to Rory, stepped back with a bow, and said, ¡°Ride well. If Mr. Braeford asks questions, I¡¯ll try to hold him off. If anyone has to come for you, I¡¯ll offer to do it myself.¡± As they traveled toward Hilltown, Colleen rode next to the carriage so that the three of them could talk easily. Liam asked, ¡°Why does Gil go by Mr. Braeford, and you go by Mrs. Raedwald?¡± Colleen shook her head in disgust and pushed her horse forward to ride ahead of the carriage. Finally, Rory answered, ¡°Gil goes by Braeford for anonymity, however, Mrs. Raedwald is mother to a Prince of the Realm. She must use the royal family name.¡± ¡°She acts as if she hates Gil,¡± Liam remarked, studying the woman riding ahead of them. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Rory responded. ¡°The servants think she does,¡± Liam continued. ¡°Even though he rescued her from the Citadel dungeons, and then married her as Holy King Harrison demanded, she resents not being able to be with Prince Reginald. She insists that Reginald is still alive, in the dungeon somewhere, with other princes who didn¡¯t make it through the Ritual.¡± Rory scrunched up his face, and then asked ponderingly, ¡°How can he have died during the Ritual, yet still be alive in the dungeon somewhere?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Liam answered. ¡°But Mrs. Raedwald doesn¡¯t seem given to flights of fancy.¡± When they were well out of sight of Braeford Estates, they halted at the side of the road so that they could retrieve the weapons hidden in the back of the carriage. Colleen strapped a short sword to her side. Rory/Rosy produced two knives and his quarterstaff. Liam/Lily also had two knives, a quarterstaff, and a flanged, metal mace. They changed their travel cloaks for large, hooded ones that disguised their faces, and Rory stashed an extra one for Se¨¢n to wear when they rescued him. He gestured to Liam, and then took out the flintlock pistol. He followed the groom¡¯s instructions to load it and then shot a tree. He tipped his head as he considered what he¡¯d learned, and then gave the pistol to Liam who repeated Rory¡¯s actions. ¡°We have to get going,¡± Colleen insisted as Liam tried to pass the weapon to her. They traveled the rest of the way without encountering anyone. There were no people on the streets of Hilltown, either, and the shops were shut and boarded. They stopped at the livery stable and found no one about, so Rory and Liam freed the horses from the carriage, stabled them along with Colleen¡¯s horse, and cared for them while she left a brief note for the livery stable owner. ¡°Ready?¡± she asked. The two young men nodded. ¡°Keep the hoods up at all times. They are the type worn by the novitiates so once we are in the Citadel, you¡¯ll blend in while you¡¯re wearing them. Your quarterstaffs won¡¯t attract attention because every novitiate is assigned one and trained to use it.¡± The streets remained uncharacteristically empty, but they discovered that the closer to the castle and Citadel they traveled, the more people they encountered until the streets became crammed, and every available window had observers hanging out of them. ¡°I wonder ¨C¡± Rory/Rosy started to whisper. Colleen put her finger over her lips imploring him to remain silent. He obeyed as he fell into step beside her and Liam/Lily. They made it to the Courtyard, and by utilizing a combination of polite requests and a bit of pushing, they achieved a good vantage point to see that in the center of the Courtyard, on a dais higher than the one Holy King Harrison generally sat on, stood Prince Se¨¢n. He was dressed in regal silks. His long blond hair was tied at the nape of his neck with a leather tie, and every strand glistened. His hands were free, but velvet ropes attached to his ankles kept him anchored to the dais and limited his movement. Someone in the crowd cast a soggy piece of fruit at the Prince and yelled, ¡°Noble Not Nobility!¡± Prince Se¨¢n flinched and ducked, but others in the crowd took up the cry: ¡°Noble Not Nobility! Noble Not Nobility!¡± Volleys of fruit, defecation, stones, and blocks of wood were hurled at him. Spectators in the crowd who were loyal to either the monarchy or the magi tried to stop the assault and soon nearly the entire crowd was brawling. ¡°Enough!¡± Ava Most Revered yelled. ¡°Stop. He is not on display for you to abuse. He is the Last Prince. The next Holy King. You may not treat him with such disrespect. Soldiers! Soldiers!¡± The Magi Soldiers and members of the Kings Guards came from every direction, placing themselves between Prince Se¨¢n and the rowdy crowd. As the soldiers pushed the crowd back, a mage yanked at Liam/Lily¡¯s sleeve and said sternly, ¡°You! Novitiates! Get up there and help the prince. Cut him loose and transport him on your shoulders.¡± Taking advantage of the opportunity to get to Se¨¢n, Liam, Rory, and Colleen rushed forward. By the time they reached Prince Se¨¢n, several other novitiates surrounded him on the dais with their arms stretched out so that the refuse splattered onto them instead of the prince. Other novitiates beat at the crowd with their quarterstaffs trying to help the soldiers push them back. A nearby mage assessed Liam and Rory and said, ¡°You two look stronger than the others, cut his ankles free, and get him inside. There¡¯s a knife here in my belt, use it. Be sure to hold him high. Don¡¯t let His Royal Highness¡¯s feet touch any of that crud.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Liam lowered his eyes as if in respect, hurried to the priest, and accepted the knife. He scrambled onto the dais, hurried over to Prince Se¨¢n, and whispered, ¡°Shhh. It¡¯s me, Liam. Don¡¯t give me away.¡± As he worked to cut the bulky, velvet ropes more novitiates, several additional magi, Kings Guards, and Magi Soldiers surrounded Prince Se¨¢n. Liam continued to speak softly, ¡°I don¡¯t think we can get you out of here through this crowd.¡± Prince Se¨¢n turned toward the Most Revered, as if he hadn¡¯t heard Liam, and shouted, ¡°You unholy pig. Nothing you do is sacred or divine. You are a greedy, power-craving tyrant.¡± He lowered his voice and whispered, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Liam didn¡¯t glance up but merely uttered, ¡°Lose your balance so that you fall across me. I have two knives in my waistband. Take them.¡± ¡°Hurry up,¡± the mage called out. ¡°There¡¯s no time to be respectful and gentle. You have to get him out of here.¡± ¡°Got him,¡± Liam called back in a convincing falsetto. ¡°Your Righteousness,¡± Se¨¢n coached. ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Got him, Your Righteousness, we¡¯re leaving now, ma¡¯am,¡± Liam/Lily called as if he were continuing the same sentence. He adjusted his hood, leaned into Prince Se¨¢n to hoist him over his shoulder, fumbled so that Se¨¢n could retrieve the two knives and conceal them, then lifted Prince Se¨¢n. Rory/Rosy met them at the dais¡¯s edge, the other novitiates parted to create a path through the crowd, and they transported Prince Se¨¢n between them on their clasped arms with Ava Most Revered rushing ahead of them, urging them to hurry. When they reached the Tara Citadel, she guided them through the Great Hall, up the staircase, and onto the balcony of her personal chambers where a cage containing a small jug of water, an empty plate, a chamber pot, and a small, blanket covered cot waited for Prince Se¨¢n. Waving her hand in the air, she instructed, ¡°Lock him in. Until he fully embraces his destiny, he needs to be secure.¡± ¡°Yes, Ava Most Revered,¡± Rory/Rosy mumbled in a soft, high voice. ¡°This is as much for his safety as any other reason,¡± Ava Most Revered continued. Rory/Rosy and Liam/Lily both nodded silently. Liam/Lily turned his head and looked over the balcony at the priests, novitiates, Magi Soldiers, and everyone else pouring into the Great Hall after them. Most of them pointed at and whispered, although a few voices clamored ¡°Noble Not nobility.¡± As if reading his mind, Ava Most Revered offered, ¡°There isn¡¯t much privacy for him, that¡¯s true. But I can¡¯t risk him being out of sight of the Hall while I¡¯m gone. He may try to break free.¡± Liam/Lily dipped his head to acknowledge what she had said and then fussed with the blankets on the cot. Rory/Rosy, meanwhile, made a show of brushing off Se¨¢n¡¯s clothing, wiping off real and imaginary clots of dirtiness with his own cape, and then adjusting Se¨¢n¡¯s hair. As he did, he turned Se¨¢n so that they blocked Ava Most Revered¡¯s view. Liam/Lily quickly removed the flanged, medal mace from under his cape, and tucked it under the cot. He made a final show of smoothing and rearranging the blankets and then stood and stepped back. The two friends backed from the cage side by side as they bowed deeply to Se¨¢n and acknowledged, ¡°It is our pleasure to serve you, Your Royal Highness.¡± ¡°Absolutely right,¡± the Most Revered said as she tied the cage door shut. ¡°That is exactly how the Chosen should be treated. What are your assignments today?¡± ¡°We are available for whatever you wish, Most Revered,¡± Rory/Rosy said softly bowing to her as he spoke so that his face remained shadowed. ¡°Good. Good,¡± she commented. ¡°I have much to do and cannot stay to watch him. I want both of you to guard him for the balance of the day. Do not let anyone in. When the kitchen staff brings him food, serve it to him yourself and see that he eats well.¡± The two novitiates bowed deeply in acceptance. ¡°Make sure that no one from the Great Hall tries to reach him by climbing to the balcony the way Colleen did. And definitely do not let anyone sling fruit or garbage at him like they were doing in the Courtyard. I intend to see that those who did are punished. If someone tries, close the drapes. In fact, since the two of you will be here to watch him, go ahead and close the draperies now. He¡¯s certainly been harassed enough for one day. If there¡¯s danger and you have to get him away from the people in the Great Hall. Don¡¯t wait for me. Open the door and take him to safety yourselves. Don¡¯t hesitate. He is extremely important.¡± She paused, gave Prince Se¨¢n a hard look, sized up the two dutiful novitiates, and then concluded, ¡°You have my trust. Don¡¯t lose it. I¡¯m sure the beasts would find both of you tasty.¡± She turned on her heel and marched out of her chambers without looking back. Prince Se¨¢n walked to his hard cot and sat on it without speaking. When Liam opened his mouth to say something, Se¨¢n put his finger over his lip to indicate silence, and then put one hand behind an ear and leaned forward as if he were mimicking someone eavesdropping. Both the young men kept silent. Rory turned and surveyed the Great Hall, wondering how to get word to Colleen that they were trapped with Se¨¢n. He finally saw her standing against the far wall of the hall. He made a big show of dusting off his cape. He lifted his eyes toward her without moving his head and saw her slight nod. He glanced toward Prince Se¨¢n and when he looked back, Colleen had disappeared. Prince Se¨¢n sat quietly on his cot while Rory and Liam operated the mechanism until the drapes closed off the entire balcony. As soon as they were out of sight from the hall, Rory produced the knife he was given by the priest and sliced the rope tying it shut. Se¨¢n walked to the door, leaned against it as if he needed the reassurance that it was truly unlocked, and stood there breathing in and out deeply. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± Colleen whispered from the center of the room. ¡°Don¡¯t respond to me. Talk loudly about something else. Anything else.¡± ¡°Would you two bring me some water?¡± Prince Se¨¢n broadcast, distractingly loud. He cleared his throat, stomped his feet several times, and then continued, ¡°I need to wash after going through all that. Some of that shit hit me. The Most Revered keeps water for washing up in that room over there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get a bucket for you, sir,¡± Rory joined in, continuing the falsetto ruse. He held his palms up and raised his eyebrows at Colleen questioningly. She turned and pointed at what seemed to have been a blank wall, but in reality, was a panel door that was now standing wide open to reveal a set of stairs. She waved her arm to indicate they should follow her. ¡°Here is water for you, sir,¡± Rory said, loudly enough that people in the area of the Grand Hall closest to them could hear. ¡°We¡¯ll turn our backs until you are done.¡± Se¨¢n bent down and retrieved the flanged, metal mace that they had hidden under his cot, wrapped its belt around his waist, and shoved it through the belt at his back. Rory removed his own hooded cloak and shrugged off the pack containing the extra cape. Prince Se¨¢n donned it immediately, and Colleen signaled for them to come with her down the stairs. ¡°Stay covered,¡± she hissed very softly. ¡°We¡¯re likely to pass servants, and we might even encounter a priest. I¡¯ll do any talking.¡± They encountered no one until they reached the ground floor where several Magi Soldiers were yelling and arguing. ¡°I told you, I saw the rebel army,¡± one soldier¡¯s voice declared. ¡°Since when do the Rebels have an army,¡± another soldier argued. ¡°They are a few cowardly nobles hiding in SnakeIn. They don¡¯t have an army.¡± ¡°They do,¡± a third voice said. ¡°And not only in SnakeIn. All of Midhe Nuae is riddled with them. There¡¯s a large group of them right here in Hilltown.¡± Colleen shook her head and gestured at the young men to follow her as she lifted a rough door in the floor to reveal a sturdy ladder leading down to another passage. They followed her into the dim light. ¡°Two of you put one hand on my shoulder. The third one of you needs to stand in the middle with his hands on their shoulders,¡± she instructed softly. ¡°Don¡¯t lose contact with each other or me. Once the trapdoor is closed, it will be too dark to see.¡± She sealed the door and led them along the dirt passageway. After several minutes, they reached another ladder. She climbed up, pushed that trap door open, and went through. To the right of the trap door was a steep stairway that led to a standard door accessing the roof. ¡°Like our friendly groom said, get to Jon,¡± she explained as she led them out onto the roof. She shut the door behind them solidly and turned to find Jon standing with his crossbow aimed at them. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot me now,¡± Se¨¢n joked as he pushed his own hood back and laughed. ¡°I just got free.¡± The others pushed their hoods back and towed their capes off as Jon lowered his weapon. When Se¨¢n shrugged off his cape, Colleen stepped over to Se¨¢n and took it from him. ¡°I thought we could escape downstairs, but the soldiers are already aware of the Rebels coming,¡± Colleen filled Jon in as she folded Se¨¢n¡¯s and her cape loosely and set them to one side. ¡°They were gathered outside the door I wanted to use for our escape. We¡¯d have had to fight our way through them to get out.¡± Jon¡¯s face darkened, and he addressed Colleen directly, ¡°I ordered you to stay away from here. For the sake of Reggie¡¯s child.