She appreciated his concern, but she didn’t see what choice any of them had.
“Be careful, Marie.” That was Rafe. “Don’t get yourself killed.”
“Rafe!” William sounded angry. “How can you agree to this crazy plan?”
“You’ve been locked up for weeks,” said Rafe. “You haven’t seen how far she’s come. Your sister was always brave and resourceful. Now she has some skill with weapons to go with it. She can take care of herself.”
Marie felt herself grow taller in response to Rafe’s faith in her.
“Well, then. I guess you don’t need us at all.” Marie could tell that William still wasn’t happy about the situation, but she appreciated his acceptance.
“We’ll try to dig our way out and join you, if we can.” He tried for a lighter tone. “And, don’t worry, if we do get out, I’ll keep your man here safe.”
Marie laughed. “You haven’t seen him fight,” she said. “I’ll be trusting him to keep you safe.”
“Hey!”
She could hear indistinct bickering and shook her head, a smile on her face.
“See you soon!” she called and set off alone.
Chapter 29
The dim stone passageway seemed much creepier without companions. Marie steeled herself and kept moving, looking around for any opening or even an increase in the light.
For what felt like a long time, the passage seemed to get only darker and danker. Marie had nearly given up hope when she thought she perceived a slight lightening of the darkness. She hurried forward with renewed energy, and after another minute the increased light was undeniable.
As the light continuously increased, her pace also picked up until she was almost running. Please don’t just be another lot of ventilation shafts, she thought.
Even as she thought it, the passageway opened into a large cavernous space. The stone of this cave was rough and the ground was covered in jagged bumps and ridges. Marie searched the space, trying to find the origin of the light. She eventually spied a small opening on the far side of the cavern. Carefully manoeuvring across the uneven floor, she made her way over to it.
The hole was small, but she could see a tree through it. She stared at it, wondering what would happen to them all if she got halfway through and got stuck. Taking a deep breath, she knelt down and squeezed her head and shoulders into the gap.
The rough stone scraped her shoulders through her clothes. Scrabbling with her feet, she pushed harder. Her shoulders popped through and her arms came free. She stopped to take another breath.
Now able to use both her feet and her arms, Marie managed to squeeze the rest of her body through the narrow space. Tumbling forward onto the forest floor, she took a moment to gather herself. Looking back at the size of the opening, she hoped that Rafe and William had returned to the original cave-in site to begin their digging. Neither of them would fit through this exit.
Her mind flashed back to the many ominous rumblings they had felt before the second cave-in. Would attempts to dig through the collapsed stone prompt yet another cave-in?
She jumped up and looked around. She needed to hurry.
She didn’t recognise her surroundings, so she’d clearly come out some distance from the entrance to the cave system. What would Rafe do? she asked herself. She thought about how he moved through the forest and closed her eyes, focussing on her other senses.
It took her a few moments to filter through all the sounds, but she managed to identify a noise that didn’t match the others. People.
She hurried towards it.
The closer she got, the clearer the noise became. She knew she should go cautiously, but the sound of shouting, the clomp of boots and the clang of weapons filled her with fear. She pictured Lisa, lying on the forest floor, bleeding, and her feet flew even faster.
She had been following the edge of the hill that housed the cave system. Trees covered it, but she could feel the gentle start of the slope beneath her feet. It led her straight to the cave entrance.
She burst out into the clearing at full speed, sliding to a frantic stop. It took only half a second to absorb the scene before her. Rows of rebels filled the clearing, barring passage between the forest and the beginning of the caves. Swords glittered in their hands and Peter stood at their head, no longer looking quite so sure of himself.
Marie recognised Lisa and many of the Greenwood foresters in the front row. She couldn’t help but suspect Peter had placed them there purposefully. There was no sign of Danny, however.
Facing the rebels was what looked like a far larger force of royal guards. Some of them wore Northhelmian colours, while others flew the Rangmeran flag. It was difficult to determine their exact numbers since they were spread throughout the trees. Many of them shifted uncomfortably, but they held their ground. Marie noticed that most of the front ranks were filled with Rangmerans.
