Mark if Destiny

by K. T. Webb

  As Rowan joined her in the bed and tentatively wrapped an arm around her, Honor had made up her mind. She would fulfill her destiny. She would be the one to find the future Queen, bring an end to the Makt, dethrone King Junius, and help restore the three kingdoms of Alderwood. She drifted off to sleep with a new resolve. It settled in her chest and began to beat in time with her heart. Honor would be the leader she had to be; one her friends would be proud to follow.

  It seemed as though her eyes had only been closed for a moment when a knock at the door woke her. No light shone through the crack left between the curtains. There was no telling what time it was without lighting a lamp to see the wind-up clock on the dresser. Another knock echoed through the room. Honor carefully shifted her weight until she was out from under the arm still draped over her. The cold floor was a jolt to her senses as she padded across the room to open the door. Soren stood in the hallway with a tray overfull with still-steaming food.

  “Good morning! I hope you slept well.”

  “Morning, Soren. It does not feel like I slept at all, but it is time to get up and get going. We have to head to Goldenlark this morning.”

  An exaggerated yawn sounded from the bed. Rowan shifted until he could swing his feet onto the floor. “Good morning. Something smells wonderful.”

  Honor stepped aside to allow Soren into the room. “I was not sure what you liked, so I made a little of everything. I assumed you would have to make an early start.”

  “Thank you so much. Everything looks delicious. Are you going to join us?” Honor asked.

  “No, I must get downstairs and start making breakfast for the crowd I usually see every day.” Soren smiled as he set the tray on the bedside table.

  Soren left the room without another word, closing the door behind him. Honor eyed the food, but desperately needed to use the toilet. The room had a small closet that contained the stool, Honor had not used an indoor toilet much since her younger years. At the encampment, there had been a few tents over deep holes on the ground. Their family had built stools that could be removed and cleaned when necessary. It certainly was not anything elaborate, but it worked for them. Honor went into the tiny room, closing the door behind her. The inn was silent around her so she knew the sound of her urinating would reverberate off the walls around her and ultimately echo into the bedroom beyond. Honor did not have time to be embarrassed about such things, and she knew Rowan was unlikely to care. At home, there was always the sound of the creek or their family wandering around making noise. No one worried about whether someone was listening to them relieve themselves. She shook her head and forced herself to relax enough to let it out. When she was done, she felt silly for hesitating. She came out of the toilet closet and washed her hands in the small basin near the tub. Rowan was paying her no mind. He was too busy eating to notice any of her self-imposed discomfort.

  Rowan had already put food on a plate for her. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast, and hash browns waited for her to dig in. Steaming mugs of black coffee called to her from one edge of the tray. Rowan preferred to drink water or milk most mornings unless they had gotten juice on trade from one of the southern counties. He had no problem letting Honor greedily gulp the coffee between bites.

  They did not speak as they ate. With a long day ahead of them and no guarantee they would arrive in Goldenlark until the next afternoon, they both wanted to savor the meal. When she could not fit anything else in her full belly, Honor hopped off the bed. She pulled down the clothes Rowan had washed for her the night before, folded them and put them in their packs. Once they were both ready to go, Honor led the way downstairs to bid farewell to Soren. They found him in the kitchen busily preparing breakfast options.

  “I see you finished. I did make you some things for the trip. Your mother always loved my sweet corn bread, so I baked some small loaves and have them in this basket along with some fresh fruit we got in yesterday. There is also a bit of honey butter tucked inside a small container. I do not have much in the way of meat that would last without being kept cold, but I made a few sandwiches with leftover chicken and a few chunks of cheese.” Soren smiled apologetically. “I wish there was more I could do.”

  “You have already done so much for us. Thank you for your hospitality and all the information you shared with us. I think I have a better understanding now of what I am supposed to be doing.” Honor paused, unsure if she should say anything further. “And . . . thank you for taking care of and loving my mother. I cannot express how much it means to me that after everything she went through, she found someone like you who loved her.”

  Soren set down the picnic basket. Honor knew another hug was coming but this time she was much more comfortable. She returned his squeeze with a warmth she had never felt for someone she had only just met. In her heart, she knew this would not be the last time she saw Soren. As they bid him a final farewell, they left the inn and followed the signs to take them down the right path toward Goldenlark.

  The village was much quieter in the morning. The only people who were up and milling about were those who had business to attend to. The green at the center of Meadowbrook held none of the gaiety from the night before—no trace of the musicians or dancers, and no crowd to watch them. It would have been eerie if it had not been so peaceful.

  “I was thinking, perhaps when our travels are through, we could return to Meadowbrook. We did not spend much time here, but it seems like a good place to settle down. We could get word to my father and have everyone come here. I feel as though we would be accepted with open arms in a community like this.”

  Honor loved the dreamy tone in his voice as he entertained thoughts of the future. She did not know if she would ever be able to settle down anywhere. She did not know if she would even survive the journey she found herself on. Instead of bringing his hopes down, she decided it would not hurt to humor him. “I would like that. It would be nice to get to know Soren better. Maybe learn a little more about my mother.”