¡± He had not heard the argument at Braeford Estates so Se¨¢n looked at Colleen in surprise, but then said, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Jon. She rescued me.¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t have saved him without her,¡± Rory agreed. Jon gestured his acceptance of their argument, but still disgruntled about the overall battle strategy, he complained, ¡°This is where I¡¯m stationed.¡± ¡°That was a bad decision,¡± Collen replied. ¡°The only way out is the only way in. We didn¡¯t have another choice but you should have been placed somewhere else.¡± ¡°Have you heard from anyone?¡± Jon asked. ¡°It¡¯s been over three hours. Gil should have contacted me by now. I¡¯m worried about Alec.¡± ¡°No, we left before they did,¡± Colleen explained. She turned in a small circle, inspecting the layout of the roof. ¡°We can¡¯t get down.¡± ¡°I have an escape route,¡± he said as he pointed to a traverse line that had been rigged carefully behind the castle where it could not be seen from the Courtyard. ¡°From here I can launch crossbow bolts in almost any direction. I¡¯ve been filling up the time by taking out a few of the Prince Eaters. Just the ones at the far end of the pen, so they won¡¯t be readily noticed. I¡¯d hope that I could take out enough to make a difference. By my count, we¡¯re down to 22.¡± ¡°How can we help?¡± Rory asked. ¡°We¡¯re here to fight.¡± ¡°So am I,¡± Prince Se¨¢n agreed. ¡°I¡¯m not running.¡± ¡°How do you feel?¡± Jon asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied. ¡°She kept me locked up, but she fed me well. She didn¡¯t abuse me in any way. She was almost kind. For a kidnapper.¡± Jon laughed and said, ¡°I have an arsenal up here. I had plenty of time to sneak down to my chambers and bring up almost my entire collection. Everyone seems to be gearing up for a large battle or drinking to forget they should be. Not even a servant caught a glimpse of me.¡± He chuckled, and then continued, ¡°Our father readily indulged my weapons collection. I have more crossbows here than we have hands to shoot them, so use them. I brought up other weapons, too. Quarterstaffs. A war axe. A brace of swords. Just in case I have to fight my way down from here.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s set up,¡± Colleen said. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 40 Betrayal Chapter 40 Betrayal Weakness drags down the entire group. It¡¯s better to cull it out and use them to support the rest of us. It¡¯s practical. And once in a while, someone is eaten for revenge. ¡ª Prince Eater, undocumented The Approach ot Hilltown Gil halted the Armored Grays a kilometer from one of the side bridges into Hilltown, swung down from his saddle, and walked over to where Alec was dismounting. As he walked, Gil looked at the rear guard, tipped his head down to scratch his forehead, and then said, ¡°Alec, leave your crossbow on your horse. We¡¯re only going to be here a moment.¡± ¡°Why are we stopping?¡± Alec asked as his feet hit the ground. ¡°I want to go over the plan again,¡± Gil replied, stepping directly in front of him. Alec instinctively assumed a guarded stance and reached up to grab the saddle in case he had to swing back on. ¡°What have you done, Gil,¡± Declan Connolly demanded loudly as he folded up a small telescoping field glass he had been looking through and hooked it onto his belt. ¡°The portcullis is already open and there is a detail of Magi Soldiers waiting just on the other side of the gate.¡± As Declan spoke, a sword from one of the Grays in the rear guard pierced through his back, through his heart, and out his chest. ¡°Figgict!¡± one of the Grays shouted as he raised his own sword and raced at the soldier who had killed Declan. Another Gray embedded a war axe into his head before the defending soldier¡¯s horse made it halfway there. Realizing the trap too late, Alec started to swing onto the horse. Something heavy hit the back of his head and as Alec lost consciousness, Gil Braeford said loudly, ¡°Excellent work. Prince Jon will be easy to get cornered on that roof. We can try using Mulrian as a bargaining chip to get him to surrender, but I think we¡¯re looking at a fight to their deaths.¡± The Outskirts of Hilltown Annie, Tom, and several of Annie¡¯s Rebels waited in a small, boarded-up pub with a closed sign on the door while sentries did their best to remain out of sight while covering all the entrances and exits. ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Annie said for the sixth or seventh time. ¡°Gil was supposed to signal us. It¡¯s been too long.¡± ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Tom asked, stepping close to her and resting one hand on her arm affectionately. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she replied with a shrug that removed his hand. ¡°You need to be sure,¡± Tom countered. ¡°You¡¯re the leader. If you can¡¯t decide what to do, who can?¡± ¡°I know. I know,¡± she agreed as she turned and paced across the floor with her back to him. She stopped when she reached the wall and stood there examining it as if somewhere on it was the answer. ¡°I¡¯ll go look for him,¡± Tom said at last. ¡°If I can¡¯t make it back, I¡¯ll at least send word, so you¡¯ll know where things stand.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Craig told him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go alone.¡± Annie turned slowly and looked both men over from head to toe before asking, ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°It might be,¡± Tom agreed. ¡°But we can¡¯t wait here doing nothing. Someone has to reconnoiter.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go upstairs and get ready,¡± Craig settled the debate as he left the room. Tom walked over to Annie and slid his arms around her waist. Instead of returning the embrace, Annie¡¯s back stiffened more. Tom stroked her arm and rubbed her back until she relaxed as much as she was going to, and then he whispered, ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you, too,¡± she replied, as if from habit. Tom kissed her forehead, strolled over to his weapons, and started strapping them on. Five minutes after Craig left the room, SnakeIn¡¯s aviculturist appeared with a red messaging bird in a small cage attached to a baldric. She nodded respectfully to everyone in the room and then strode up to Tom. ¡°This is designed to be worn from the left shoulder to the right hip so that you have easy access to your sword,¡± she explained. She pointed out two metal eyes on the opposite end of the cage top and continued, ¡°But if you need it worn the other way, simply refasten it. The leg bands are in this sack tied beside the bird door. Blue means ¡®all clear.¡¯ Green means ¡®successful.¡¯ Red means ¡®send help.¡¯ No band at all means ¡®all lives in jeopardy and is meant to be used only if it becomes clear that no one in the scouting party will survive.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Tom said calmly. He accepted the baldric, held the cage up so that he could examine the large bird inside, and then slipped the baldric over his head. The aviculturist leaned down to coo at the bird, and then patted Tom¡¯s shoulder reassuringly as she straightened. She met Craig returning as she left, so the innkeeper stood to one side to allow her through, and then entered the room. Tom nodded to him and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Stolen novel; please report. Tom¡¯s gaze moved around the room as he made eye contact with all the Rebels. He paused to study Annie although she kept her shoulder to him and her eyes on the ground. He sighed and the two men left by the back entrance of the pub. They avoided the main street to ride cautiously down narrow lanes. The path took them between dirty tenement buildings, dying gurygum trees, and tall, spikey crakonut plants. Aggressive Hilltown Rats, cousin to the pasture rats who had feasted on Jon¡¯s ankles, scurried into the road, stopped to judge whether the two men would make a worthy dinner, and then darted away in disappointment. The clop of their horses¡¯ hooves echoed in the stillness around them. No birds sang from wires or rooftops, no children played, and no passersby gossiped. Overhead scavengers circled on air currents, diving only occasionally. Tom was acutely aware that everything had grown abnormally quiet. ¡°I loved crakocrako with I was young,¡± Craig commented idly. Tom held one gloved hand up in warning, and then remembering that he wasn¡¯t traveling with another soldier, said lowly. ¡°We¡¯re in trouble here.¡± He opened the small bird cage and allowed the red messaging bird to freely fly home. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Craig asked with annoyance. ¡°Now we can¡¯t get a message back to Annie.¡± ¡°No band on the bird means we¡¯re dead,¡± Tom replied. Craig¡¯s eyes flew open as Tom continued, ¡°Ride back as hard as your mount will run.¡± Tom took his sword from its scabbard and set his stallion to a gallop. Shouting and yelling erupted from behind several buildings and a band of Grays broke from where they had been hiding. ¡°Go, Craig! Now!¡± Tom bellowed, hoping that the innkeeper behind him would obey. ¡°Ride.¡± Instead, the innkeeper headed after Tom with his sword drawn. He had ridden only a few meters when the blunt side of a quarterstaff caught him in the shoulder and sent him to the ground. As he fell, he realized that Tom¡¯s horse was on its side with an arrow in its neck and Tom was valiantly exchanging blows of his sword with two opponents. As the world faded, Craig heard the Grays shouting, ¡°Huzzah!¡± Half an hour after Tom and Craig left, the aviculturist came running into the pub holding the bird. Tears streamed down her face as she repeated over and over breathlessly, ¡°There¡¯s no band. She came back with no band.¡± Annie hooked her crossbow onto her back, took up her polearm, and said, ¡°Move out. If anyone encounters Gil Braeford, kill him on sight.¡± She pushed the front door of the pub open so roughly that it slammed into the wall. She stepped onto the front steps of the building, put her fingers to her lips, and whistled shrilly. A moment later an answering whistle came back, and then several more, and soon a stampede of Annie¡¯s Rebels came from every direction. Tara Citadel Arena Holy King Harrison and Ava Most Revered sat together on a raised dais watching the procession of Grays approach with their helmets removed as a sign of respect. Even from the parapet, Jon could tell that the king was deathly pale and barely able to sit upright. His left arm was in a sling and large bandages could be seen under the king¡¯s shirt and jacket. Jon shook his head sadly, realizing that Annie¡¯s spies had been right. His father was dying. As gasps rose from the spectators, Jon turned his focus to the main gate where the Magi Soldiers were escorting Armored Grays into the Courtyard. Jon collapsed weakly against the stone wall, unable to tear his eyes from the hostages being towed behind the horses. Alec¡¯s wrists were tied together by a rope that Gil Braeford had knotted to his horse¡¯s saddle. Behind him clopped two horses with the bodies of Declan Connolly and another Gray across their backs. Tom Jarek and Craig Docherty, their wrists tied like Alec¡¯s, followed those same horses. The three prisoners continually stumbled and struggled to adjust their gait so they wouldn¡¯t be dragged to their deaths. Shock burned through Jon¡¯s limbs, his heart throbbed wildly, and his throat went dry. ¡°Figgict,¡± Rory said. ¡°After all the promises and posturing and pledges, Gil is turning them over to the magi.¡± Liam set down his quarterstaff and strode to the parapet to stand beside Jon and Rory. Instead of crying out or swearing, the youth calmly lifted one of the crossbows loaded at Jon¡¯s feet and speared a bolt through the brain of the horse towing Tom Jarek after it. In a flash of movement, Liam dropped the empty weapon, seized the next loaded one, and buried a bolt through the head of the horse towing Craig Docherty. The weight of the falling horses jerked both Tom and Craig off their feet and Grays quickly surrounded them. The thwack of Liam¡¯s crossbows jarred Jon back to reality. Magi Soldiers and the Kings Guards raced from the perimeter of the dais and arena, the first group converging around the Most Revered and the second around the king. As they scoured the rooftops looking for the shooter, Jon yanked Rory and Liam down behind the merlons. Crossbow bolts arched across the parapet and fell harmlessly behind them. ¡°Aim for the riders, not the horses,¡± Jon instructed. ¡°The only chance they¡¯ll have is if we eliminate enough soldiers and Grays that they leave without our families.¡± He took a deep breath and declared, ¡°Fire at will!¡± Jon peered out to reassess the battle, Alec was twisting and spinning along the ground as Gil pushed his mount harder. Jon shouldered the next crossbow, tracked Alec¡¯s hands for several seconds, and then speared a bolt through the rope just beyond them. Alec rolled sideways several meters before he could stop. He rose slowly and limped toward the crowd while he struggled with the knot still securing his hands. Several Grays and Magi Soldiers rushed to subdue him again. A wooden staff struck him on the shoulder and knocked him back down. As Alec staggered to his knees a volley of deadly accurate crossbow bolts seared past him, taking down the Grays and Magi Soldiers directly surrounding him and halting the advance of the others. A brief look revealed that Captain Brady, his friend Barry, and several other Royal Archers, were defending him. He rose and hobbled toward them. From every corner of the Courtyard, Annie¡¯s Rebels poured into the battle and attacked more of the Grays and Magi Soldiers. Between the legs of the novitiates and magi holding back the spectators and underneath the weapons of soldiers, ten-year-old Grace McCreesh darted around the skirmishes and ran to Alec. In one small hand, she clutched the sharp rigging knife, and in the other the wooden kitchen mallet. At her waist was a small belt holding the boning and paring knives. Running beside and behind her was Lachlan O¡¯Hara and all of Alec¡¯s students, now calling themselves the Holdingfree Fighters. Most of them wielding quarterstaffs, but one student brandished a war axe, and half a dozen gripped swords. Holdingfree Fighters quickly formed a blockade between Grace and the Magi Soldiers. As the conflicts roared around her, Grace calmly pressed the rigging knife¡¯s blade through the ropes binding Alec¡¯s wrists and then pressed the handle of the knife into the palm of his right hand. Gil Braeford wheeled his horse around, clutched the back of her shirt, and plucked her into the air as if preparing to toss her to the ravenous Prince Eaters. The ropes dropped from Alec¡¯s wrists just as Gil spurred the bay stallion forward. Grace arched her arm back and slammed the mallet into the side of Gil¡¯s helmet with every ounce of strength she could muster. The force of the blow shook her arm and caused her to drop the meat tenderizer while Gil swung his head back and forth trying to clear the confusion in his brain. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 41 Capture Chapter 41 Capture There is another herd of us in the Northeast mountains. Once in a while, some of them roam here or some of us wander there, but not often, and not safely. When we stand side by side with them the differences in the experiments that made us are extremely obvious. --Prince Eater, undocumented Colleen glared in horror at her husband. Most evenings, Holy King Harrison¡¯s ultimatum continued to haunt her, ¡°You have two choices, Colleen O¡¯Reilly. One is to marry Gil so that my son¡¯s baby will be born a Raedwald and be well-cared for, or you can be returned to the magi and the beast who will eat you.¡± She had to go through with the ceremony despite believing in her heart that Reggie was still alive and she accepted that Gil was a cruel man, but she never imagined that Gil was so merciless that he would destroy a child. She broke off staring at Gil and dropped her eyes to the stones of the castle wall. In her mind, Prince Reginald¡¯s voice replaced Holy King Harrison¡¯s as the prince promised to love her forever. Before Prince Reginald¡¯s Ritual: the Tara Citadel Colleen paused in the Great Hall to examine the stone wall below the balcony of the Most Revered¡¯s chambers. She could see the cage imprisoning Prince Reginald, her Reggie, her husband, the father of her unborn child, the man she loved. From where she stood, she could see the contusions and lacerations. His left arm twisted oddly. It was heavily wrapped, but she saw that he used it to hold a small tin cup and still wore his insignia ring, so she didn¡¯t imagine it was broken. ¡°Reggie,¡± she hissed loudly to get his attention. ¡°Reggie, it¡¯s me, Colleen.¡± Prince Reginald looked around until he identified where Colleen¡¯s voice was hailing him from. ¡°Colleen? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Freeing you,¡± came the reply. She climbed onto a chair and then leaped up to capture the iron scrolling of a wall sconce. ¡°No. No, don¡¯t,¡± Reggie called to her frantically. ¡°She¡¯ll kill you.¡± Colleen moved one foot to a small stone that protruded from the others, but her thin-soled shoes slipped from the edge. Hanging on with one hand, she bent her leg up, slid the shoe from the foot, and tossed it away. She repeated the process for the other shoe, and then rested her barefoot on the same stone. After testing it slightly, she put her weight on that foot, reached out to a stone over her head, and then lifted her other foot to a new stone. With each step, she paused until she restored her balance, and then continued scaling the wall from the Great Hall to the balcony. ¡°Colleen, go back. Go back, please. I¡¯m not¡­¡± Reggie shouted in alarm. ¡°No, no, no, no, Colleen, Go back.¡± She forged ahead. When her fingers touched a baluster, she wrapped her hand around it, reached up to the top rail, and climbed clumsily onto the balcony. Her breath came heavily as she tried to recover from the exertion, but she knew she couldn¡¯t loiter if she was going to rescue Reggie. She scrambled to her feet and extracted a knife from the belt at her back. As she marched determinedly across the balcony toward Reggie¡¯s jail, the prisoner fell to his knees sobbing, and a single set of applause echoed through the empty Great Hall. ¡°Well done, First Tier mage, fair play,¡± Ava Most Revered complimented. Colleen turned and saw not only her but half a dozen magi standing in a half circle holding a cloth hood, rope, and quarterstaffs. The Most Revered laughed as she gestured toward the door to the hallway, and asked, ¡°Shall we?¡± Colleen raced to the cage and Prince Reginald embraced her through the bars. As she clung to him, the Most Revered relented, ¡°Well, I guess we could allow them a moment. After all, that was a valiant effort on her part.¡± The other magi laughed guardedly but remained where they stood. ¡°You¡¯re n¡ª¡± Colleen murmured. Reggie shook his head, twisted the fingers of his right hand in her hair, leaned close to her ear, and whispered. ¡°Time¡¯s up. Get her out of here,¡± The Most Revered interrupted. As they dragged Colleen across the floor and out of his sight, Reggie yelled after her, ¡°Love you forever.¡± Present Time: Castle Parapet Colleen Raedwald drew strength and courage from her memory of Reggie, cleared her throat, and let her voice ring across the Courtyard, ¡°Gil Braeford!¡± The self-reinstated commander looked up as his name was shouted out. Colleen posed on the crenelations, her arms stretched out to each side, and bellowed, ¡°Gil! Traitor, Gil Braeford!¡± She leaned forward and whispered, ¡°I love you forever, Reggie.¡± Swung out her arms and plummeted from the top of the castle. Rory slung himself after her and caught one of her ankles. Behind him, Liam McCreesh latched onto Rory¡¯s legs. Screams rose from the crowd of people who had gathered around the Citadel. From the dais, Ava Most Revered mumbled in shock, ¡°Colleen? Harrison, you told me she died!¡± Gil stopped his horse as he gaped at his wife dangling from the hands of the two youths he had discounted. He wasn¡¯t prepared for this. It never occurred to him that Colleen would disobey his and Prince Jon¡¯s directive. As he tried to comprehend her action, it dawned on him that behind Rory and Liam, Se¨¢n and Jon had joined the youths¡¯ effort, and together they were tugging Colleen to safety. He realized that it would be the ideal time for someone to put a bolt through the princes¡¯ backs. He raised a worried hand to signal the Grays and shouted, ¡°Protect the princes. Protect Se¨¢n and Jon.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Taking advantage of Gil¡¯s distraction, Grace swung the thin blade of the boning knife at the slits in the visor of Gil¡¯s helmet. He caught her wrist tightly enough that she screamed in pain, but he hurled Grace to the ground with little more than bruises. More of Annie¡¯s Rebels had reached the Courtyard, and they stormed onto the battlefield, some breaking down gates, others climbing over the perimeter wall. One of them arched an arm back and threw a hand axe toward Gil. The blunt side slammed into Gil¡¯s helmet where Grace had pummeled it with the wooden mallet, knocking the Grays Commander to the ground where he lay dazed and unmoving. ¡°Grace!¡± Prince Se¨¢n shouted as he sprinted to the traverse cable. Colleen was safely on the roof again, and they had turned back to the fight. ¡°Se¨¢n, no! Alec¡¯s got her. Se¨¢n, no!¡± Jon yelled as his brother tossed the shaft of the flanged mace across the rope, and rode it down. His brother¡¯s words hadn¡¯t registered, and Prince Se¨¢n didn¡¯t realize that Alec had already doubled back, snagged Grace in his arms, and was running again toward the protection of the Royal Archers. Before Watcher Logan could slow Se¨¢n¡¯s forward momentum, Se¨¢n released one hand from the mace, slid it off the rope, and dropped to the ground. He raced toward a large wooden door in a raised mound of dirt marking an entrance to the cavernous cellars of the castle, reasoning that by avoiding the fight he would reach Grace quickly. Glancing around to be certain that he wasn¡¯t observed, he tugged open the door, darted inside, and sealed the door behind him. The corridor was dark, but he moved with the confidence of someone who had grown up in the castle and journeyed through the corridor countless times. He kept one fist on the flanged mace and pressed his other palm against the corridor wall to guide his progress. The corridor emptied into a wider, well-lit hall running perpendicular to the first. He surveyed the hall in both directions until he was satisfied and then turned right. When he reached the next set of wooden doors, he pressed his ear to the small space by the door jamb and listened intently before he opened that door, slipped into the next corridor, and sprinted up a narrow flight of stairs. As he approached the door to the stock room adjacent to the kitchen, voices brought him to a halt. He hurriedly pressed himself into the corner behind the door and held his breath while he listened. ¡°O¡¯Shaughnessy,¡± an authoritative voice snapped. ¡°You stay here on watch. We¡¯ll go down to the wine cellar and find ourselves a couple bottles. Stay alert. We don¡¯t want to get discovered.¡± As the door swung open, O¡¯Shaughnessy replied, ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Se¨¢n flattened himself a little more as two Magi Soldiers strode through the door. They moved boldly down the corridor, unaware of Se¨¢n¡¯s presence. ¡°If I¡¯m going onto that roof to kill a Prince of the Realm, I¡¯m not doing it without garnering my reward first,¡± the leader remarked. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to snatch him, not kill him,¡± the second soldier replied. ¡°He¡¯ll never let us,¡± the leader said. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the second soldier agreed. ¡°And the first chance she gets Ava Most Figgict Revered will frame us for his death, and feed us to those animals.¡±¡°It¡¯s all politics. Either Prince Jon will take us out or the Most Revered will. At least the three of us will have had our reward before that,¡± the leader commented as the two soldiers disappeared around a corner. Se¨¢n waited until their voices faded in the distance, readied the flanged mace, and then flung open the door. O¡¯Shaughnessy sat with his back to the entryway and his feet plopped on the table in front of him. When he heard the door, he asked mildly, ¡°What¡¯d ya get?¡± Se¨¢n slammed the flanged mace into O¡¯Shaughnessy¡¯s skull. He swung the mace back as the body fell sideways and then flipped his wrist to twirl the weapon around and up into a ready position. ¡°Grace,¡± he said to himself. ¡°Hang on, Grace. I¡¯m coming.¡± Just as Prince Se¨¢n reached for the door, intending to cut through the castle¡¯s ground floor rooms, elderly Archery Master Quinn hobbled into the kitchen. Mistaking loudness for charm, the partially deaf man asked, ¡°Is there any of that stew left? I hoped for something to eat before I¡¯m cornered into fighting.¡± Surprised at seeing Se¨¢n, the old man dropped his stew questions and exclaimed loudly, ¡°Se¨¢n? Prince Se¨¢n? What are you doing here? They¡¯re looking all over for you and Prince Jon.¡± ¡°Be quiet and let me through, Master Quinn,¡± Prince Se¨¢n commanded. He glanced uneasily at the door to the cellars, and added, ¡°They¡¯ll kill me if they find me. I¡¯ve got to get to Grace.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Grace?¡± Master Quinn asked. His eyes tracked a path across the kitchen until they stopped at the dead Magi Soldier. He turned to Se¨¢n and shouted passionately, ¡°You can¡¯t be here, Prince Se¨¢n. The Old Hag is after you.¡± Prince Se¨¢n moved to get past Master Quinn as the door to the cellars banged open and the two Magi Soldiers raced into the room with their swords drawn. Behind them, two shattered bottles bled wine across the stone floor. The Magi Soldiers charged, but Archery Master Quinn stepped in front of the prince, exclaiming indignantly, ¡°Now see here! You can¡¯t treat him that way. He¡¯s ¨C¡± Before he could finish his reprimand and even as Prince Se¨¢n lunged to intervene, the lead Magi Soldier divided the old man with his long sword, sending the top half of Master Quinn toppling to the left while the bottom crumpled forward. The lead Magi Soldier jumped over the severed body swinging his sword at Se¨¢n who slammed the bloody mace against the Magi Soldier¡¯s arm. The flanges of the mace ripped the lower half of the magi¡¯s soldier¡¯s arm off near the elbow. Se¨¢n flipped the weapon around to bring it down on the man¡¯s head. Despite the pain and the blood spurting from an artery, the well-trained soldier ducked so that the mace¡¯s second blow missed and gave his companion time to knock Prince Se¨¢n unconscious with the hilt of his sword ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 42 Battle Chapter 42 Battle I have heard of a third group of us outside the city of SnakeIn, but have not met any of them. That is the wildest area in the Midhe Nua with predators more aggressive than we are, so I don¡¯t know how well they can survive, or how much food is available to them. --Prince Eater, undocumented After Liam shot down the horses dragging Tom and Craig behind them, two other Grays sliced through the ropes, wrapped the freshly cut ends around their hands, and swung back onto their own war mounts. Tom and Craig struggled unsuccessfully to regain their footing as the Grays pressed their horses viciously and began dragging the men around the Courtyard. On the parapet, Jon hurriedly loaded a crossbow. When he had the weapon ready, he precisely tracked the twisting form of Craig Docherty. As he did, Liam began hooking empty weapons on his belt and reloading them. When Jon was certain he had the timing right, he loosed the quarrel and sent it soaring through the rope restraining Craig. Liam took the empty crossbow from Jon who snatched up the next loaded one. The prince tracked Tom Jarek until he was once again certain of his aim, and then freed Tom. As Jon and Liam focused on freeing the two men, Rory stepped to another crenel with an armed crossbow at his shoulder. Calmly and coldly, he blocked out what was happening to his father and tracked a target of his own. He centered his aim on Holy King Harrison who sat unmoving in his chair. The youth hesitated, and then turned slightly and sent a thwacking quarrel through the Most Revered¡¯s side. Nearby priests seized her to keep her upright while a volley of responding quarrels bounced off the half wall around Jon, Liam, and Rory who ducked behind the merlons. Colleen crawled out of her lethargy toward one of the crenels until she was near enough for Rory to seize her arm and tell her, ¡°You need to stay alive and healthy, for Fitzreginald¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°Fitzreginald?¡± she murmured. ¡°Fitzreginald.¡± Jon and Liam resumed shooting at the Grays threatening Craig and Tom. Once he was assured that Colleen would stay put, Rory began targeting Magi and Magi Soldiers. ¡°Why aren¡¯t the Kings Soldiers fighting?¡± Liam asked. ¡°I understand the layers of guards surrounding Holy King Harrison, but why haven¡¯t the rest intervened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s clear which side he wants them to fight on,¡± Jon answered. ¡°The Royal Archers decided on their own to defend the hostages because of Alec. Look closely at my father. He¡¯s dying.