But where was Danny? He would never have left Lisa, of that she was sure. A slight movement drew her eyes upwards. The trees that ringed the clearing were filled with rebels, bows drawn and arrows nocked. Danny clearly led them, perched high in the biggest tree, closest to the guard.
The noise she had been hearing had died away but, even with her inexperience of battle, she recognised it as the lull before hostilities began. Into the stillness, a familiar voice rang out.
“Ready…” It was Danny, calling to his archers.
Marie sucked in the biggest breath she could. If the archers started shooting, there would be no stopping the battle in the chaos that would surely ensue.
“Stop!” she screamed as loudly as she could.
Danny looked around, clearly recognising her and confused by her sudden appearance. She drew another full breath.
“RUMPELSTILTSKIN!” she yelled, putting everything she had into making the name ring through the clearing.
Her efforts were followed by a deafening silence.
She looked across the clearing at Danny. He was shaking his head, the confused look on his face deepening. After a moment, he looked around, his eyes landing on Lisa. The confusion changed to fear.
Marie wanted to cheer. It looked like the sound of the name had worked. The enchantment had been broken.
“Princess Marie?” The tentative call came from the guard, and Marie looked over to see Ferdinand stepping forward through the other guards. Her brother’s friend looked as confused as Danny.
All across the clearing, rebels shook their heads, looking from the swords in their hands to their friends beside them. A number of them focussed on the guard in front of them. Everywhere, confusion reigned as they tried to remember what they were doing there.
Only one person seemed unaffected by Rumpelstiltskin’s name. Peter glared across at Marie and then turned his angry face on the swordsmen behind him. His expression transformed into one of cunning.
“We’re under attack!” he called. “Defend yourself!” He raised his sword above his head.
Marie stared aghast as many of the rebels responded, raising their own swords. Peter was taking advantage of their confusion, directing their focus towards the threatening guard and away from working out what was really going on.
She heard the guard shift, preparing a counterattack of their own.
Panic gripped her. She had only seconds to defuse the situation.
Glancing around wildly, her eyes fell on Danny. His gaze was still locked on Lisa, who was attempting to push her way through the other rebels towards his tree. Marie could only hope his natural determination and focus would be enough to pull him out of his confusion more quickly than the others.
“Danny!” she screamed.
He spun to face her. She pointed at Peter and he followed her finger, his brow creased.
“Please, please, please,” she whispered.
He raised his bow, and for a horrifying moment she thought he had mistaken her. That he was preparing to re-join Peter in the fight.
And then his arrow flew across the clearing and pi
erced Peter’s upraised arm.
Peter yelled and dropped his sword. The other rebels lowered their own blades, looking in renewed confusion between Peter and Danny.
Marie raced across the clearing towards the guard. Ferdinand had reached the front line now, and she came to a stop in front of him.
“Ferdy, you have to get the guard to stand down,” she said, her words coming out between pants. “The rebels have been under an enchantment, and it’s just been broken. If they have a minute to understand what’s happening, they’ll all surrender. But if the guard attacks now, it will be a slaughter.”
Understanding filled his face, and he turned without a word to rush back through the rows of guards. She saw him reach a huddle of men dressed as officers and could see his mouth moving quickly. After another minute, they all dispersed, and a ripple spread through the ranks of the guard as they slowly stood down, drawing back from the clearing.
She closed her eyes and took a moment to just breathe. She had done it.
Opening her eyes, she spotted a familiar figure moving towards her. The captain of the Northhelmian guard was accompanied by an equally senior-looking guard wearing the colours of Rangmere. She composed herself, ready to answer their questions.
“You!” The growled word pulled her attention back towards the clearing.
Peter stood behind her, his face twisted in anger, framed by a scene of pandemonium. The rebels had mostly dropped their weapons and were either surging back towards the safety of the caves, or sitting on the ground, their hands on their heads in surrender.
“I don’t care what R says.” The light in Peter’s eyes looked crazed. “This is all your fault.” He had pulled the arrow from his arm and held the limb cradled against his side, the blood dripping down.
The sight of his injury had distracted Marie from his other hand. Almost too late, she saw that it held a long knife.
