by Kat Brewer
Chapter Twenty
In the days following King Ston and his brother’s departure, Cassie and Nera carefully plotted their escape.
The women familiarized themselves with the running of the household under the guise of helping the housekeeper. They slowly began acquiring the things they would need on the way back to Erla. Dried food, fire-lighting material, and furs filled the knapsacks hidden deep underneath their beds.
Cassie found fur-lined leather pants and shirts as well as insulated parkas with hoods in Sern’s closet. The clothing would be a bit large, but it would serve, and they spent an evening shortening the pants. They planned their escape for a night seven days after the men left.
The women gave the house servants and slaves no reason to suspect them, so no one was vigilantly watching what they did. To the guards, they were nothing more than the King’s whores.
Nera and Cassie waited until the great house was dark and quiet as they pulled on the warm clothing and parkas, slinging the knapsacks on their backs. Earlier that evening, Cassie had taken two eating daggers from the kitchen while the cook was distracted.
The women crept quietly out of their rooms and down the hall. Their hearts nearly stopped when they heard muted voices. They slowly moved forward until they saw a guard with a slave on his lap, whispering in her ear as his hand moved rhythmically under her skirt. Her moans covered the sound of their feet as they moved behind the couple, out the door, and into the cold night air.
They kept to the shadows around the buildings, deciding not to risk taking horses as the noise would give them away. They ran the last few yards into the forest. The nearly full moon lit the path well as they ran quickly through the brush, moving as quietly as possible.
They ran through the night, stopping only briefly so that each could to catch her breath and swallow some water. They knew they needed to put as much distance between themselves and any potential pursuers as was possible.
Surprise was on their side and they needed to take advantage of the time they had before they were missed. Cassie kept them off of the worn path, knowing the snow would show their tracks. The women would be camouflaged much better in the bushes.
As the sun rose, she scanned the landscape for a safe place to sleep for a few hours. Her gaze lit on some boulders to her left, and they trudged over to them, exhausted. There was a niche behind the three boulders that held a cave-like opening, so the women dropped their heavy packs and laid out the furs. They ate some of the traveling food before exhaustion finally took its toll, and they huddled together, wrapped in furs, and fell asleep.
Hours later, Cassie woke up and shook Nera gently. It was time to get moving again.
The women hefted their packs and started out once more.
They covered a good amount of ground at a steady trot for most of the morning. Each of them was grateful for the conditioning that made their escape possible. When the sun reached its zenith, they stopped and ate, resting on a covered ledge. Their breath plumed out in the cold air as they took in the magnificent landscape.
“Nera, I think we have gotten lucky, we should be safe here for long enough to rest. I don’t think we can be seen here. Then we can travel throughout the night instead. Personally, I would rather be moving in the dark than sitting still being wolf bait.”
“That’s a good idea, Cassie. To be honest, I'm exhausted.” Nera smiled wanly.
The women made camp and lay together in the furs, sharing their body heat as they fell asleep.
Cassie woke with a start to her Queen shaking her awake urgently.
“We slept longer than we intended, Cassandra, the sun is going down.”
Cassie got up and stretched.
Without speaking, the women ate quickly, hoisted their packs, and started running again.
The forest darkened as the sun dropped and they kept a steady pace, running side by side. By the time they stopped for a drink, it was almost completely dark. They were sitting on a rock, sipping the water and each trying to catch her breath when Cassie’s eyes were drawn to a glow in the trees a short distance from them. Standing, she placed her hand on Nera’s shoulder, whispering for her to stay put while she investigated.
Nera tried to insist upon coming, but Cassie convinced her to stay as Erla needed its Queen safe.
Cassie crept silently through the trees towards what turned out to be a campfire. As she neared, she could hear men’s voices and the clank of cookware as they made their evening meal. She had eased a bit closer, wanting to hear what they said when a man walked within a foot of her.
Quietly she positioned herself behind a large tree.
Cassie held her breath as he stood mere inches away, relieving himself. She eased the dagger out of her parka and readied it. When the man refastened his pants, she made her move.
Coming up behind him, she reached up and around, holding the blade to his throat.
“If you move, I will cut your throat. Do you understand?” she growled. The man nodded slowly and swallowed.
“Who are you?” she asked. The man startled and turned his head slightly, only stopping when the blade nicked his throat.
“Mistress, is that you?” Aidan’s sweet, familiar voice shot through her.
Cassie was so shocked she dropped the knife, staring at him in the moonlight like he was a dream come true. Tears came to her eyes as she pulled him into a tight embrace.
“Oh, my God. Aidan, what are you doing out here? Who are those men?” She was nearly sobbing with relief and joy.
“Mistress, when you were taken we had to do something to help find you, so we set out on our own. Please do not be angry!” Cassie laughed a bit too loudly and before she knew it, she was surrounded by all of her men.
Each man hugged and kissed her, holding her as long as he could before the next man took her for himself.
“So, this is what you were doing while I was worrying and freezing? Making love to these beautiful men?” Nera’s voice broke their reunion as she joined them.
Nera found herself unable to wait, leaving their packs behind she followed in Cassie’s footsteps, dagger in hand.