¡± Craig regained his feet more swiftly than Tom. He started to run, limping and stumbling, toward Annie¡¯s Rebels. Almost instantly, Craig was enveloped in the protection of Holdingfree Fighters who fought off the Magi Soldiers trying to re-subdue him. Padraig MacGavin and Watcher Lynch darted from the screaming crowd, ducked under the halberds and axes being brandished by the Magi Soldiers, and sprinted to their aid. Watcher Lynch lifted Craig brusquely onto his back and ran to safety while Padraig fought his way to Tom. Four Holdingfree Fighters who had realized that Tom wasn¡¯t moving, were already trying to help him. One student lifted Tom by his shoulders and began to drag him toward help while the others formed another barricade. As soon as he reached them Padraig took Tom Jarek from the student, shook his head when he realized that there was no sign of life, and then tossed the dead man over his shoulder. He led the Holdingfree Fighters and the remainder of Annie¡¯s Rebels from the Courtyard to safety. Behind them in the center of the Courtyard, among the bodies of Grays and Magi Soldiers, Lachlan O¡¯Hara lay with several crossbow bolts jutting out of him. Both of his sons lay across the body of their dead father having given their own lives defending him, one when a sword sliced through his chest, the other when a war axe severed most of his throat. A commotion behind the wounded Ava Most Revered and King Harrison caught Jon¡¯s attention. A door opened and several Magi and Magi Soldiers hauled Prince Se¨¢n across the dais, his wrists tied and his face bruised. As they dragged him down the steps toward the Ritual Arena, several of the Kings Soldiers attacked the group abusing Prince Se¨¢n. In a burst of new energy, nearby Annie¡¯s Rebels beat down their opponents and sprang to the side of the King Soldiers to defend Prince Se¨¢n. On the dais, Ava Most Revered clutched her side as she rose to her feet and shouted as loudly as her weakening body allowed, ¡°No! No! He hasn¡¯t been prepared. You¡¯ll kill him. Stop!¡± Horror-stuck that her own magi would ignore her, she leaned forward as if to go to the Courtyard but instead sagged in the arms of the Magi with her. When Ava fainted, Harrison grew stronger. He shook his head as if he¡¯d just woken up in the morning, saw the battle around his youngest son, and shouted, ¡°Save Prince Se¨¢n! I command you. Save Se¨¢n.¡± The king shook his fist and yelled loudly. ¡°Save my son!¡± Immediately, the Kings Soldiers still ringing the dais and several of the Kings Guard lifted their weapons, joined the attack against the Magi and Magi Soldiers, and found themselves fighting side by side with Annie¡¯s Rebels. Jon accepted another crossbow from Liam and scoured the scene below him before he sent a quarrel through the heart of the largest priest holding Prince Se¨¢n. The woman slumped to the ground, and in the confusion, the other magi released the captive to help their comrade. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Ignoring the cries to ¡°come back¡± from the crowd and the Rebels stationed to protect the spectators, Grace raced to Prince Se¨¢n. Alec pushed aside the handful of people restraining him and ran after her. They dodged battling soldiers until one Magi Soldier snatched at Grace. Alec tackled the soldier and the pair grappled. Grace kept running and reached Se¨¢n as he tried to gain his feet with his hands still bound. A priest clawed at Se¨¢n¡¯s shoulders, so Grace kicked the mage and kept kicking until Se¨¢n could jerk loose. Alec rose from overpowering the soldier and jerked a thumb toward his back as he ran to them. Grace climbed on as soon as he bent down to lift the bound prince in his arms, and he bore both to safety. More bolts poured from the crowd and from the rooftops, as additional droves of Annie¡¯s Rebels arrived to mount another direct attack. The magi on the dais abandoned the Most Revered when they realized they would not be able to defeat the combined forces of the Crown and the Rebels. Glancing at each other in disbelief, they darted through the exit at the rear of the dais to make their escape. Heavy footfall on the stone steps leading to the roof warned Jon that their time was nearly up. Liam and Rory jammed quarterstaffs through the door handle to gain time as Jon neatly loaded one final bolt that he aimed precisely at the gate confining the Prince Eaters, and then shot through the lock. Jon hooked the crossbow onto his belt and then frantically chucked all the other weapons off the edge of the parapet so that they would smash against the ground and be unusable. Dragging Colleen to the aerial line, Jon flipped the shafts of a dozen crossbow bolts over the cable and urged Colleen toward it. As soon as she had a hold of them, he pushed her with all his strength, sending her flying down the line to Armed Watcher Ned Logan who caught her just as the shafts started to smoke from the friction. Liam and Rory each secured their own bundle of shafts and as soon as Jon stepped aside, Liam flung his bundle over the line and jumped. Rory did the same, but as he glided down the traverse line, the pouch containing the groom¡¯s flintlock pistol slipped unnoticed from his belt and fell to the ground. Finally, Jon flipped his cane over the cable, secured his hands around both ends, and within seconds was at the far end of the line where Ned Logan stopped his descent, and members of Annie¡¯s Rebels closed around him protectively until he gained his footing. Jon, Rory, and Liam quickly disappeared into the trees intending to double back to the Courtyard. Ned cut the aerial line, frayed the ends, and used a striker to set it on fire. When he turned to follow the others he discovered Colleen sitting on the ground, her legs drawn up, and her forehead pressed against her knees. Ned walked over, leaned down, and asked, ¡°Mrs. Raedwald? We have to leave before the soldiers get here.¡± She didn¡¯t answer or lift her head. ¡°Mrs. Raedwald?¡± he repeated. ¡°Colleen?¡± Ned sighed, moved around to one side of her, lifted the expectant mother gently, and took her with him. He was well into the trees when he heard the Magi Soldiers break through the door and storm the roof. He smiled at the angry swearing when they discovered the burning aerial line, and he whispered in Colleen¡¯s ear, ¡°Looks like you and I made it, Colleen.¡± ¡°Fitzreginald,¡± she murmured. ¡°Your baby, too.¡± ¡°Can you take me home?¡± ¡°To Braeford Estates?¡± ¡°I have nowhere else to go.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Colleen. Sure thing.¡± Finding no servants nearby to assist him, Holy King Harrison rose unsteadily onto his feet and stabbed Jon¡¯s short sword into the floor so he could use the hilt for balance. He shuffled to the Most Revered, and slowly knelt down to grasp one of the Most Revered¡¯s arms. He pulled it toward him, latched his fingers onto her bracelets, and then yanked them off viciously. He grasped the hilt of the sword and rose to his feet. He patted at his robes indecisively, and then held up Jon¡¯s sword, and slid the bracelets onto the hilt. Once Harrison was certain the jewelry was secure, he tucked Jon¡¯s sword in his belt, and then grasped the Most Revered¡¯s arm again and tugged her after him as he started down the dais steps unsteadily. Near the Courtyard, the gate to the pen with the lock Jon had shattered, flung open under the onslaught of Prince Eaters throwing themselves against it. The first ones lowered their heads and charged at the crowd who screamed, and ran, pushing and shoving to get away from the deadly beasts. The large Prince Eater designated #3, however, heaved her head from side to side, her vision tracking a figure who seemed to be both human and beast with numerous horns displayed on his back. The figure moved slowly toward the fighting as if he were going to join in the fray. Prince Eater #3 roared with gratification when she recognized that he was dragging behind him the cruel Most Revered who had conscripted her son to his death and that it was Holy King Harrison arrogantly displaying the remains of Prince Eaters as part of his own body. On his left shoulder, she saw a crooked horn with a kink near the tip. She knew that kink well. It happened when a careless male Prince Eater stepped on her child, a child the gamekeepers had called #17, a child gone except for that crooked horn on a usurper¡¯s body. She snorted, pawed at the ground with her hooves, then roared from the depth of her lungs. Lowering her head again, Prince Eater #3 charged toward the abomination in anger. Other Prince Eaters followed. The Kings Guards bravely closed around Holy King Harrison and faced the angry beasts, wielding swords, halberds, war axes, and bludgeons. Prince Eater #3 caught Holy King Harrison on one of her horns and flipped him into the air. As he came down on the Prince Eater¡¯s back, Holy King Harrison slammed his son¡¯s sword into the base of Prince Eater #3¡¯s head. The thrust twisted the bracelets together and Holy Lightning swirled around the blade into the beast, while a second arc traveled through Holy King Harrison. The horns at the base of his neck smoked, burst into flames, and seared down to cinders, leaving charred wires in the center of a savage burn between the king¡¯s shoulders. Harrison convulsed as he careened off the beast, his hand still wrapped around the short sword. The longest of the thirty-three horns in his back dug into the dirt and the momentum jerked the rest of his body downward around those now stationary horns. Harrison¡¯s primal shrieks rose above the din of battle. Frightened citizens in the crowd, Annie¡¯s Rebels, the Armed Watch of SnakeIn, and the few remaining Magi Soldiers and Grays all froze in place, all silent, as they turned to the king. Around him lay the destroyed bodies of every member of the Kings Guards. Ava¡¯s eyes sprung open, and a choked, bloody scream rose from her throat as Prince Eater #3 twisted uncontrollably above her. Dragging herself with her arms, she managed to crawl far enough to avoid being crushed. The other beasts ignored the fate of Prince Eater #3. Some dove greedily to munch the limbs or heads of dead guards, soldiers, Rebels, students, and Grays. Others assessed their surroundings, and then collectively turned and started toward the crowd for fresher nourishment. Four of them broke from the herd and headed toward the woods and open fields beyond the Ritual Arena. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 43 Resurrection Chapter 43 Resurrection Food here is easy to find. I eat other wild animals, stags sometimes, and boars, well they¡¯re actually pigs originally imported from Earth that were turned loose by some farmer in the past. I eat things like that. Small animals like rabbits aren¡¯t worth chasing. ¡ª Prince Eater, undocumented Alec deposited Grace behind a group of Annie¡¯s Rebels, and then looked back at Holy King Harrison convulsing painfully from the Holy Lightning. Remembering how Magi Soldiers at Reginald¡¯s Ritual remained unharmed while holding Jon down with their wooden quarterstaffs, he grabbed a staff that had been abandoned on the ground and rushed to the king¡¯s side. When he tried to use the staff as a lever to push the king away from the arc, Harrison screamed more loudly. ¡°Knock away the sword,¡± Gil yelled across the Courtyard as he held his visor open with one hand and propped himself up with the other. He climbed to his knees and called out again, ¡°Don¡¯t touch him. Don¡¯t touch the sword. Knock it away.¡± Alec smacked the sword with the end of the wooden staff and when it left the king¡¯s hand, he pushed it and the bracelets farther away. The bracelets kept arcing but no longer menaced the king. Harrison stilled, and then moved his eyes toward Alec and flexed his fingers. Alec stepped closer, knelt to examine how the king was trapped, and then called out, ¡°I can¡¯t move him alone. I need help here.¡± ¡°His back is broken,¡± Gil yelled back. ¡°Look how he¡¯s twisted.¡± Gil climbed the rest of his way to his feet and lurched over to Alec and Holy King Harrison. He clutched his head and shook it from side to side several times to clear his thoughts. When Alec moved to the king¡¯s head and reached to lift Harrison by the shoulders, Gil pushed himself into a run to close the final distance between them. Shoving Alec backward he cried out, ¡°The horns are still poisonous.¡± ¡°Oh, now you care if I die,¡± Alec sneered angrily. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, and asked, ¡°What do I do? I need to make him comfortable. Lay him down somehow.¡± ¡°Keep fighting,¡± Gil said. ¡°Harry will be dead soon no matter what we do for him. How I treated you was wrong. I was wrong to try to make a deal with Ava. I will do everything I can to rectify that. In the meantime, we keep fighting for Jon and Se¨¢n.¡± Before Alec could process Gil¡¯s words, two Magi Soldiers raced toward them. Instinctively Alec hit one with the quarterstaff. As the Magi Soldier stumbled sideways, the second one advanced, followed by several more. The battle in the Courtyard erupted again with Annie¡¯s Rebels and soldiers from both sides resuming the battle. Holdingfree Fighters ran onto the Courtyard to surround Alec and beat off the attack. As the skirmish moved away from the downed king, one of the Holdingfree Fighters passed the base of his quarterstaff under the king¡¯s legs and pushed the base of it into the ground. Understanding what his student intended, Alec took the quarterstaff he had used to move the sword from the king¡¯s hand, walked to the opposite side of the king, and repeated the process so that the king¡¯s legs no longer dangled, but were supported where the two quarterstaffs crossed. After quickly collecting more quarterstaffs, they repeated the process two more times. Gil stood for a moment watching them and then broke another quarterstaff into two pieces across his knee. He used the two sections to create a notch that would support Harrison¡¯s head. The king¡¯s breathing immediately eased. Wrapping one arm around the student¡¯s shoulder, Alec said, ¡°Thank you for that. Run find a healer to help the king.¡± The student dashed off and Alec hurried to a better vantage point to use his crossbow. Harrison tried to nod his head but found he couldn¡¯t, so he blinked his eyes several times and whispered, ¡°Allpr¡­¡± ¡°All the Princes,¡± Gil finished for him. ¡°If I survive the Citadel roof, I¡¯ll help them myself.¡± The king moved his eyes away from Gil, blinked once slowly, and then moved his eyes back to Gil and blinked several times, before stopping and staring at him. Finally, his lips moved, and he spat out ¡°Reggie¡­is¡­¡± ¡°Reggie is one of All the Princes?¡± Gil asked, trying to understand. The king blinked several times and looked at Gil pleadingly. Gil pressed the back of his hand against his mouth in disbelief, and then agreed, ¡°Yes, Harry. The princes first.¡± Holy King Harrison blinked several times and stilled. ¡°Harrison? Harry?¡± Gil asked. When the king didn¡¯t answer, Gil set his hand on the king¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Forever.¡± Leaving one hand on Harrison¡¯s shoulder, Gil carefully navigated one of his knees onto a dry section of ground that had somehow remained unbloodied, and then bowed his head and prayed without regard to the battle swirling around him, ¡°Lord, those who die still live in Your presence, their lives change but do not end. I pray for your mercy and grace to embrace Harrison, my cousin, and truest friend.¡± One of Alec¡¯s crossbow bolts soared past Gil¡¯s head and into a Magi Soldier who was approaching with his sword ready to strike Gil as he prayed. Gil stood and swiftly dipped his head in acknowledgment at Alec before he checked all his weapons and slammed his visor in place. He ran across the Courtyard, pausing long enough to scoop up the boning knife from where Grace had dropped it, and then raced up the steps to the Tara Citadel and disappeared through the doors to the Great Hall. Gil strode across the polished floor of the Great Hall, stood at the base of the majestic staircase, and gazed upward. He placed one foot on the first step and then brought it back. As he turned and headed for a second, worn stone stairway, his lips mouthed silently, ¡°Forever Harry.