by Callie Kanno
Idris gave her a weary smile. “That is my purpose, your highness.”
“Thank you,” Arminell said. Her words seemed to include all of the Royal Guards. She turned her attention back to her daughter, fussing over her and smoothing back her hair.
Palti drew closer to Farah and Idris, and Hildar trailed after him.
“Where can we go to hide?” Farah asked Palti.
“What about the fen?” Idris suggested.
All eyes turned to him.
“The fen?” Farah repeated.
He nodded. “That soldier that attacked us had mud from the fen on his clothing. The marshlands cover all the land from Rest Stone Valley to the border of Roshum.”
“Yes, I know,” Farah said. “But why would we go toward our enemies?”
Idris hurried to explain himself. “Well, they are coming in this direction. They would not expect us to go back the way they came.”
There was a long moment of quiet. Idris silently berated himself for speaking again without thinking it through.
“I think that is a good idea,” Palti said unexpectedly.
Idris’s eyebrows shot up. “You do?”
The senior Royal Guard nodded. “I do. We will hide in the marsh until the immediate danger passes, then we will make our way to a more secure location.”
They discussed the logistics of the plan, and then Palti presented the idea it to the queen. She agreed, and so they began the next step of their journey. Palti did a sweep of the area first to check for enemies, and then led the way onward to the east.
Idris and Hildar brought up the rear, doing their best to erase any sign of their passing.
“I hope you are right about this,” Hildar muttered, but her tone didn’t have its usual bite.
Idris felt her words were not criticisms, as they tended to be, but a genuine wish for his suggestion to be the best option.
He looked at her solemnly. “I hope I am, too.”
Chapter Thirty-Four: Plots
There was only one eastern path out of Rest Stone Valley that provided any sort of cover for travelers, and that was because the path was such a difficult climb that no one had ever bothered to clear it. Idris was practically on his hands and knees as he struggled to ascend the slope.
Princess Zorina was right in front of him, and he stayed at the ready to catch her should she begin to slide backwards. Idris glanced up at Queen Arminell, who was reaching back to give her daughter a hand. The queen’s face was dirty and covered in sweat, and her hair was escaping the bun at the nape of her neck. In spite of her clear exertion, her face was set and determined.
“You can do it, my darling,” she encouraged Zorina.
The princess couldn’t spare any breath to reply, but she redoubled her effort and caught up to her mother.
It was dusk when they finally reached the peak of the low mountain, and everyone seemed relieved to stop and rest. They had not taken any supplies with them in their rush to leave, but Idris knew of a small spring where they were able to drink and wash their faces.
Palti only rested for a moment before he continued on to scout the path down into the fen and make sure it was clear of any enemies. When he returned, he spoke to Arminell apologetically. “We cannot afford to rest any longer, your majesty. The path is clear, and we must take advantage of that.”
The queen nodded. “I understand.”
“Idris,” Zorina said wearily, “will you carry me?”
Idris was much more accustomed to physical exertion than the princess, and even he was tired. He imagined that the little girl was exhausted after such a climb.
“Of course, your highness,” he said.
He picked her up and interlocked his aching arms, then they all began their descent into the marshlands.
By this time, night had fallen and the darkness served as their cover. The downward slope was much gentler than the path leading to the peak, and the group was able to move carefully in the fading light. As they moved away from the summit Idris could see the distant glow of fires still burning in Rest Stone Valley, and he mourned for his home and his neighbors.
I never should have suggested hiding here, he thought to himself.
How could you have known? Iona asked reasonably.
I should have known there would be danger no matter where we went, he pointed out. If we had gone to a military outpost we would have been surrounded by soldiers who could help protect the queen and princess.
You thought you would be safer if no one knew where to find you, Iona maintained.
I was being selfish, Idris thought bitterly. I wanted to see my family again, and it was a perfect excuse.
There was a brief pause before Iona said, Why can it not be both reasons?
Idris merely shook his head. He wanted to believe that Iona was right and that his motive had not been compromised, but he couldn’t help but feel that every fire in Rest Stone Valley was a result of his own careless actions.
The ground softened as they entered the fen, and soon they were wading through mud and water. It made the journey even more difficult. Every step felt like it took twice as much effort. Idris’s legs were exhausted, and his arms burned from carrying Zorina’s weight. Even when they reached patches of semi-dry land, the way was made difficult by the scraggly bushes and stringy trees that seemed determined to trip Idris.
The winter night was frigid in the marshlands, and Idris was soon shivering from the damp. He tried to lend as much warmth as he could to the princess, but he could hear her teeth chattering before long.
Palti looked up at the night sky and appeared to take direction from the stars. He pointed northeast and said, “There is an old military outpost that way. I remember seeing it on a map.”
It took them half the night slogging through the unforgiving terrain, but they finally reached the abandoned tower. The princess had finally fallen asleep and she felt heavier than she really was. Idris’s arms begged to lower Zorina to the ground, but they were still surrounded by mud. He shifted, hitching her higher up for what felt like the thousandth time.
