Arya bit her lower lip. “You’re absolutely right, Ryder,” she said at last. “Tesni is clever. She would have weighed out the options, thought about which one would give her the best chance of escape, and taken it.”
“Aye, but Agrona would have taken care to reduce her chances of escape in case that was what Tesni was thinking,” Ryder added.
Arya eyed the ruins carefully. She could now see that they were not, in fact, ruins, but an intact castle. “So she would have put Tesni up in that tower, probably at the top, with guards,” she said at last.
“Right, and Knives is probably down in the dungeons. We know what to expect out of dungeon guards, so let’s go down and rescue him, first. Then we can go up and get Tesni with all three of us able to fight.”
“If he’s able to fight,” Arya muttered as they snuck into the castle, leaving their horses outside. Carefully, they stayed in the shadows, their eyes and ears open. They moved down the stairs and into the dungeon, silently slitting the throats of the guards they found.
“Alastar? You in here?” Arya called out.
“That you, Arrows?” Knives responded.
Arya moved over to the cell that the sound was coming from. She knelt down, pulling out her lock picks. “Oh, Alastar…” she whispered, seeing the condition he was in.
“Don’t go worryin’ ‘bout me, Arrows. I’m alright. It’s Wits I’m worried ‘bout. She begged Agrona for a night to think about it, earned ‘erself a night in the life Agrona was promisin’ ‘er in th’ process. I think she was gettin’ as much time as she could for th’ two of ye to get ‘ere ‘fore she ‘ad to give the old witch an answer.”
Arya smiled. “She certainly did earn her nickname, didn’t she, Alastar?”
“Aye, she did,” Knives said.
“Come on, then,” Arya said, finally popping the lock. “I’ve got Ryder with me. Let’s go rescue Tesni.”
Knives walked out of the cell, stretching as he did so. “I think the inn in town is better. This place has got cramped quarters, a bad tempered hostess, and naught but cold gruel to serve th’ guests.”
Arya barely contained a laugh at the bad joke. “Ryder and I think Tesni is being kept at the top of the tower,” she said.
“Aye, wouldn’t surprise me none,” Knives agreed. “Y’know, I always wondered what ‘ad become of ye, Arrows. Then when Tesni came home and told me she’d run into yeh, and then ye came and found me, I thought I was dreamin’.”
Arya frowned. “Alastar, don’t start this. It’s not like you and the lads ever came for me the day Ryder caught me trying to pick-pocket him.”
“Aye, lass, we came for ye, but we didn’t know yeh were with the Rangers. We thought ye ‘ad been taken to th’ prison, and then we saw ye weren’t in a cell with sunlight. We thought ye were dead for sure. I’d ‘ave always come for ye, Arrows.”
“Alastar… Now’s not the time to reminisce. We’ve got to rescue Tesni.” With that, Arya turned and walked off, stopping only long enough to make sure Knives was following her.
Together the three of them left the dungeon, using Ranger signals that Arya had taught Knives.
Up the stairs they raced, and when they were nearly to the top, that was when they saw the guards. There were ten of them. “Not much worse odds than the first bunch,” Ryder quipped.
“Aye, but now there’s three of us,” Arya said, “and ten of them. We each got three earlier. Now we each get three and a third.”
“Still not fair for ‘em, eh, lass?” Knives asked.
“Not quite,” Arya agreed.
Tesni woke, as was her new custom, with the sun. After a trip to the garderobe, she dashed over to the window that she knew would face the camp. Home, she told herself. The Rangers’ camp was home.
She bit her lower lip, wondering when Agrona was going to come for her answer. There was a note on the bedside table that told her everything that she wanted to know.
Tesni-
I expect you’ll be happy to sleep late, for once. When you are awake and dressed, ring the bell and breakfast will be brought to you by a servant, giving you an even better idea of the luxury you can expect by working with me instead of against me.
When you have finished your breakfast, you may find me in the library. Ask any guard to bring you. I will be there until noon, and I shall give you lessons until then if you have chosen wisely, and we shall resume after lunch.