  She reached over and took Rowan’s hand. They walked down the road to the edge of town, enjoying the comfortable quiet hanging in the air. By the time the gates at the end of the road leading toward Goldenlark were in sight, the sun had begun to rise. Honor knew the tree line in the distance provided coverage for Harcos and Eirny as they waited for their human travel companions. The previous day, it had been the canthion sharing stories about things Honor needed to know. Now, Honor knew it would be their turn to tell the creatures about the resistance and all they had learned from Soren. Undoubtedly, much of the information they had to share about the resistance was not going to be anything new for the other two. Their kingdom had probably been preparing to put an end to the King for centuries, if they did not already belong to the resistance, they would not have trouble recruiting their respective people to join.

  “I do hope Soren is able to send someone to Milltown,” Rowan said as though his thoughts had been made public without his permission.

  “As do I. Those people did not deserve to die, but they definitely deserve to be respected in death.”

  They drew closer to the forest. Honor vibrated with excitement as she felt the presence of Harcos. He knew something had happened during their time in Meadowbrook. The canthion was practically shouting in her mind. He wanted to know why she had not slept much, why she was troubled by her relationship with Rowan, and what had caused her emotions to fluctuate in such an erratic manner. Without saying a word, Honor told the canthion to calm down. There was nothing he could do to help her until she was able to tell him everything. Though, Honor did not know how much of the events related to her mark she wanted to reveal. Some things needed to be kept private, even if she had a deep connection with the canthion. Her heart ached at the memory of the night before. What was she supposed to say to Rowan when they spoke about her mark again? No matter how she felt, Honor knew she had to push her hurt aside and focus on finding the princess.

  As Harcos trotted out of the trees and Eirny slithered up
to her perch on Rowan’s shoulder, Honor began to share what happened when they found Soren. The creatures listened carefully. Surprisingly, they both seemed unaware that there were humans working against the King in an organized fashion. Harcos was intrigued by the possibilities this opened to the Gildi.

  “This makes the fight much easier for us. We have an army ready to fight, but I had no idea the Resistance fighters were waiting for us,” Harcos offered.

  “About that fighting part. How do you see this happening? Right now, we are only trying to find the heir to the throne. How are we supposed to get from there to waging war on the Makt?” Honor questioned.

  Harcos was silent for a moment. “I think everything will fall into place when it is supposed to. Fate is funny that way,” he finally replied.

  The journey to Goldenlark started out as uneventfully as they could have hoped. They walked from sunrise to near sunset, only breaking for lunch. Honor enjoyed the companionable silence and occasional conversations that came about naturally. She was not sure how much further they had to travel, but it seemed like they had walked a fair distance by the time the sun began to set.

  Not much changed about the landscape as they went. The trees looked just as they did near Milltown, the cold was still creeping in as winter grew closer with each passing day. Before it was too dark to see, Harcos led them off the road and into the trees. He did not need to explain why it was important for them to remain unseen. Should the Makt happen by, it was unlikely they would all escape unscathed. When they finally found a space Harcos deemed acceptable, Rowan set to work building the fire while Honor went off to hunt. Eirny kept Rowan company in the makeshift shelter they discovered that had likely been used by a bear at some point. They were far from the caves those creatures preferred, but when the need to hibernate arrived, it probably did not matter if the bear slept in a cave or a burrow made from fallen trees. It did not take much to clear a space for a fire. Harcos began a perimeter check. Ensuring they were safe was a top priority for the canthion. Honor knew every task was as important as the next, but the only thing she wanted to do was find some solitude in the forest.

  Armed with her bow and arrows, Honor carefully made her way through the unfamiliar terrain. Everything may have looked the same at first glance, but Honor knew she was a stranger in this part of Ternion Forest. She was prepared to encounter new animals and different types of plant life. Being farther east and a little farther north than when she hunted before Meadowbrook, Honor had no idea what she may encounter.

  A snapping of branches alerted her to something moving nearby. Her mind did not detect the presence of Harcos, so it had to be another larger animal she had not yet seen. Crouching low, she waited to determine which direction the sound had come from. With measured breaths Honor remained poised and ready to strike at the slightest movement. For what seemed like an eternity nothing happened, but Honor had learned to be patient. She was the hunter, whatever was out there was the prey. If she gave up too soon, those roles would switch in an instant. Slow, measured breaths kept her calm and focused as an oversized animal lumbered into sight. It resembled a bear but had much longer fur. The shaggy black mop was matted from the filth of living in the forest and not having good hygiene practices. The smell was almost unbearable.

  Honor watched the creature move. It was certainly not built for agility. The sheer size of it was enough to tell her it had power behind its bulk. Muscles and weight that could crush lesser animals in an instant were hidden beneath the hairy exterior. Honor stayed where she was. This was not the prey for her, but she had no interest in garnering the attention of such a large creature. After sniffing the air a few times, the animal began to wander off in the opposite direction of the shelter she would be sleeping in. Once it was out of sight, Honor breathed a sigh of relief. Her arrows could have taken the beast, but there was no guarantee they would have done the job quick enough for her to survive the backlash. She would have to ask Harcos and Eirny if they knew what the creature was. It may have been a bear. There were undoubtedly species left undiscovered in the deepest recesses of Ternion Forest.