“Why is this outpost empty?” Idris asked.
Palti gestured to the base of the stone building. “The tower is sinking into the mud.”
Sure enough, as Idris got closer he saw that the entrance was several inches shorter than it should have been. They all had to duck to get through the doorway.
They had been struggling through the marsh for hours, and seeing the inside of the tower flooded with mud and icy water was almost more than Idris could bear. Every muscle in his body was screaming for relief, and his determination to stay positive had long since abandoned him. He was grateful that he was not required to speak to anyone at the moment, because he was certain that he had nothing pleasant to say.
It was apparent that Hildar felt the same, because she simply turned and walked up the stairs that led to the upper levels without speaking a word. Her expression was bordering on murderous, and Idris thought it best to leave her to herself.
Everyone followed her example and made their way to the dry second floor. Moonlight shone through several windows, lending light to the abandoned room at the top of the stairs. It was difficult to tell what the room had been used for originally. There were a couple of dusty old cots and several damaged chairs. In the corner there was a table, and one wall had an empty fireplace.
Idris walked over to one of the cots and gently laid the princess down. She remained fast asleep. He sat down on the ground and stretched his trembling, aching arms, marveling that he had been able to carry her as long as he did.
The queen sat down quickly as well, gingerly removing her shoes and wincing over the large blisters on her feet. No complaint escaped her lips, but Idris could see that she had suffered on their journey.
She turned her attention to her daughter and reached over to brush a lock of hair from Zorina’s face.
“Thank you, Idris,” Queen Arminell said sincerely. “I owe you a great debt for every
thing you have done for me and my daughter.”
“Oh, no, your majesty,” he responded automatically. “It is my honor to serve you.”
She gave an exhausted smile and moved to lay down by Zorina. Idris hauled himself to his feet and crossed to where the other Royal Guards sat resting.
“Idris and Hildar can sleep,” Palti was saying, “while Farah and I keep watch. We will guard in pairs tonight, so we can help each other stay awake.”
Idris was glad to be able to rest first. He could barely keep on his feet. He found another rickety cot and collapsed onto it, only finding enough energy to remove his boots and weapon before falling asleep.
He was shaken awake at dawn by Palti, who seemed relieved to take Idris’s place on the cot.
“Do not wake the queen,” Palti cautioned as he prepared to sleep. “Let her rest as long as she needs.”
Idris acknowledged his instructions and moved to the door that led to the stairs. He held his partisan in his hand instead of strapping it to his back, and he carefully rubbed away the dried mud that had spattered over the weapon. Hildar was already in place by the window overlooking the entrance to the tower, and he could tell by her brooding expression that she didn’t want to talk.
You would not want to talk either, if you had been through what she has experienced over the past several weeks, Iona pointed out.
I know, Idris acknowledged, but it does not help her situation to be so isolated.
Idris was just about to settle in when he heard soft whimpering from the corner of the bare room. He glanced over and saw that Princess Zorina was sitting up in bed. He beckoned for her to come closer, and she slid from the bed and padded over to him. She snuggled up next to him and he put his arm around her.
“What is wrong, your highness?” he asked quietly.
“I am a bad person,” she whispered, looking as though her poor little heart was breaking.
Idris stared at her in surprise. “Why do you say that?”
Tears overflowed from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. “It is because of me that all those nice people’s houses got burned.”
He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. “Oh, no, your highness. That was not your fault.”
“But I said I wanted to see the horses,” she insisted tearfully. “If I had not done that, we would not have stayed and those men would not have found us.”
“We hid in the woodpile,” Idris reminded her, “and those bad men did not see us. They did not know we were there. They would have done the same thing if we had already been gone.”
Zorina looked up at him with wide eyes. “Really?”
“Really.”
“What he is really saying is that it is my fault,” Hildar said bitterly from across the room.
Idris hadn’t known that she could hear them talking.
“No,” he said truthfully, looking over at Hildar. “It is not your fault, either.”
Hildar snorted. “You do not need to lie in front of the princess. She should know exactly what kind of Royal Guard has been assigned to her. That way she can request a new one when we get back to Marath.”
“I am not lying,” Idris argued. “You never would have done any of the things you did if Savion had not made you.”
“I do not want a new Guard,” Zorina declared simply. “I like you.”
Hildar to fell silent, but Idris couldn’t tell if she believed them or not.
Now if you could only believe your own words, Iona said, you would understand that it is not your fault either.
Zorina leaned against Idris again and they were quiet for a long moment. “What did Prydwen do when you were little and frightened?” the princess whispered.
Idris smiled. “My mother would hold me close and sing me a song.”
“Would you sing to me?”
He chuckled. “I am not very good at singing.”
“Please,” the princess implored, tipping her face up to look at Idris.
At that moment, every song Idris had ever learned fled his mind. He thought desperately for a moment and grasped at the first tune that entered his thoughts. He cleared his throat and sang as quietly as he thought Zorina would allow.