-Agrona
The woman was clearly desperate to get back onto her good side, Tesni realized. She went over to the wardrobe and looked inside at all of the dresses. She chose the plainest one she could, a silk dress the color of the sky with fitted, pointed sleeves and intricate embroidery around the collar.
She pulled the bell, and ten minutes later, a maid showed up with a tray loaded with fresh fruit, sticky buns, and fresh milk. While Tesni ate, the maid brushed and braided her hair, tying it with a ribbon to match the dress, and dug out a matching pair of shoes.
“You don’t have to do all of this,” Tesni said. “I could have braided my own hair, and found the shoes myself.”
“Oh but I do,” the maid said. “The mistress said I’m to make sure you have everything you could want. Is your breakfast adequate, miss?”
“It’s more than I normally eat,” Tesni admitted. “Would you like some? There’s more than enough here to share.”
“Oh, no, miss, I don’t dare. I could get in big trouble for acting above my station and sitting to eat with you.”
Tesni just smiled. “Well, you and I are still the same station for now. I haven’t given Agrona my answer, yet, and I won’t until after breakfast. She won’t expect me for at least another hour. The note she left said she expected me to sleep late. So we can sit and talk. My name is Tesni, by the way.”
“My name is Fiona, Miss Tesni.”
“No, Fiona, you don’t have to call me miss. Just call me Tesni, please. And please, sit and eat with me.”
“Alright, Miss…Tesni,” Fiona said, correcting herself.
The two sat and ate, talking about anything and everything. Tesni learned a great deal about Fiona. She was sixteen, and until four years ago, she had worked in the main palace for the king and queen, along with her mother, who had been killed in the same brutal attack as their rulers. “Agrona took me in, and I’ve been serving her ever since, but I never really liked her. She’s not very nice to us servants, not like the king and queen were, and if we do something wrong, she beats us.”
Tesni frowned. “Well, I won’t beat you, Fiona, ever, even if I do end up telling Agrona yes.”
They heard a commotion coming from down the stairs, then, and Tesni went over, poking her head out of the door. “Oh, don’t go out there, Tesni,” Fiona said. “It sounds like something awful is happening.”
“Come on, Fiona, we won’t know for sure unless we go downstairs. Don’t be scared.” Tesni didn’t say it. She didn’t even want to think it, but in her heart, something told her that Arya and Ryder had finally come for her, and that’s what the fighting was about.
“Yes, but do you really want to know?” Fiona asked.
“I think I already do,” Tesni whispered. A few moments later, the fighting stopped, and Tesni grasped Fiona’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go see what happened.”
“Oh, alright, I suppose, but then, if there’s nobody there, I’m to escort you to the library,” Fiona said. “Oh, if we get kidnapped for this…”
“We won’t get kidnapped,” Tesni said. “We may be about to be rescued.”
The two girls were halfway down to the next level when they ran into Arya, Ryder, and Knives. Tesni threw her arms around Arya. “You guys came for me!” she squealed.
“You know them, Tesni?” Fiona asked.
“Oh yes,” Tesni said. “Arya and Ryder are Rangers, and Knives is head of the Thieves Guild. He practically raised me until I met Arya and she took me back to camp with her, and Ryder and Arya are the ones who gave me my
first horseback riding lesson yesterday morning.”
“We will always come for you, Tesni,” Arya said. “Now come, let’s move, quickly. We don’t know where Agrona is so that we can avoid her.”
“We know where she is,” Fiona said. “My mistress is in the library, where she is waiting for Tesni. She thinks Tesni is going to accept her offer.”
“But she’s wrong,” Tesni said.
“I knew it,” Knives crowed. “Haven’t I always said ye was a clever one, Wits? Ye bought yerself some time, and now yer bein’ rescued.”
“You, too, Knives,” Tesni said. “Can we rescue Fiona, too? She doesn’t really want to work here.”
Fiona looked up at Arya. A fire that could only be described as hope was alight in her eyes. “Aye, she can come,” Arya said. She turned to Fiona. “Can you ride, girl?”
“No, I never learned how,” Fiona admitted.