¡± He descended to the dungeons where Harry had said that he would find the princes who survived the Ritual unsuccessfully but were never released by the magi. All the Princes Harry had called them. It had been so long since a Chosen had gone through the entire process, that Gil was not certain how many mangled and deformed princes he would find. He suspected that there would only be Prince Reginald. If so, he hoped that he would be able to take Reggie to Braeford Estates where he could live safely and receive medical care. Gil wasn¡¯t certain how long Harrison had known about All the Princes, but he had itched to do something about them from the moment Harrison revealed their existence to him. Each time Gil attempted to learn more about them, mentioned them in conversation, or asked any question, Harrison shook his head hurriedly, waved both his hands in the air to stop Gil from speaking, and then spent the better part of an hour glancing over his shoulder every few minutes. When Harrison had finally spoken, they were away from the castle on an extended hunting expedition. Harrison had woken him up before First Sun and the two of them walked a distance from the campsite and sat alone on a downed tree. The king had woven an implausible story about how often the Rituals that they witnessed were charades designed to placate the public. Often something happened during the process that made it necessary to snatch someone physically similar to the Chosen off the street. The look-alike was promised an opportunity to serve the royal family in such a way that his family would be cared for the rest of their lives, and then given the basic knowledge he would need to be convincing. The victim would never be told the actual truth of what was about to happen to him but discovered it for himself after he was shackled to the columns. Unclaimeds, Gil snorted angrily. That charade had cost Ethan his life. And who knows how many other lives. If she¡¯s alive when I¡¯m finished here, I will kill her with my bare hands. Gil understood that Ava Most Revered¡¯s manipulation interfered not only with Harry¡¯s decisions and actions but also with the king¡¯s very sense of himself, his honor, and morality. What he didn¡¯t understand is why Harrison would ignore something this base and reprehensible for years. He could have told Gil at any time. The true Harrison would never have allowed All the Princes to exist, would never have tolerated the cruelty and torture inherent in the process that changed them, nor the ruthless brutality to them afterward. Now that he had Harrison¡¯s permission, indeed his dying command, to help the disabled, imprisoned princes, Gil would do all he could for them, do everything humanly possible to make amends for what they had suffered at the teeth and hooves of those animals. He took the worn steps slowly, noting the numerous scrapes along the stairwell¡¯s stone walls and the frequent depressions made, he imagined, by the force of war hammers or maces. The stone would not yield like that if a wooden bludgeon had hit it. Near the bottom of the staircase, he paused to examine a hardened gurygum lump protruding around a blackened area that had long dark streaks running toward the ground. It took him a moment to realize that the stains had been blood and that the gurygum held human teeth and chunks of a broken jawbone. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. As he stood there wondering about the poor soul who died in such a savage manner in such a dank, unforgiving place, the sound of snarling, chewing, and sobbing leaked up the stairwell. Readying his bludgeon, he moved forward with increased caution. When he reached the corridor at the bottom of the stairs and navigated the corner toward the sound, he was confronted with a row of barred cells, each containing from one to several creatures that were half human and half bull. The cells closest to him contained creatures that seemed like animals in both behavior and appearance ¨C only the occasional grouping of things such as fingers, the turning of legs, or a hairless torso betrayed the creatures¡¯ mixed heritage. In the rear of a crowded cell, a young male creature with blond hair, blue eyes, and the face of a child wept in misery as other creatures consumed him. Gil pulled his crossbow off his back, loaded it quickly, and sent a bolt through the heart of the child being devoured. The creatures closest to the child ripped at it more frenziedly, while other creatures charged at Gil, making him jump farther back and closer to the wall. The creatures threw themselves on the bars and stretched their hands or hooves through the bars trying to grab him. As he watched, horrified, the creatures at the rear of the cells attacked the ones in the front who had focused their attention on him, dragging their fellow prisoners to the floor, and ripping off pieces of their cellmates to eat. He kept his back to the wall and moved carefully along sideways until he got beyond the carnage. He passed a long row of empty cells and then went through an archway in a solid stone wall. Beyond it waited were two inhabitants more equally human and beast: the legs and hooves of a bull, the torso, shoulders, and arms of a man, and the head of a horned bull. They stood side by side, blocking his view of someone behind them. A menacing rumble rose from the throat of one of the creatures. When Gil didn¡¯t run or respond in any manner, the beast said, ¡°What do you want? You don¡¯t belong here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for the princes,¡± Gil responded, trying to hide his wariness, bewilderment, and wonder. ¡°Holy King Harrison directed me to find the princes that didn¡¯t respond well to the Ritual and were locked away. He believed that His Royal Highness Prince Reginald is one of the princes locked here. I am to take him to safety.¡± Gil offered the explanation despite not comprehending what manner of creature he spoke with. He sized up the human-beasts and tried to determine his next step ¨C should he kill them? free them? leave them alone? ¡°You¡¯re looking for All the Princes,¡± The beast chuckled with a distinct growling laugh. ¡°You¡¯ve found them. Terra Saint Edmunds¡¯ very own minotaurs.¡± Gil blinked his eyes, darted a look over his shoulder thinking of the feral, vicious animals destroying each other in the cells, and then looked back at the minotaur talking with him. ¡°They also didn¡¯t respond well,¡± the minotaur said. ¡°Some were created from parts of princes. Others were failed experiments attempted before risking a prince. They¡¯re always dangerous, but right now they are worse than ever since they are so hungry. No one has been down to feed us.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a battle in the Courtyard. Pure mayhem. That¡¯s probably kept them away,¡± Gil offered. ¡°We can hear it. Who¡¯s fighting?¡± ¡°The Grays and Annie¡¯s Rebels against the Magi Soldiers. The Magi Soldiers against the Grays, the Rebels, and the Kings Soldiers. The Kings Soldiers against Annie¡¯s Rebels and the Magi Soldiers. Sometimes everyone against the Prince Eaters. And everyone except the magi fought side by side to defend Prince Se¨¢n. All of the Kings Guards died trying to protect Holy King Harrison. He sent me here as he was dying. I¡¯m Gil Braeford.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re in our memory. I¡¯m Minotaur Reggie. This is Minotaur Tiernan.¡± ¡°King Tiernan?¡± Gil asked, genuinely surprised. ¡°Yes,¡± Minotaur Tiernan replied. ¡°He lived through the Insubstantiation Process but, inconveniently, I was created, too. The Ritual you see is the end of the process and is only genuine if the prince has successfully progressed through the rest of it. Otherwise, it becomes a sham designed to convince everyone that the prince died.¡± ¡°Uncle Gil?¡± A weak voice spoke from behind the two minotaurs. ¡°Uncle Gil is that you?¡± ¡°Yes, Reggie, it¡¯s me,¡± Gil reassured him. The minotaurs parted and on the stone ledge that served as a bed, lay Harrison¡¯s eldest son. Handsome, athletic Prince Reginald was reduced to a frail, ashen shell of a human, his left eye gouged out, a portion of that side of him missing as if ripped out by the teeth of a carnivore, the lower part of his left arm gone, and his right leg bent in ways that it shouldn¡¯t. ¡°Reggie?¡± ¡°My father is dying?¡± Reggie asked as if he needed to focus on each word to be able to articulate it. ¡°Who¡­who¡¯s the Last Prince? The Old Hag was delighted to tell me that Ethan died. Was it Jon?¡± ¡°No, he went out to pick flowers for Alec¡­.the archer Alec Mulrian¡± ¡°Yes, we remember,¡± Minotaur Reggie commented. ¡°Jon loves him dearly.¡± ¡°Ava thought he was running, so she had him beaten and hauled before the king as a coward,¡± Gil explained, his eyes cast at the ground. ¡°He very nearly died and is still physically weak, but he¡¯s up there fighting right now.¡± ¡°Then it must be Se¨¢n,¡± Reggie said. ¡°Gunnar ¡ª.¡± ¡°Gunnar is dead, too,¡± Gil said, too bluntly. When Reggie gasped, Gil plunged on, ¡°There never will be another Last Prince. The people are rabidly against subjecting anyone else to the torture of the Ritual. A large portion of the magi and Ava¡¯s soldiers are dead. Harrison and Ava are both dying. I think that Se¨¢n will be king. Jon wants to live quietly with Mulrian. They¡¯re married.¡± ¡°We thought so when we talked with him,¡± Minotaur Reggie agreed. ¡°We wanted to take him from that field to safety ourselves but Mulrian was coming to him. Later we went to the deplorable little attic in SnakeIn to check, and he seemed much better. Not fully recovered, but much better.¡± Gil furrowed his brow at Minotaur Reggie¡¯s confession, remembering Jon¡¯s words about a bull, but instead inquired, he said, ¡°I think that he still feels betrayed. Your father harmed him, too.¡± ¡°I wish I could kill Ava myself,¡± Reggie snapped bitterly. ¡°She told me the last time she was here that she was done, that she would let the beasts down the corridor have me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to take you to Braeford Estates,¡± Gil reassured him. ¡°You can live safely there.¡± ¡°The key is probably hanging in the offices a little farther along. I doubt that Ava would have taken it into battle,¡± Minotaur Tiernan said. ¡°When Novitiate Ainsley has access to it, she will let us out at night when no one else is around. If she¡¯s there, she will help. Unfortunately, we fear that she may be hurt, or worse. Either way, don¡¯t be thrown off by anything else you see there. Just get the key and come straight back. Remember, get the key, come straight back.¡± He turned to find the office, but Reggie called him back by asking weakly, ¡°Uncle Gil! How is Colleen? Did¡­did they kill her after she tried to free that poor man they killed instead of me?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Gil said. He took a deep breath and turned fully back to face Prince Reginald. ¡°Your son is fine, also. I married her so that she and your unborn baby would be safe. A marriage only in name, I swore an oath to Harry that it would be only in name until after the birth of your son.¡± ¡°She can¡¯t be married to you. She¡¯s married to me,¡± Reggie said softly. ¡°The Commander of the Armed Watch in SnakeIn officiated. My father knew. We told him afterward.¡± ¡°Why did he insist on me marrying her?¡± Gil asked in confusion. Reggie¡¯s voice was sad and weak as he replied, ¡°Ainsley only told him the truth a little while ago, and then she snuck my father down to see me. He looks so old and so unwell. I don¡¯t think Ava found out that he was here, but she did learn that Ainsley had told him about me. That¡¯s what got her in trouble. Colleen is at Braeford Estates?¡± ¡°Not anymore. I ordered her not to fight today, but she did anyway. The last I saw her, she was safe with Prince Jon and Prince Se¨¢n. I don¡¯t know if she will be at Braeford Estates when we get there or not. If she isn¡¯t we¡¯ll search for her and bring her home. I will be happy to petition King Se¨¢n so that my marriage to her is dissolved and yours can recommence.¡± ¡°Colleen is safe,¡± Reggie muttered to himself. ¡°I¡¯ve worried for so long. But she¡¯s safe.¡± Gil tossed another nervous look at the carnage happening in the other cells. Seeing his apprehension, Minotaur Reggie said, ¡°The most merciful thing is to kill them all. They have only a primal existence ¡ª they will rampage across the city killing and eating everyone in sight. Give me your crossbow and I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°How do I know you won¡¯t shoot me?¡± Gil asked. Minotaur Reggie guffawed. ¡°You don¡¯t, Uncle Gil.¡± Gil heard the shrieks of the beasts being consumed, as he walked to the office. He hoped that Minotaur Reggie would act quickly to put them out of their misery. He hoped that he could live with the memory of what happened to the child-animal and he chastised himself for not being able to do more. The office door was wide open, so he stood in the doorway and surveyed the room. A large desk with an upholstered chair was set directly across from the door. A simple chair perched in front of it, and two more were lined up along the wall. There was a closed door beyond the desk and a row of pegs near it that held a novitiate¡¯s cape, a bag, and a large ring holding several keys. He rummaged through the desk drawers and found no other sets of keys, so he retrieved the ones from the peg. The ring was too large to shove into any of his pockets, so he gripped the keys in the palm of his hand, trying to keep them from jingling a warning to anyone who might be nearby. He was almost to the corridor when he heard a soft voice call out, ¡°Help me. Please. Don¡¯t leave me to die. Please. Help me.¡± Gil stepped into the corridor and walked two steps intending to ignore the plea, but the thought of Harrison begging him to help All the Princes forced him to turn around. He readied his bludgeon, crept across the office, wiped his lips nervously, and then slowly moved the handle on the door beside the desk. Directly across from the entryway were rows of shelves displaying sealed jars of body parts¡­.ears, fingers, portions of heads¡­none that he recognized¡­and the lower half of a chewed left arm that he was certain belonged to Prince Reginald. Not all of the body parts were human, but all of them floated in a clear liquid he imagined was meant to preserve them. To his right were a floor-to-ceiling wall of metal, lights, knobs, dials, and a shelf with trays of buttons with the Earth English alphabet on them. To the left were glass cages. In one cage a naked, young woman sat collapsed on the floor, her body bloated, her feet stretched out haphazardly, her arms sprawled from her sides and her head laid back against a corner of the glass. Her jaw drooped open and foamy blood had leaked from the corners. An unrecognizable, hide-covered lump covered the floor in the center cage. In the final glass cage, a female minotaur stared at him with both of her hands pressed against the glass. ¡°Help me,¡± the petite female minotaur begged in a weak voice. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me here to die, like the rest of me.¡± Gil waved his hand at the dead bodies in the other cages and said dumbly, ¡°That¡¯s the rest of you?¡± ¡°Ainsley,¡± the female minotaur replied. ¡°Ava Most Revered said that since she couldn¡¯t follow orders, she would honor her by including her in the experiments. We were alive for a couple of days but the Most Revered never came back for us. Now Ainsley has died, and I¡¯m alone and dying, too.¡± Gil looked around the room again, sighed toward the ceiling, and then walked over to the glass cage. He took the time to inspect it carefully for any risks or traps before he reached out and flipped the bolt. The door swung open, and Minotaur Ainsley fell forward. He caught her before she could hit the floor, swung her into his arms, and headed down the hall to Reggie and the other two minotaurs. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Chapter 44 King Chapter 44 King Humans seldom bother us, although¡­.sniff, sniff¡­they are well-fed¡­sniff, sniff¡­ plump and juicy. Their dogs and cats are, also, but they lead to too much trouble so we avoid them. It¡¯s been years since we devoured a prince. Have you heard the Legend of Prince Eater #3? She¡¯s a hero for the ages. She ate an actual Holy King. ¡ª Prince Eater, undocumented ¡ª Prince Eater, undocumented Gil had walked only a few meters before he realized that there were no longer the sounds of feasting and killing from the far cells. As he neared Reggie¡¯s cell, Minotaur Tiernan called out in alarm, ¡°Ainsley! You stopped answering my shouts or coming to see us. What happened? I smelled death. Are you all right? Talk to me.¡± ¡°She left us to die,¡± Minotaur Ainsley explained weakly. ¡°And the other part of me did.¡± Gil set her down so that she leaned against the bars of Reggie¡¯s cell. Minotaur Tiernan knelt near her, reached through the bars, rubbed her arms, and caressed her forehead with his fingers as he murmured gently, ¡°It¡¯s okay, my love. Gil will help us. We¡¯ll all be safe.¡± ¡°I saved our baby,¡± Minotaur Ainsley murmured softly as she cupped her abdomen. ¡°I had to force it to me during the process, but I have it. I hope it¡¯s going to be all right.¡± ¡°Hurry,¡± Minotaur Reggie urged. ¡°Hurry and unlock the cell so that he can help her.¡± Gil inspected the minotaur and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my ¡ª¡± ¡°We have it right here,¡± Reggie said from the stone cot where he lay with the crossbow resting on his chest. ¡°We had to shoot it together because of our missing arm, but the job is done, and we have it for you right here. Please hurry, Uncle Gil. Please.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right there, Reggie, Son,¡± Gil said as he stepped forward and fumbled with the keys. Finally, the right one turned the tumblers, and he swung the door wide. Minotaur Tiernan rushed to Minotaur Ainsley and knelt beside her again. Minotaur Reggie stepped back and stood aside so Gil could get to Prince Reginald. Gil fastened the crossbow to his back and made sure his bludgeon was hooked on his belt. As he knelt to lift Reggie in his arms, Minotaur Reggie stepped beside him, winked one large blue eye, and lifted Prince Reginald himself. ¡°Riding will be faster,¡± Gil suggested. ¡°Are horses afraid of you?¡± ¡°Some are,¡± Minotaur Reggie answered. ¡°But not all of them. Reggie¡¯s white horse is fine, and there¡¯s a black horse that doesn¡¯t mind either. Follow me, I know a path that will avoid the fighting in the Courtyard.¡± ¡°I have one more thing to do before I leave,¡± Gil said, holding up a hand to slow them. ¡°Can you get to Braeford Estates without me?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know where it is, Uncle Gil,¡± Reggie said. ¡°We were never there when we were a child, and it didn¡¯t exist when Minotaur Tiernan was whole.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Gil responded. ¡°I am going to the roof to disable the power supply. You can hide somewhere or come with me.¡± ¡°We should stick together,¡± Minotaur Tiernan said. ¡°May I use your bludgeon, Gil? I would like to use it on the¡­things in the office.¡± Gil unhooked the weapon from his belt and leaned it against the wall. When Minotaur Tiernan handed him Ainsley, he took her gently and stood beside the two Reggies as Minotaur Tiernan¡¯s hooves clacked on the stone floor. Shortly after he disappeared into the office, banging, thudding, and crashing echoed through the dungeons. He came back sweaty and smiling, hooked the bludgeon on Gil¡¯s belt for him, and took Ainsley back in his arms. The four of them started toward the corridor to climb the stairs. When they passed the cell of dead beasts, Ainsley whispered something in Tiernan¡¯s ear. Gil diverted his eyes when the minotaur grasped a chunk of one of the beasts, wiggled it through the cell bars, and handed it to Ainsley to munch. When they had ascended as far as Ava Most Revered¡¯s private chambers, Gil paused, stared at the door, then kicked it in. Gesturing to the others to wait, Gil¡¯s eyes searched the chamber until he saw the jewelry box that held the second set of bracelets. Retrieving the box, he said, ¡°Once we¡¯re on the roof, these bracelets are being tossed into the moat. I don¡¯t want to leave them for someone else to use on other people.¡± Minotaur Reggie¡¯s lips spread in a grimace which Gil wasn¡¯t certain was a smile. As Gil started to leave, he noticed the prince¡¯s eyes locked onto the cage on the balcony. ¡°The Chosen,¡± Gil laughed. ¡°The one chosen to die, eh Reggie? That¡¯s the real reason they¡¯re called that.¡± ¡°We wish we had died,¡± Prince Reginald mumbled. Gil set the box on the foot of the bed, strode over to the cage, and surveyed it thoroughly. He braced his feet, tried to lift it by the iron bars, and said, ¡°It¡¯s bolted to the floor.¡± The Minotaurs gently rested Prince Reggie and Ainsley on the bed and positioned themselves on each side of Gil. ¡°Count of three,¡± Minotaur Reggie said. The others nodded. ¡°Figg¡¯t,¡± Minotaur Tiernan said. ¡°You,¡± Minotaur Reggie said. ¡°Ava,¡± Gil said. Their combined strength ripped the bolts out of the floor. They heaved the cage over the balcony railing and watched it break against the marble floor. Gil snatched up the bracelet box and then stepped to one side as the others gathered their patients. Together they continued up the stairs. When they reached the top of the final flight of stairs, none of the keys on the ring would unlock the access door to the roof. Gil backed up to get a good vantage point to slam his shoulder into the door, but Minotaur Reggie stopped him. He handed Prince Reginald to Gil, and then lowered his beastly shoulders and plowed into the door. It trembled without opening so Minotaur Reggie plunged his horns into it and ripped it from the doorframe. The roof was empty except for a semi-circle of suns panels and the shimmering pyramid shape in the center. Gil set down the jewelry box, and then paced the circumference of the roof, making mental notes about the Glow Nest, determining what choices they had for exiting the roof, and formulating a plan. He stopped at a set of panels facing the afternoon suns and explained to the others, ¡°Earth Scientists developed the Glow Nests to channel the power of the suns when Earth first colonized Terra Saint Edmunds. The Magi have used it for nefarious reasons, while SnakeIn powers their defense system with it.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t anything ever go wrong with them?¡± Minotaur Tiernan asked. ¡°Once in a while, but somehow they can fix themselves,¡± Gil replied. ¡°When I studied with the master in SnakeIn, he said that in his entire life he had seen them stop working only one time. It happened when he was an apprentice, and his master simply unfastened the cord that ran from the suns panels to the Nest and then fastened it again.¡± ¡°Can you unfasten it deliberately?¡± Minotaur Tiernan asked. Gil shrugged, walked around the Glow Nest again, and stopped to inspect the solar panels once more. He left the roof and walked down the stairs to the next floor, searching the sleeping cells of the novitiates until he found two of the large, hooded capes they wear. As he turned to leave he saw several pairs of the simple trousers and tunics the novitiates wore, so he grabbed a set of those and took it back to the roof. He handed the trousers and tunic to Minotaur Ainsley and left her to discover that the long tunic would fit nicely but the trousers never would. He ripped the two capes into sections using Grace¡¯s boning knife and covered the suns panels with the cloth. As he waited for the darkness to turn off the suns panels, he brought the others to the roof parapet and indicated where on the horizon Braeford Estates stood, explaining, ¡°There are open roads we could travel. But there is also a more discreet path marked by purple-leafed moth trees. Are you familiar with them?¡± Prince Reggie and Minotaur Ainsley shook their heads while Minotaur Reggie and Minotaur Tiernan nodded. Tiernan said, ¡°We¡¯ve traveled that path. The tree branches form a wide canopy overhead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If anything happens to me, stay together, and head for Braeford Estates on your own,¡± Gil suggested. ¡°If possible, use the path through the moth trees. It will be safer.¡± ¡°Are we going to free the children?¡± Minotaur Ainsley asked. Minotaur Tiernan looked at her and asked, ¡°What children? Everyone else was fed to the Prince Eaters or those deplorable animals in the other cells. In time, I suppose we eventually would have been, too.¡± ¡°They are mostly human,¡± Ainsley explained. ¡°She kept them at the far end of the cells, down the other corridor so no one could hear them crying. You have the key to their cell on that ring.¡± Gil kicked at the stones along the floor of the roof, scrunched his lips to one side, and then nodded and said, ¡°Okay. We have to wait until this has cooled, so let¡¯s go down and see. How many are there?¡± ¡°Five,¡± Ainsley said. ¡°The last time I saw them they were all okay. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ve had enough food since she stopped going down to the dungeons, but they should all be able to walk on their own. Except for the baby, but I can carry him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, Gil,¡± Minotaur Tiernan offered. ¡°Ainsley, you should stay up here. You¡¯re still weak and taking the stairs again will wear you out.¡± ¡°Reggie, would you mind staying up here with Ainsley to help guard Prince Reginald?¡± Gil asked. ¡°I can¡¯t risk his life no matter how many children are down there. But you and Ainsley both watching over him will ease my mind.¡± Gil and Minotaur Tiernan descended the stairway in half the time it had taken them to ascend. At the base of the stairwell, Gil and Minotaur Tiernan checked the corridor both ways before taking the passageway headed away from where the minotaurs had been imprisoned. When they were close enough to hear talking, crying, and generalized shuffling, Minotaur Tiernan held out his hand. ¡°Let me go first,¡± the minotaur said. ¡°I¡¯m less vulnerable than you are, and if they are minotaurs, too, they will be less likely to attack me.¡± With that, they turned the final corner and stopped, shocked at what they found. The five children were not minotaurs, but humans with various animal features. The oldest little girl and the baby had two bull-like legs but were otherwise human. The smaller girl¡¯s face was angelically human but from the neck down she was divided: her left side animal, her right side human. The little boy had four bull legs and no arms, but a human head and torso. The oldest, a boy who seemed to be almost a teenager, was human with the blue eyes and blond hair characteristic of the royal family, although his skin was the thick hide of a bull¡¯s. He shooed the others behind him, fisted his hands, and said defiantly, ¡°Who are you? Where¡¯s Aunt Ava? We¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°This is Gil and I¡¯m Tiernan,¡± Minotaur Tiernan said gesturing. ¡°Gil is going to take us to his home where all of us can live safely. Stand back while he unlocks the door.¡± ¡°We¡¯re hungry,¡± the boy repeated. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re hungry,¡± the girl with the bull¡¯s legs agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll run get them some meat from¡­.from, you know, okay?¡± Minotaur Tiernan asked Gil who nodded. ¡°You children listen to Gil while I¡¯m gone. Don¡¯t give him trouble.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Aunt Ava?¡± the boy asked as Minotaur Tiernan dashed down the passageway. ¡°She isn¡¯t going to come here anymore,¡± Gil said as he began trying the keys in the lock. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone is going to live in the Citadel anymore. When Ainsley told us you were here, we came right away. There¡¯s no one else around Braeford Estates. You¡¯ll be safe there.¡± ¡°We thought we heard Ainsley screaming,¡± the boy said. ¡°Ava put her in that contraption,¡± Gil paused, considering how he would explain it. ¡°And tried to turn her into a minotaur like Tiernan.¡± ¡°So Ainsley is two now?¡± the boy asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid only Minotaur Ainsley survived. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Gil said kindly. When all the children dropped their heads sadly, he added, ¡°She is well, though. She remembers all of you and will be happy to see you.¡± ¡°The rest of us didn¡¯t survive either,¡± the boy said. ¡°We aren¡¯t two like the minotaurs are. Is that the key?¡± ¡°Yes, yes this is the key,¡± Gil said as he turned it all the way over in the lock, and then swung the door wide open. ¡°Come on out. Everyone stay together. Here, I¡¯ll carry the baby. All of you look tired. What are your names¡± ¡°Aunt Ava called me Asterion,¡± the oldest boy replied as the children wandered out of the cell and looked around curiously. ¡°She always laughed when she said it. None of the others have a name.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll discuss names when we reach our home,¡± Gil said gently. When the girl with the legs of a bull and the boy with four animal legs wandered ahead of the rest of them, he called out, ¡°Stay together and stay behind me. If there¡¯s trouble, I want you where I can protect you.