Grateful for their change in fortune, Nera asked Cassie to send her men to retrieve the packs. Arn volunteered and he and Kai returned quickly with both of the heavy knapsacks.
Meanwhile, the women had been led to the campsite the men had just setup outside of a cave, complete with a very welcoming fire. They sat the Ladies down on soft furs and ladled out delicious, hot stew.
The men sat back and listened to the story the women related about their escape. Their happiness at having finally found their Mistress was all over their faces. After the telling, Cassie demanded the story of how they came to be there. She was still shocked to find her men so far from home.
“How did you get here?” Cassie queried.
Mika looked at her and replied for them. “We could not be still and wait, my Lady. We had to try to find you for none of us were willing to live our lives without you. So, we took some of your gold, bought supplies, and rode north. We stayed at an inn, and that was where we learned about the Ambrian caravan that had passed through recently. It was the only good lead we had, so we decided to travel to Ambria to see if we could discover you there. My Lady, I beg you not to be angry with us for our impertinence in coming. If you must issue a punishment, then let me take it for my brothers,” he solemnly spoke, bowing his head before her.
Cassie and Nera sat open-mouthed, looking at him, at all of them. It was then that their appearances sank in, and she saw the bruises marring their lovely faces.
“What happened to you all?” Cassie exclaimed, worry tingeing her voice.
“We were in a fight,” Arn replied with a shamefaced grin.
“A fight? A fight? Where?” Cassie was thunderstruck. “Who did this to you? I will kill them.”
“It was at the Inn, Mistress. Some men were hurting a girl, and when we asked them to stop, they attacked us,” Aidan chimed in.
“You mean to tell me you were involved in a bar fight?” Laughter burbled out of her mouth, and she was joined by Nera.
The women dissolved into gales of laughter as the stress and fear of the past few weeks overwhelmed them. The men watched as the women laughed hysterically. When they got control of themselves they sat up and wiped their eyes.
“We won the fight, Mistress,” Kai said proudly, smiling at her. Cassie and Nera started giggling again at his words.
“I am so sorry I was not there to protect you, but it is good to know you can take care of yourselves,” Cassie gurgled. “My own little warriors.” She said, looking at them fondly.
“Mistress, we are so happy to have you back. We never want to be without you again. The world outside Erla is not one we wish to live in,” Mika said.
“I can’t wait to go home either, my love. Believe me.” Cassie replied.
The women yawned, and the men rose to set out the sleeping furs. They made one bed for all of them and put the Ladies in the middle covering them with the furs.
They packed things up and put out the fire, joining the women in the cave. Nera pulled Arn between her and Cassie and the others spread themselves between the two women. Cassie sighed and wiggled as close to Mika as possible, letting his arms comfort her as Aidan wrapped around her from behind. Their combined warmth sent Cassie straight into a deep sleep.
Dawn was breaking when Cassie next awoke. She was delightfully warm and relaxed, and she woke up refreshed for the first time in weeks. When she opened her eyes to see Aidan smiling at her, she sighed happily and held him close.
She felt Mika shift behind her, her movements having woken him up. Soon, Taylyn and Arn were sitting up on the other side of Garen and smiling happily at their Mistress.
Cassie threw back the furs and stood, shivering slightly in the morning chill as her men groaned at the cold.
The men had started a fire and prepared food and a comfortingly hot tea. They insisted Cassie and Nera sit while they finished making breakfast and prepared the things for travel.
“How far are we from the village you stopped at, Mika?” Cassie asked as they ate.
“Less than a day’s travel, Mistress,” he replied.
“You said Lady Kara had taken a force out to search for us. Do you know in what direction she went?” Cassie then asked.
“Mistress, Lady Kara did not share her plans with me. I am sorry.” His dark head lowered and then lifted. “The Kings of Serlenn and Destia joined forces with the Lady Kara, so it would be difficult to say how they proceeded.”
“Cassandra, if my guess is correct, Nyles would search north. I believe this is his land we are in now. Kara most likely would go to the East or West. I cannot say what direction Darien would take,” Nera said.
“Well, I say we head directly to Erla. Once there, we can send riders out to let them know we are safe at home,” Cassie replied, and the entire group smiled at the word “home.”
“I agree, and it will be very good to be home again,” Nera said.
The men tidied up after breakfast and packed the bags onto the horses.
When Cassie went to mount, Mika put his hand on her sleeve, stopping her. She looked at him curiously, and he handed her the sword he had been carrying. She took it and kissed him softly on the lips.
“I never wish to wield a weapon again, My Lady, unless it is in your defense,” he said.
Cassie caressed his face and replied, “I hope I shall always be near enough to protect you, Mika.” She kissed him again and swung into the saddle, holding down her hand to help him mount. “I imagine you have learned to ride quite well by now. Haven’t you, my sweetheart?”
She turned and grinned at him. He grimaced slightly and said, “I hope all this time astride will not affect your pleasure, My Lady.” Mika slid his arm around her waist and molded his body to her back.
Cassie looked over and saw Arn give his sword to Nera and then mount behind her. At a signal from their Queen, they set off at a gallop.