“No matter,” Ryder said. “Tesni, was that your horse I saw just outside the entry to the castle?”
“Aye, Ryder, it was. I can ride her with Knives, and Fiona can ride with you or Arya,” Tesni said, dashing back up the stairs.
“Where are you going?” Arya asked.
“To get my things!” Tesni responded, giggling.
The five of them moved quickly down the stairs, their steps silent as they barely let their feet touch the ground. They reached the outside, mounted their horses, and rode off. “Take that, you bloody witch!” Knives called out as they left.
Arya laughed. “Language, Alastar. There are ladies and children present.”
“I see th’ children, Arrows, but where’s th’ lady?”
Arya snorted. The others laughed, even Fiona, who was scared out of her mind at this new adventure she was setting out on.
“That would be Tesni and Fiona,” Arya shot back. “You and Ryder are the children!”
Knives and Ryder just laughed again. “And what about you, Arya?” Ryder asked. “What does that make you?”
“Me?” Arya asked. “I’m bow mistress for the Rangers of Linwood!” She squeezed her knees into her mount’s side, then, and took off before the others could respond, high on adrenaline and the joy that came with rescuing her charge.
Chapter 6
They rode into the camp late in the afternoon. Tesni immediately took the horses into the stable to take care of them. Now Arya turned her attention to a different problem. What was to be done about Fiona? She had learned a lot about the teenager when the small group had stopped for lunch. Now, though, Fiona wanted to know what was to become of her now that she no longer served Agrona.
“Alright, Fiona, let’s talk about your options, which with your age, gender, and background combined aren’t all that many,” Arya said, being as frank and honest as she could.
“I know,” Fiona said.
“What are your current skills?” Arya asked.
“I can clean, cook, and sew,” Fiona offered. “I can even embroider some. I did the embroidery on the dress that Tesni was wearing before she went to change into her uniform.”
“Alright, those are definitely helpful,” Arya admitted. “You could probably get a job as a maid for some of the wealthier families in town, although I’m not sure how helpful telling them about your experience in that kind of work would be. After all, she was never well-liked in town.”
“I know,” Fiona said, “but I’m not afraid. I’m willing to try anything.”
Arya nodded. “Very well. Another option would be as a serving maid in a tavern or inn. It doesn’t pay well, and because you’re young and pretty, you might be asked to…take on extra duties, as it were. I hate to say it, but there is also a brothel in town, and some of the more lecherous men in the area like to see new flesh.”
“I don’t think I’d like that option at all,” Fiona said.
“I didn’t think you would,” Arya replied, “but you have to be aware of everything. The last option might sound the most intriguing to you, but like I told Tesni, you should think it over carefully before you sign up.”
“Why?” Fiona asked. “What does it entail?”
“Early mornings and late nights. You’re likely to find yourself giving up a lot of sleep to do things at night, and it’s a difficult job physically. There are very few material rewards, if any, especially when you’re starting out, but you will always have enough to eat, a warm bed to sleep in, and camaraderie.”
“What position is it?” Fiona asked.
“Ranger of Linwood,” Arya said. “At sixteen, you’re more than old enough to begin training if you want to. We start training as young as twelve, so Tesni still has a few years. Still, she has a better life here than the one she was living before.”
“I heard that!” Knives interjected.
Arya smirked at him. “I thought you’d gone home, Alastar. What’s got you still hanging around?”
“Wantin’ to talk to ye, Arrows, when ye have a few minutes alone.”
“Alright, Alastar, we’ll talk as soon as I’m done with Fiona,” Arya promised. Alastar nodded and walked off.
“Why does he call you Arrows?” Fiona asked. “Is it because you’re the bow mistress?”
“Something like that,” Arya replied.
“Well, I think I’d like to try out with the Rangers,” Fiona said. “You’re right, it does sound intriguing. Besides, if I join the Rangers, I won’t have to answer any awkward questions about my past job experience, and I won’t have to worry about men not keeping their hands to themselves. It really does sound like the wisest decision.”