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. They reached the bottom of the stairs as Minotaur Tiernan returned with several chunks of meat. Gil didn¡¯t ask what kind of meat. Nor did he watch the children eat. He tried to help the baby as best he could, and tried not to stare as the oldest boy hand-fed the boy without hands. ¡°Let me help him so that you can eat,¡± Minotaur Tiernan said, taking the meat from Asterion. Mealtime was over quickly, and the children responded to the nourishment almost immediately, bounding up the stairs, laughing happily, and peppering Minotaur Tiernan and Gil with dozens of questions. Rescuing them took enough time that when Gil and Minotaur Tiernan and the children returned, the suns panels had stopped functioning. He laid his silver staff on the Glow Nest, double-checked that the leather insulation under his armor was properly in place, and then used Grace¡¯s boning knife to slice through the wires leading from the panels to the Glow Nest. Nothing seemed to happen, so he lifted the silver staff gingerly and repositioned it so that it ran from his armor into a small depression in the stone floor of the Citadel roof. Hefting his heavy bludgeon, he crushed the thick pyramid shell of the Glow Nest. Again, nothing seemed to happen beyond the scattering of the opaque glass. He studied the interior wires of the Glow Nest and noted how they connected and where the sparks originated. Once satisfied he turned to the others and said, ¡°Take the children and the prince into the hallway. This is the dangerous part. I¡¯m not sure how strong the electrical arcs will be.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Minotaur Tiernan called out as the others retreated. He picked up the bludgeon from where Gil had leaned it against the parapet and smashed the jewelry box. Pulling out the bracelets, he walked along the parapet and tossed each individual bracelet into the moat separately. Once the last one sunk into the water, he hurried into the hall to help Ainsley with the children but positioned himself in the doorway so that Prince Reginald could watch the destruction of their tormentor¡¯s power. Gil double-checked his gauntlet and the position of the silver staff. He looked up to be certain that the others were in places of safety. He clutched Grace¡¯s boning knife and with an expert flick of his wrist, he stabbed the knife into the heart of the Glow Nest. Arcs of electricity spit from the Glow Nest, some hitting Gil¡¯s armor, ringing around it, and traveling down the silver staff into the stone roof. Other arcs harmlessly spewed into the air high enough that Gil was certain that everyone in the Courtyard saw the display. When the sparks stopped, Gil took hold of the center of the Glow Nest, rocked the conglomeration of wires and connectors back and forth until they came free in his hands, and then carried them to the parapet and tossed them into the gorefish moat after the bracelets. Gil smiled at Minotaur Tiernan with satisfaction as he retrieved his silver staff and bludgeon. The group descended the winding staircase that led to the Great Hall. Prince Reginald carried the baby in his arms and Minotaur Reggie carried them both. Ainsley carried the toddler so Minotaur Tiernan carried them while the oldest girl rode on his shoulders holding onto his horns. Gil carried the boy with four legs and Asterion walked beside them. Their descent was slower than Gil had anticipated, but they did not encounter anyone else, so he was satisfied. Instead of returning to the battle, Gil led them through the Citadel kitchens and out a back door. They followed the path that Minotaur Reggie suggested circling to the stables where armed grooms were stationed to protect the horses. The grooms turned when the stable door slid open. One fainted at the sight of the minotaurs. A second ran. The third groom held his ground and stammered, ¡°Sir? Commander Braeford?¡± ¡°I need fast sturdy horses and I need them now,¡± Gil snapped. ¡°Your own horse has not returned since you rode out on him, sir,¡± the groom said reluctantly. ¡°But¡­ Lord and Survivor! That¡¯s Prince Reginald! Everyone saw him die!¡± ¡°What you saw wasn¡¯t real,¡± Gil explained as he hid a smile at the New East Anglia exclamation. ¡°The person torn apart by those beasts wasn¡¯t Prince Reginald. The whole thing was a ploy to gain control of the Crown. I don¡¯t have time to explain. I need those sturdy horses immediately so I can get Prince Reginald to safety.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the groom responded. As he backed away, he dipped his head to Prince Reginald and said, ¡°I apologize for my awkwardness, Your Royal Highness.¡± He added to the minotaurs, ¡°And also to you, Gentlemen and Lady. I have seen your people from a distance at night, but never up close. If I stared, I meant no offense.¡± He started to hurry off, and then turned back and said, ¡°Can the children ride?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll help them if they can¡¯t,¡± Gil reassured him. Without saying more, the groom ran off. He soon returned with Prince Reginald¡¯s white stallion saddled and ready, as well as a black horse, and a smaller bay mare. The horses shied at the sight and smell of the minotaurs but calmed immediately at the sound of Prince Reginald¡¯s voice. The groom and Gil Braeford stroked the horses¡¯ necks and noses, also whispering gently. After Gil had lifted three of the children onto the bay mare, he said to the little boy, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Because you cannot hold on, I will have to tie you to the horse. I am so very sorry. Please don¡¯t be upset. I will keep a close eye on you and get you free the moment we arrive.¡± The little boy nodded and said, ¡°That always happens to me. I can never do what other people can. Do you promise to watch over me?¡± ¡°I promise,¡± Gil replied. ¡°Okay,¡± the boy agreed, forcing himself to sound cheerful. ¡°We need to get home somehow.¡± As Gil secured him to the horse, Minotaur Ainsley said sadly, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to ride. I can run alongside the rest of you.¡± ¡°Just hold on,¡± Gil advised. ¡°I¡¯ll lead your horse beside mine.¡± ¡°We can keep up with the horses, my love,¡± Minotaur Tiernan said, lifting her into the saddle of the black horse. ¡°You¡¯re too weak right now. This way is better. Here¡¯s the baby for you to carry.¡± ¡°I can ride behind her and help her stay on,¡± Asterion offered. ¡°I was allowed to ride whenever I wanted. Aunt Ava used to call me her son before I looked like this. Afterward, she wouldn¡¯t even speak to me and kept me locked up.¡± The groom turned at the boy¡¯s voice and asked, ¡°Master Asterion?¡± When the boy stepped forward and nodded, the groom continued, ¡°So you did. You¡¯re an accomplished horseman, Master Asterion. I wondered why you stopped coming around. That Old Hag. Here, I¡¯ll help you up.¡± Gil paused and surveyed his group. All of the children and Ainsley were mounted. Minotaurs Reggie and Tiernan would run beside them, keeping up with the horses easily. That left Prince Reginald. Gil swung into the saddle of Prince Reginald¡¯s white stallion, settled himself, and then gently accepted the prince from Minotaur Reggie so the prince could ride in front of him. Prince Reginald turned to the groom and said, ¡°Thank you for your help. Would you be able to let my brothers know that I¡¯m with Uncle Gil, please? They probably think that I¡¯m dead.¡± ¡°Of course, sir,¡± the groom replied respectfully. ¡°You act well under pressure,¡± Gil said, complimenting the groom. ¡°Prince Reginald can use someone like you at his side while he recovers. If you want to work for him, come to Braeford Estates after you¡¯ve delivered the message. Do you know where to find it?¡± ¡°I do, Commander, thank you. I¡¯ll be there,¡± the groom sputtered. He bowed deeply to Prince Reginald and then dashed off to find whichever princes were still battling in the Courtyard. Gil ordered the stallion forward, and the group headed for Braeford Estates. The fighting paused again when the Glow Nest¡¯s lightning exploded from the Tara Citadel. When it calmed, movement in the Courtyard brought Jon¡¯s and Alec¡¯s attention back to the battlefield. They watched in panic as Grace flitted around bodies, pieces of bodies, and riotous beasts, toward the king. Both men looked at each other, raced to the stonewall surrounding the Courtyard, and climbed onto the coping stones. Craig Docherty and Holdingfree Fighters gathered at their feet, reloading crossbows and passing them to the two sharpshooters who placed bolt after bolt into the panicked animals, quickly culling their numbers. Jon accepted a white and blue bolt from one of the students as Alec loaded an identical one. They released their bolts at the same time. Reloaded and released again. Grace reached the king, took up one of Holy King Harrison¡¯s hands, and then ducked as a Prince Eater horn swung over her head, missing her. Harrison forced open his eyelids to stare at the girl until she stood, met his eyes, and rested one hand on the side of his face. ¡°Se¨¢n and I love you, Your Majesty,¡± she said, speaking directly to his eyes so she could be sure that he heard and understood. His eyes moved all the way to the right and one finger of his hand pointed weakly toward the ground. Without letting go of his hand, Grace stepped back and searched the ground at her feet. When she saw Jon¡¯s sword, she scooped it up and showed it to Holy King Harrison. The dying man moved his finger again to point behind Grace. ¡°Please,¡± Ava Most Revered begged as she weakly reached out one hand toward Grace¡¯s ankle. ¡°Help me.¡± The king blinked his eyes several times and tapped the palm of Grace¡¯s hand with one finger. The child warrior studied the king¡¯s face and then showed him that Jon¡¯s sword had been ruined when the metal bracelets and the blade melted together. He moved his eyes sideways toward where the Most Revered was struggling to grasp Grace¡¯s leg. Grace reached behind her back and brought out the flintlock pistol the groom had lent to Rory. She carefully aimed the barrel at Ava O¡¯Connor. The king blinked his eyes several times, and with great effort gestured for the weapon with his finger. When she balanced one of her hips against him so she could wrap his hand around the butt of the pistol underneath hers, the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. Grace squeezed the trigger. The kickback drove Harrison sideways uprooting some of his horns, but the sturdy quarterstaffs prevented him from falling sideways to the ground. Grace was flung backward away from the risk of the horns. She landed on her rear and as she shook her head to recover her equilibrium, the ground next to her trembled. Twisting to learn why, she saw the body of a Prince Eater, only an arm¡¯s reach away, with multiple white and blue crossbow bolts sticking out of its head, neck, and back. She climbed to her feet, stuffed the flintlock into the holster at her back, and bent to check on Holy King Harrison. He had died with the smile still on his face. Captain Brady, Barry, the Royal Archers, Padraig, Armed Watcher Lynch, several other Watchers, and numerous soldiers joined Jon and Alec in destroying the remaining beasts. Even First Contingent Annie Jarek climbed onto the wall to assist, making her first widely-seen appearance in the battle. When the final Prince Eater fell, Alec turned to Jon and commented, ¡°Archery Master Quinn was right. Slaying a penned animal sometimes does need to be done.¡± As Jon pulled Alec into an embrace, over his husband¡¯s shoulder he saw Annie Jarek¡¯s crossbow aimed their way. He jerked Alec sideways screaming, ¡°Get down.¡± Instinctively, Alec jerked back, intent on protecting Jon at all costs. The bolt hammered into Alec¡¯s lower back and pitched him from the wall. As Jon leaped to the ground, Craig Docherty immediately put his arms up so that Jon could use them for balance. Both men dropped to their knees at Alec¡¯s side. Jon¡¯s keening was loud and immediate. Royal Archers, Armed Watchers, and Kings Soldiers along the wall circled in place, surveying the Courtyard and surrounding area for some sign of the enemy who shot the bolt. ¡°Yes!¡± Annie Jarek shouted jubilantly, fisting the air with her wrapped arm, and resting her crossbow on the other shoulder. ¡°Yes! You will be my king, Jon! You will be my ¡ª¡± A loud report and a burst of flames interrupted her victory celebration. Blood burbled from her mouth as she fell from the top of the wall with a ragged wound blasted through her. As she died one hand groped at a silk ribbon around her neck and she whispered, ¡°Tom.¡± Seeing King Se¨¢n approach the spot where she fell, Rory and Liam hoisted themselves onto the wall and ran along the top to get to him. They paused mid-step when they saw two beautiful men with wings and feather-covered faces lift King Se¨¢n by his arms and fly him to the coping stones. Once the king¡¯s footing was secure, the winged men bowed in mid-air and withdrew. Se¨¢n placed his feet solidly a shoulder¡¯s width apart and raised a still visibly hot flintlock pistol over his head. Rory and Liam raced the rest of the way to King Se¨¢n while Captain Reid and a dozen of his soldiers leaped effortlessly to a spot beside them. Together they shouted over the crowds, ¡°Quiet for the king. All quiet for Holy King Se¨¢n.¡± When the crowd stilled, Holy King Se¨¢n shouted majestically, ¡°This weapon was a gift to the House of Raedwald from my cousin Edward, King of New East Anglia. I have a cargo ship full of them and I vow, here and now, all traitors will meet the same end.¡± Most of the spectators had already escaped from the Courtyard, but those that were left gasped. Rory jerked his head slightly toward Liam and the two of them began shouting, ¡°Long Live King Se¨¢n!¡± Hesitantly at first, and then more strongly, all of the Armed Watchers, all of Annie¡¯s Rebels, the Kings Soldiers, Holdingfree Fighters, and everyone in the crowd, wherever they were in the Courtyard or on the wall or behind it, joined in. ¡°Long live King Se¨¢n!¡± ¡°Hear me, United Forces of the Crown¡¯s Military: Soldiers, guards, archers, Watchers, and former rebels now loyal to the Crown. Take all Magi and Magi Soldiers prisoners, immediately,¡± King Se¨¢n shouted across the kneeling citizens and soldiers. ¡°They are traitors. The Ritual is banned from being enacted anywhere in the Kingdom of Midhe Nuae. I am dispatching messengers to my cousins reining across Terra Saint Edmunds so that the Ritual will be forbidden anywhere on the planet. No one will die in the jaws of those beasts ever again. Today we begin healing. Tomorrow morning the citizens will tear down the Tara Citadel stone by stone.¡± King Se¨¢n raised his eyes to the two winged men who bowed and began to fly at the crowd signaling them to move aside. The king waved the fingers of his left hand toward nearby soldiers and rebels to assist. As they cleared a wide path, teams of massive horses, the renowned St. Edmunds Warriors, appeared hauling cannons and caissons. The crowd rippled with curiosity and stunned amazement. When the cannons were loaded and pointed over the Courtyard, the artillery commander saluted King Se¨¢n. The king raised his right hand and then dropped it sharply. The operators touched fire to the fuses, and detonations shook the ground at the crowd¡¯s feet. The balls arced over the Courtyard and pummeled into the Tara Citadel, destroying chunks of wall and several merlons. The cannon operators loaded the weapons a second time, adjusted the aim, and crashed cannonballs through the center of the Mothership Window. Horrified Magi shrieked as the sacred window shattered. Many fainted. Many collapsed and refused to move, forcing the Kings Soldiers to brutally drag them. When all of the Magi and their soldiers were corralled in front of King Se¨¢n, he spoke over them to the crowd, ¡°There is no need for relics of the past in Midhe Nuae. From this moment on we no longer have a throne room ¨C we have the parliamentary hall in the castle where my closest advisers and I will meet to form the foundation of an elected Peoples Council that will be a permanent branch of our government.