They flew through the forest, the horses' hooves kicking up snow. The farther they went, the warmer the temperature became, and after several hours, Cassie called a halt and jumped off of her horse to remove her parka. The rest followed suit. The snow was sparse now, and they could see the smoke rising from the village in the distance.
“We are close now, Mistress, Your Highness. We should be there before long,” Taylyn said as he brought a skin of water to them.
They walked about the clearing, stretching their tight muscles before they mounted again and headed towards the village. When they came within a mile of the place, they abruptly reined in their horses as they saw what approached.
Ahead to the east, the vanguard of a great army thundered towards them.
Nera and Cassie drew their swords, a sinking feeling formed in their bellies at the enormity of the force that approached. They looked at each other and nodded. The men drew their weapons awkwardly, more than willing to fight with their Mistress.
Cassie handed Mika her dagger and braced herself for whatever was to come. She could only imagine it was Ston’s battalions returning to Ambria. Nevertheless, they fanned their horses out and into a line, and then they held themselves ready for what seemed would be certain death.
A rider broke free from the front line and galloped towards them full tilt. It was then that they saw the banners of Erla streaming from the formation, and Cassie let out a shout.
“Kara!” Cassie yelled as she spurred her horse into a gallop. Mika grabbed her waist frantically, trying to avoid falling off. Cassie rode headlong towards her friend, laughing, crying, and shouting her name.
Nera appeared next to her as they covered the ground separating them. When they pulled their horses to a stop, Cassie flew from the saddle and the two women caught each other up in a fierce embrace. Seconds later, they were joined by Nera and laughter erupted from their lips in their joy at each other’s safety.
“Praise be to the gods that you are safe!” Kara breathed before quickly sobering. “Your Highness, I have grave news. I have failed in my duty to keep Erla safe. When I took Erla’s Army to find you, I left Erla unprotected, and it has fallen to the Ambrian King.” Kara’s words came out in a rush as she bowed her head in shame as she fell to her knees before her Queen.
“What? Erla has been taken? Cassandra, what shall we do?” Nera asked, pale with shock. “Kara, rise.” She added in distraction.
“I will tell you what I will do. I am heading for Erla, and I will relieve that bastard of his head!” Cassie ground out.
Just then, the main force of the Army reached them, and Nyles, Darien, and Nall leapt from their mounts. They ran forward and embraced the women, relief plain on their features.
“I presume Lady Kara explained what has happened, and I must offer my apologies, Queen Nera. I should have been a better advisor to her. Through my error, I have failed our alliance.” King Nyles said with a bow.
“As have I, My Lady.” Darien put in.
“I will be very glad the kick all of you in the ass later, but for now, we must liberate Erla,” Cassie said. “This talk will accomplish nothing when I have men to kill.” She turned and stalked towards her horse, but Darien’s words stopped her.
“Lady Cassandra, I am thrilled to see you have not lost your edge . . .” Darien’s hot eyes skimmed her body with a smile, “or any of your other wonderful attributes.” Cassie glared at him.
“King Darien, I don’t have time for your idiocy. I only hope you come prepared to fight,” she snarled at him.
To her surprise, he laughed.
“Is there room in a wagon for my slaves? I would have them out of danger,” Cassie asked, looking at Kara.
Kara’s brow twisted. She had not noticed Cassandra’s slaves until that moment.
“How did your slaves come to be with you?” she asked in confusion.
“They decided to save us,” Cassie replied with a grin, and the group turned to look at her slaves in a
mazement.
Kara shook her head and called for a warrior to go to the provision wagons and find room for the Commander's slaves. Cassie turned and told her men to go with the warrior.
She wanted them out of the way during the battle to come.
It was decided that they would make camp close, but not too close. They didn’t want to alert Ston to their advancing forces.
Kara sent guards out to patrol the perimeters of the camp, and they established a Command Tent to sit down to make battle plans.
It was all Nera could do to keep Cassie and Kara in their seats, they were so eager to ride immediately to take back the city. Kara wanted badly to make up for her mistake and redeem herself, even though she felt certain she would lose her position over her failure.
“Kara,” Nera said finally, “make no mistake. I not happy with what has happened . . .” Kara lowered her head as the Queen continued, “But, you could not have foreseen this, and the size of the army that overtook Erla was not something that you could have defended against even if you had left several units behind. It would have required our entire force to save the city.”
Kara nodded and looked up, relieved to see that there was no condemnation in Nera’s eyes. She was reluctant to look at Cassie.
She couldn’t bear to see disappointment or anger in her Commander’s eyes, in her friend’s eyes.
When she finally mustered her courage, Cassie’s eyes held no reproof nor any anger, only understanding, and compassion. It cost Kara all of her remaining control not to break down in relief.
They talked for hours over battle plans and strategies, and the men gained even more respect for these women as they spoke. They were smart, cunning, and when talk turned to planning the attack, the men were decidedly glad that these women were on their side.
Cassie finally rose and said that she would take a contingent to scout close to Erla and test the waters.
Kara volunteered immediately to go along, and Cassie very nearly told her to stay behind and rest. Something in her friend’s face stopped her from doing so, however. She sensed that Kara needed some one-on-one time, and she didn’t want her to think she was being punished.