Jen, oh, Jen,
Sweet and fair Jen,
Free as a bird
Flying o’er the glen.
No hand touch thy heart,
No lips close to thine,
Jen, oh, Jen,
I wish you were mine.
He was about to go on to the second verse when Hildar made a hissing sound. Idris looked over in surprise, and she made a frantic movement with her hand.
“Someone is coming around to the entrance of the tower,” she breathed.
Idris got quickly to his feet, pulling Zorina to her feet as well. He moved as swiftly and quietly as possible to rouse the queen and the senior Royal Guards. They rushed up the stairs silently, with Palti and Farah bringing up the rear, weapons drawn. No sooner had they reached the landing of next floor than voices sounded from the room they had just vacated.
Palti and Farah stood just past the curve in the stairs, where they couldn’t be seen by whoever was on the floor below. They held their weapons at the ready. Idris stood on the landing with Hildar and the queen and princess, tense and expectant.
The newcomers must have assumed they were alone, because none of them ventured up the stairs.
“What is this place?” asked a male voice.
“An old outpost,” answered another voice. “No one uses it anymore, though. We can stay here until dark, then we will travel onward.”
Idris was startled by how clearly he could hear their conversation. It made him painfully aware that any noise they made would be heard just as clearly by their enemies.
“How far away is Marath?” queried the first voice.
“About two days,” grunted a third.
“Will we get there in time?” the first voice asked. Idris could hear a note of anxiety in the voice.
There was a rumble of laughter.
“This your first mission, son?” asked a rough voice.
The man’s reply was mumbled, so Idris didn’t hear what it was.
“Well, do not worry,” the rough voice went on. “They cannot start without us. Every group of soldiers must be in place before we can take Marath.”
“But I thought the attack has already begun,” the young soldier said uncertainly.
“Oh, it has,” affirmed a different voice. “Our friend in the Water Palace has been hard at work for the last several weeks. There are plans in motion that King Nikolas will never see coming.”
“Our friend,” one of the voices echoed with a note of irritation. “I would feel better about all of this if we knew the name of our ally.”
“Bah,” the rough voice spat. “Even I do not know that. Nor do I need to.”
Idris clenched his fists. These men couldn’t even give them the name of the traitor. His disappointment left a sour taste in his mouth.
“All I need to know is that in three days’ time,” the rough voice continued, “King Nikolas will be dead, and there will be a new ruler of Calaris.”
“Temporarily,” sneered another voice.
There were several murmurs in response.
“Temporarily,” the rough voice agreed with a dark chuckle. “Calaris and Roshum are meant to be united under one king—our king. First we will take over Marath with the help of this friend, then we will gain control of all Calaris.”
Cheers erupted.
Idris felt cold with dread, and he sense that Iona felt it, too. He looked over at Queen Arminell, and her face was pale. Her blue eyes flashed with a mixture of fear and anger.
“We must warn the king,” she whispered, her voice covered by the cheers below.
“We do not even know the traitor’s name,” Hildar whispered back. “His majesty already knows he is in danger. There is nothing we can tell him that he does not already know.”
Arminell shook h
er head, her eyes fierce. “He does not know that an attack is as near as this. He will need as much protection as possible, and there are four Royal Guards here with us. Four more Guards could mean the difference between life and death.”
“Your majesty,” Hildar hissed between clenched teeth, “we would be walking into a trap. We must protect the royal line, and that means keeping you from endangering yourself and your child.”
Idris was shocked to see Hildar arguing with the queen. She had always been so insistent on obedience to the crown and especially on protecting the king.
Downstairs, the Roshumin soldiers began singing something Idris didn’t recognize.
“What is the point of preserving the royal line when we allow the king to be murdered by his enemies?” challenged Arminell. Though her voice was still a whisper, it was sharp as a sword.
“You were the one who said that our duty to the king comes first,” Idris reminded Hildar.
She shot him a scathing look. But after a moment she pressed her lips together and shook her head. Her reply came through clenched teeth. “As you wish, your majesty.”
“Go get Palti and Farah,” the queen whispered to Idris. “We need to make plans immediately.”
Idris hurried to do as he was told. If what the enemy soldiers had said was correct, they had less than three days to get back to Marath and uncover the traitor, or else the entire country would fall.
Chapter Thirty-Five: By the Sea
“I am hungry,” Zorina whispered to her mother.
Idris had just come back to the center of the third floor of the tower from his shift guarding the stairs, and his own hunger was clawing at his stomach. They had eaten nothing since the previous day, and they were unable to even look for food while the enemy soldiers were still in the tower.
Queen Arminell nodded sympathetically, but did not speak. She pulled the princess into her arms and smoothed her auburn hair.
At nightfall the enemy soldiers climbed out of the tower and went on their way, heading toward the city of Marath. Idris and the others watched them move farther away, finally feeling that they were able to breathe normally, then they descended the sinking tower themselves.