Arya nodded. “Alright. Go talk to Ryder. He’ll find you a tent and a mentor. Your mentor will be entirely responsible for your training, and a mentor only ever takes on one protégé at a time because of how strong the relationship has to be. He’ll also help you figure out what to specialize in, which will figure into your mentor selection a great deal.”
“Thanks, Arya!” Fiona scurried off, then, and Arya went to go talk to Knives.
“Alright, Alastar, what is it?” she asked.
“Not here, with everyone around,” Knives insisted. “Is there a private glade or somewhere we can go to speak without being overheard?”
Arya frowned. She knew that Knives trusted the Rangers implicitly. If he wanted to talk without being overheard by the Rangers, it was something serious, and she wondered if he knew something about one of the other Rangers that she didn’t. As Ryder’s second-in-command, it was her job to find out about disciplinary issues and correct them, fast. “Yes, there is a small grove of apple trees nearby. We can go there to talk.”
She led Knives out of the camp and into a small glade where she normally came when she needed to spend time in thought. It had the added advantage, of course, of being in the middle of apple trees and surrounded by blackberry bushes. The blackberries were ripe, and Arya made a mental note to come back later to gather some to make jams with that would give the Rangers something sweet throughout the winter. Why Rangers had such a sweet tooth was beyond her. The apples would be ripe, soon, as well.
“Alright, Alastar, what is it?” Arya asked, starting to get impatient.
Alastar ran his fingers through his hair. “I wanted ye to know that I never stopped carin’ for ye, Arrows.” He pulled her into his arms. “I never stopped lovin’ ye. Do ye remember the nights we spent in each other’s arms?”
“I do, Alastar, and I was so content back then…” For the second time in as many days, Arya found her mouth running dry. When they were young, she had thought he was courting her childhood playmate when he had suddenly turned to her. She had lost her friend, but had gained a lover. Now here he was, reminding her of that time. Where was he going with this?
“Ye don’t know how depressed I was, when I thought ye were dead, and then when I heard ye ‘ad joined up with the Rangers and ye weren’t comin’ back. Now I’ve got another chance, though, and I’m goin’ to take it.” He dropped down to one knee and pulled something out of his pocket. It was
a gold band with a rough-cut amethyst, bordered on either side by a small pearl. “Now ‘ere’s th’ question I’ve been waitin’ more than a hundred years to ask ye. Will ye wed me, Arrows?”
“Alastar…” Arya swallowed hard. “Alastar, that is an absolutely beautiful ring, and if this had been a hundred and twenty years ago, when I last saw you, I would have said yes in a heartbeat. Now, though…”
“I understand, Arrows,” Knives said, looking down. “Ye don’t ‘ave to say another word. I know things ‘ave changed for ye, generally for th’ better. I can’t blame ye for sayin’ no.”
“I’m not saying no, either, Alastar,” Arya said. “I’m just asking for time to think about it.”
Tesni watched the scene unfolding from the apple tree she was in. One of the things that she had learned was how to be deadly silent. It was a natural skill to develop when one was a pickpocket for a living. In addition, Arya had taught her how to move through the trees. Now, very carefully, she used both of those skills, climbing up higher, running along branches as light as one of the squirrels scurrying around to gather acorns for the winter.
She stayed in the trees until she was nearly back to camp. The apple tree glade was something she had discovered early in her time amongst the Rangers, and one of the trees just happened to have the perfect nook for her to sit and think. Now, though, she needed to talk to Ryder.
“Ryder! Ryder!” she called. She jumped out of the tree overhanging his tent and rolled with the impact. This was something else that Arya had taught her, building on her climbing skills.
“What is it, Tesni?” Ryder asked, emerging from his tent. He had just gotten back from helping Fiona figure out that she was really best balanced to work with a blade. He had set her up with Branwen as a mentor, and the two had begun to bond instantly. Now here was Tesni, demanding his attention.
“Are you in love with Arya?” Tesni asked.
Well, Ryder certainly had to give the kid credit. She was straightforward and to the point. “What makes you think that?” he asked.
Rangers of Linwood (The Five Kingdoms Book 1) Page 5