  She rose to her feet and continued the hunt. As she explored, she wondered once more at the beauty of the world around her. No matter where she went, she saw the magic of Alderwood.

  Without warning, whispers began to swirl around her head. The words coming from the trees were not only audible, they sank into her soul though she could not understand them, but it did not stop her from identifying their origin. Honor walked to the tree nearest her and faced it with a confidence she knew she had to possess if she would be the leader Rowan told her to be.

  “What do you want me to know?”

  A light breeze began to encircle her body until it felt as though she would be lifted from the ground by the slightest increase in speed. She closed her eyes, allowing her senses to focus on what she could hear and feel rather than what she saw. Jumbled whispers slowly transformed into soft words.

  “We see into your heart. We know you possess a strength unrivaled by a hundred human soldiers. We are here to offer our alliance.”

  “I am not so strong. I am simply one who stands for what is right, no matter the cost. If you wish to ally yourself with me, please tell me who you are,” Honor requested.

  “We are the oldest of the old. Our magic will bring you power beyond your wildest dreams. You will not need to find the heir, you will rule Alderwood.”

  Honor thought about her mark, the crown on the skull. She thought of her visions. The crown was not meant for her, it was meant for the girl she saw. Honor furrowed her brow and shook her head.

  “I do not know who you are, but I am not the one who will rule Alderwood. I am only chosen to lead those who will ensure the heir finds her way home.”

  “Who we are does not matter. What matters is we know who you are. Do you ever wonder where you come from? Do you want to know your father? He is a powerful man; he is on our side. We are offering you a chance to rise up beside him. If you accept our help, we will destroy all who stand in your way.”

  Something felt wrong about the discordant voice that spoke to her. These figures were trying to taunt her with things she once wanted. They must not know what she now did about the man who was partially responsible for bringing her into the world. She no longer wondered who he was. She no longer wished to have met him. These hooded beings were offering her power, not an alliance. The eerie voice was offering to destroy anyone who would keep her from seizing the throne for herself. Honor had no claim to the throne, and even if she did, she would not want to rule. It was in her nature to lead, but not to rule. She opened her eyes. Honor was no longer standing in the woods. She was in a dark, cold place. The gentle breeze she felt was coming from the hands of three shrouded figures. Instantly, Honor understood she was being tempted by magic. This magic was part of Alderwood, but it was the part of Alderwood that had led to the corruption of their monarchy. She had no way of knowing who was beneath the shrouds, or if they were even corporeal. Denying their request was all that mattered to her. If she did not stand for what was right, she was not the person Rowan, Eirny, and Harcos believed her to be.

  “I will not accept. You will not twist my intentions to match your own. I will overcome any challenge thrown at me. I will defeat the Makt. I will destroy the king, and I will restore the three kingdoms.” Her voice grew stronger with each statement she made.

  A light brighter than any she had ever seen burst through the swirling wind, knocking the figures backward. They were gone in an instant and Honor stood amongst the trees once more. Despite the predicament she had just escaped, Honor felt stronger than she had in her life. She knew in her soul she had spoken the truth. She would do anything to accomplish what she said she would do. Anything, that is, except sacrifice herself—or the goodness within her—to the dark magic than had corrupted those in power. Honor took a deep breath before turning to find herself face to face with Harcos.

  “I am endlessly intrigued b
y you, Honor.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And why is that?”

  “Do you know where you were?”

  She shook her head. “Somewhere dark and cold. I could feel the magic, but it felt nothing like I had imagined the magic of Alderwood.”

  “You were standing here. You were unresponsive. I felt your soul leaving you, so I rushed to your aid. I thought you must have been injured or were dying. You were called by the Shadow Mages.”

  Honor felt the color drain from her face. All she knew about the supposed beings was what she had learned from Harcos. The Shadow Mages were supposed to corrupt those who can help them gain and maintain power over Alderwood. Honor thought she was hearing the spirits of the trees. She thought they were awakening after years of lying dormant, happy to stay in their own world rather than interact with the humans who had destroyed so much.

  The King was still on the throne. The next person to take it would logically be the one the Shadow Mages would want to sway. Honor was nothing more than the tool being used to fix what was broken. How could she be powerful enough to draw the attention of such darkness?

  “What do they want with me? It was strange. There were three of them, but the voices were in perfect time with one another.”

  “There are technically three, but they act and think as one.”

  “Great. So, that still does not tell me what I just faced. Why is it that all these things are now starting to show themselves?”

  Harcos looked from side to side before whispering his response. “Humans have learned to see what they want to see. Your people have lost the magic that once connected them to Alderwood. For whatever reason, you have been given the ability to see through the veil that separates the illusion built by the will of King Junius.”