¡± As Se¨¢n finished his address, he noticed Grace McCreesh hurrying through the crowd; one small hand firmly gripping the arm of a healer. The healer had stopped, overwhelmed by all the death and pain surrounding them, and was ignoring Grace¡¯s urgent tug. He turned to Captain Reid and instructed, ¡°Keep the Magi here on their knees until I return.¡± King Se¨¢n jumped from the wall, took the healer¡¯s other arm, and coerced him to focus on Alec. Rory and Liam jumped down after him, and in the absence of any surviving Kings Guards, the two friends fulfilled that service. When Padraig MacGavin saw their actions, he waved at members of the Armed Watch standing nearby, and as King Se¨¢n reached them, they immediately fell in step to form a protective barrier around the new ruler. King Se¨¢n found Jon on his knees beside his husband, clinging to one of Alec¡¯s hands. Holdingfree Fighters, bold youths who had held their own against the seasoned military during the Courtyard battles, leaned on each other and wiped tears away from their faces. The healer immediately dropped beside Alec to examine his wound. Grace moved closer to King Se¨¢n, took his hand, and together they watched him work. The groom appeared from the stables, running toward King Se¨¢n. He paused a short distance away to show that he carried no weapons and then bowed deeply as he approached the monarch. He spoke softly to Se¨¢n whose eyes flew open. ¡°Prince Reginald is alive! How can that be? Are you certain?¡± King Se¨¢n asked in disbelief ¡°Reggie,¡± Jon muttered absently as he rubbed his eyes and forehead with his arm. ¡°The bull had his eyes.¡± ¡°Yes, the minotaur does, yes,¡± the groom agreed. Padraig looked at King Se¨¢n and opened his mouth with a question, but closed it when the groom continued. ¡°Sir, Prince Reginald is very ill and so weak that he may not recover, but I assure you, I spoke with him myself. Commander Braeford requested that I follow His Royal Highness so that I could help with whatever he needs.¡± ¡°Will you do that?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m going as soon as I have your leave to do so.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± King Se¨¢n replied. Turning to Padraig he added, ¡°Would you assemble a party to escort this gentleman safely and to bring me back more details about my brother and the minotaur.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty,¡± Padraig replied, signaling Watchers to follow through with the command. King Se¨¢n let go of Grace¡¯s hand, rose to his feet, and asked two of the Watchers to assist him to the top of the Courtyard wall again. When Captain Reid and his sailors turned their gaze to him, Se¨¢n jerked his right hand sharply in anger. Captain Reid shouted to the United Forces, ¡°Soldiers.¡± He paused for one moment and then called out, ¡°Present arms.¡± Reid¡¯s sailors and King Se¨¢n¡¯s military raised their weapons. ¡°Fire!¡± Without exception or mercy, the kneeling prisoners from the most senior mage to the youngest novitiate died in a maelstrom of bullets and crossbow bolts. Kings Soldiers walked among the prisoners completing the execution of any who survived the initial onslaught. King Se¨¢n silently watched the massacre until the last mage stopped moving, and then he jumped off the wall to return to Alec and Jon. Grace reached out one hand to him, but withdrew it and smiled at Se¨¢n as he moved past her to sit on the ground beside Alec where he enclosed one of Alec¡¯s unresponsive hands in both of his own. Grace stepped closer to Jon and wrapped her strong child warrior¡¯s arms around Jon tightly as he sat stony and disbelieving, keening lost in his throat and tears unable to fall. One of Alec¡¯s fingers twitched, and then another, and slowly, in slight increments, Alec¡¯s hand curled around Jon¡¯s and squeezed it tightly. ?2022 Vera S. Scott Epilogue Epilogue The older schoolgirls glanced at each other, sighed with superiority, and then joined hands with the little girls in resignation. Together they all skipped in a wide circle around a column covered with the vining flower once known as moonflowers but now usually called princelings, as all the children sang loudly: My Prince one; My Prince two; My Prince loves Only, only you. When the rhyme ended, the girls clapped each other¡¯s hands in the air over their heads and fell backward onto the ground, laughing. Behind the column several meters away their older brothers glanced toward where the girls sprawled on the ground and then returned to practicing combat skills with sticks and quarterstaffs. At the top of the column stood the statue of a tall young man with a crossbow on his back. The palm of one of his hands enclosed a cane topped by a phoenix, and his other hand rested on the shoulder of another man who sat with a blanket across his legs and a crossbow resting against one of the chair''s large wheels. Next to the two men was the statue of an enormous wolfhound, and at the feet of the tall young man stood a statue of a small girl. At the base of the column was a plaque with the word ¡°Forever¡± etched on it. Next to that was a stone and gurygum bench. ¡°They fought to save the life of a beautiful princess,¡± the oldest girl explained to the others with the certain authority of an oldest child. ¡°They both loved the beautiful princess with all their hearts. Every night they would sneak out and plant beautiful white princelings all over this field so she would have a meadow full of her favorite flowers. Each prince wanted her to marry him and not the other prince.¡± A gilded carriage stopped at the edge of the park and a footman held the door open, while another assisted the elderly King Se¨¢n to disembark. Although the king¡¯s back was straight and true, the old king walked cautiously toward the column using the aid of a gold-inlaid cane topped with a silver phoenix. The boys hurriedly put away their quarterstaffs and scrambled to collect their sisters. The littlest girl¡¯s brother tossed away the broken tree branch he¡¯d used for sparring, took her arm gently, and urged, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Grace.¡± Instead of cooperating, the littlest girl struggled against her brother¡¯s grip, saying, ¡°But I want to hear the end of the story, Robbie. I want to know which prince she married.¡± ¡°Hush, Grace. It¡¯s King Se¨¢n. You know he likes to visit here. We have to get out of the way,¡± Robbie admonished, lightly tugging her arm again. ¡°Behave,¡± the oldest girl barked, then reached out and pinched Little Grace¡¯s arm until tears welled up in the child¡¯s eyes. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t even know which prince the princess chose.¡± Little Grace kicked her brother¡¯s shin, causing him to release her arm as he grabbed at his leg. She dashed across the park, skidded to a stop in front of King Se¨¢n, bowed clumsily, and said, ¡°Your Majessey, Robbie says our Mama named me after your queen. Robbie says that you waited for your queen a long time.¡± ¡°I did, Grace,¡± King Se¨¢n answered kindly as he brushed away the Kings Guards who approached to remove her. ¡°May I call you Little Grace? I¡¯m used to calling the queen Grace.¡± Little Grace smiled and bobbed her head, so King Se¨¢n continued, ¡°We were both children when we first met, and we waited many years until we were grown before we married.¡± King Se¨¢n reached out and lifted her arm where a vicious red mark had started to swell and asked suspiciously, ¡°How did you injure your arm, Little Grace? That looks as if someone mean pinched you.¡± She automatically glanced over her shoulder to where the older girl stood. The king deliberately scowled at the older girl until she squirmed, and then he returned his attention to Little Grace. ¡°Mama told Robbie that she wanted me to be strong. Like Queen Grace was when she led all the soldiers into battle,¡± Little Grace said as she hooked a casual hand toward the older boys to indicate that one of them was Robbie. ¡°Did Queen Grace really fight with all the soldiers?¡± ¡°Yes, she did,¡± King Se¨¢n agreed, remembering not her long career as a soldier, but how as a child she ran into the blood-soaked arena to save first Alec Mulrian, and then him, and then Holy King Harrison. He smiled to himself and reached under his shirt to pull out a gold chain linked to a small, broken piece of slate with its sharp edge smoothed down. He rubbed it softly with a faraway look in his eyes and then smiled at Little Grace. ¡°She became the Commander of the Royal United Forces.¡± As she listened, Little Grace tilted her head and smiled at a pair of faces peeking out of a window in the king¡¯s carriage. She smiled and asked, ¡°Are they your mini-ers? Robbie says that bad scientists hurt people and they became mini-ers. He says they are all very nice people and that we need to be kind because of what happened to them.¡± She looked at King Se¨¢n while she spoke, then shifted her gaze back to the carriage. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°They are minotaurs, yes, but they don¡¯t belong to me. They are free like you, like Robbie, like everyone else,¡± the king responded. ¡°Robbie is right. We should always try to be polite and kind to others, especially when they are different from us. The boy is older than you. His name is Reggie 3. The girl is Callie. She is probably close to your age.¡± Little Grace waved enthusiastically at the two minotaurs. When they waved back hesitantly, she smiled widely, and her eyes lit up. She gestured behind her and asked, ¡°Did you know the princes on the statue?¡± ¡°See the tall one who¡¯s standing?¡± he replied. He gestured so that she would turn around, and then continued, ¡°That was my brother Jon.¡± ¡°Who was prince in the chair with wheels?¡± ¡°Alec. They lived in a cottage I had built for them near the castle.¡± ¡°What was the doggy¡¯s name? Was she really that big?¡± ¡°Fia, and yes, she was that big, and seemed much larger. She was very loving and very loyal.¡± ¡°Is the little girl with them a princess like her Mama was?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always thought of her as my princess,¡± The king responded. ¡°But most people call her Commissioner Holdingfree.¡± ¡°Commshhhhonor. Robbie told me about her. He wants her to help our Papa. Robbie says Papa didn¡¯t do anything wrong. The captain did and blamed Papa for it. Now Papa is locked up all alone. Robbie said that she makes sure soldiers in trouble are treated fairly.¡± ¡°She does. She is the Royal Commissioner of Military Justice.¡± ¡°If she wasn¡¯t a princess, why is she up there with the two princes?¡± ¡°Her Mama knew all of us and when her Mama died, we gave her a home with us.¡± King Se¨¢n held out the palm of his hand, the Kings Guards parted, and a middle-aged woman wearing a uniform with ribbons and medals strolled up to them. Walking beside her was a tall, middle-aged man who resembled King Se¨¢n. ¡°Here is your princess, now,¡± the king said. ¡°Little Grace, please meet my blessing-daughter, Alannah, and her husband, my nephew Prince Fitzreginald.¡± Little Grace looked to King Se¨¢n for guidance and when he nodded reassuringly, bowed to Alannah and Prince Fitzreginald. She surprised everyone by saying sympathetically, ¡°You¡¯ll be okay without your Mama. You¡¯ll miss her, but it will be okay. I know it¡¯s hard. My Mama died, too, so Robbie takes care of me. We sleep under the bridge by a Blue Fluttering where butterflies will hatch from underground. The whole world will be all blue and flickery when they are born and fill the sky. I can hardly wait to see it. Have you ever been there?¡± ¡°Yes, I have. You live under the bridge?¡± Alannah asked so she would be certain she understood. She reached out instinctively and smoothed Little Grace¡¯s wayward hair behind the child¡¯s ear. ¡°Only at night,¡± Little Grace answered. ¡°During the day we go to lots of different places.¡± ¡°Well, today, I would like you to come to my home,¡± King Se¨¢n suggested. ¡°You and Robbie can live with me and Queen Grace. Would you like that?¡± ¡°Will I be able to play with Reggie 3 and Callie if I lived there?¡± she asked as she pulled in her bottom lip and thoughtfully weighed the suggestion. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± King Se¨¢n replied with a grin. ¡°They visit me often. You could be good friends.¡± ¡°Then I would like to very much, yes, thank you,¡± Little Grace answered. After a moment she added studiously, ¡°I don¡¯t know if Robbie would want to. We have to ask him.¡± ¡°We can do that now,¡± the king said, holding out a hand for her to take so they could stroll to her brother. ¡°But I haven¡¯t asked you my question yet,¡± Little Grace objected in frustration. King Se¨¢n chuckled as he thought of the long line of questions she¡¯d already asked, and then said indulgently, ¡°Ask away.¡± Little Grace furrowed her brow with serious concern and asked, ¡°Do you know which prince married the princess?¡± ¡°Neither of them.¡± ¡°Neither of them! But they loved her so much they planted all these beautiful princelings for her.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t. That happened because ¨C¡± the king looked at the innocence in the child¡¯s face and instead of explaining how the moonflower seeds and plantlets scattered when Jon was nearly dragged to his death in this same field, he offered, ¡°They loved each other, Little Grace. They married each other.¡± ¡°They did!¡± she cried out in surprise. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s wonderful!¡± King Se¨¢n offered her his hand again and they sauntered to the base of the column where the old king, Alannah, and Fitzreginald sat on the bench to wait while Little Grace ran to get her brother Robbie. ¡°You need to find out her father¡¯s name and look into his case,¡± King Se¨¢n said to Alannah as he leaned toward her so he could speak privately. ¡°Little Grace says he¡¯s in prison. I can¡¯t imagine why no arrangements were made for them, but they can¡¯t continue living out in the open. I¡¯m ashamed that we would treat a soldier¡¯s children like that.¡± As Alannah started to respond, Little Grace came running over shouting, ¡°Robbie says, yes! Yes, of course, he would like to live at your house, Your Majessey. And he says thank you.¡± Robbie trailed behind his sister, trying to catch her before she was too forward with the king. Sensing Robbie¡¯s frustration, Se¨¢n smiled reassuringly at the boy and then scooched over to let Grace sit next to him. When she was settled, she swung her feet back and forth, smiled at him with wide, bright eyes, and asked, ¡°Would you tell us about the two princes?¡± Robbie Cavendish and the other children settled quietly on the grass in front of them. The two minotaur children hurried out of the carriage and Callie squeezed onto the bench next to Little Grace while Robbie gestured for Reggie 3 to sit by him. The Kings Guards positioned themselves into a ring a short distance away. All of them listened as Se¨¢n told them the story of Jon and Alec Holdingfree. The End ?2022 Vera S Scott