She leapt backwards as the blade flashed towards her. Jumping back a second time, she drew one of her own blades, bringing it up in a defensive stance. She only just got it up in time.
Chapter 30
Peter lunged forwards again, his movements clumsy since he used his left hand. She deflected the blow and then lunged forward herself, slashing her blade along his exposed left arm.
He screamed and fell to the ground, both arms now covered in blood.
Marie stared down at her knife, shaking with the leftover energy from the sudden attack.
“Well done, Your Highness,” said the captain of the guard. He put a steadying hand on her arm. “I could have sworn you didn’t know how to do that last time I saw you.”
She smiled up at him, grateful for his solid presence. “I’ve learnt a trick or two in the last few weeks.”
The Rangmeran with him was barking orders at several guards who had rushed forward in response to the attack. Within moments, they had Peter back on his feet and were escorting him away into the forest.
Marie watched him go with mixed feelings.
“Don’t worry,” said the captain of the guard, seeming to read her mind. “We have doctors with us. They’ll have him patched up and ready to stand trial in no time.”
She smiled at him again. As much as she disliked Peter, she didn’t want to be responsible for anyone’s death. Untangling how many of his actions had been done of his own free will would be difficult but, thankfully, it was a problem for another day.
Looking around, she spotted Danny and Lisa. All of the archers had come down from the trees, but the siblings had broken off from the rest of the rebels to approach Marie.
Several of the guards stepped forward, weapons raised ready to defend her.
“No, no,” she said, waving them off. “They aren’t a threat, I promise.”
“Are you sure, Your Highness? I’d really prefer you stepped back behind the lines until we have this whole situation sorted out…” The captain didn’t have a chance to finish speaking before his words were cut off by Lisa.
“Marie!” She threw both her arms around her friend and began to cry into her neck.
Marie met the captain’s eyes and shrugged awkwardly through her friend’s embrace. “With all due respect, Captain, I think I might be of some help in getting things straightened out.”
He raised one brow and spread his arms wide to signal defeat.
Now that the guards had seen that tears, rather than weapons, were on the agenda, most of them stepped back. Marie wanted to laugh at their reluctance to get involved in the situation. She would have bet they, at least, were glad to have her stick around and help deal with the now-subdued rebels.
“Come on, Lise.” Danny stepped forward and tried to detach his sister from Marie. “Everyone’s all right.” He paused. “Well, except for Peter, I suppose, but that’s hardly something to cry over.”
Lisa gave a weak chuckle and stepped back from Marie.
“Sorry, Marie,” she said, wiping at her cheeks. “I don’t know what came over me.” She frowned. “To be honest, I don’t know what’s come over me at all lately.”
“You’ve been under an enchantment.”
“An enchantment?” Danny’s sharp tone matched his expression. “R, I suppose.”
Marie nodded.
“Well that explains a lot. But how?”
“It’s complicated,” said Marie, unwilling to go into the whole story. “The important thing is that the key to breaking the enchantment is his true name. Rumpelstiltskin.” She turned to the captain. “Make sure every member of the guard knows it, and we won’t have any trouble from him again.”
“His name? That’s it?” The older man sounded sceptical.
She shrugged. “It’s an enchantment, it doesn’t follow the usual rules. And you saw me use it earlier. You saw them all respond when I yelled out his name.”
“That’s true enough,” said the Rangmeran. “It sounded like gibberish to me, but it was certainly effective.” He gave a gruff laugh. “I mistook you for some madwoman at first.”
The captain of the guard glared at him, and the man grimaced.
“My mistake, of course, no offence intended.”
“None taken,” said Marie. She gave them both her most royal stare. “And I hope there is no thought of punishing any of the rebels. Everyone here is witness to the fact that every one of them, except for Peter, stood down as soon as the enchantment was lifted.”
The Rangmeran shrugged. “That’s a matter for Northhelm to decide. We are here merely to show Her Majesty’s support for her valued allies.”
Marie hid a smile. The man, whoever he was, had remembered his coaching and returned to the official diplomatic line.
“Aye,” the captain of the guard nodded. “I can’t see His Majesty wanting to charge any of them. The sooner this whole business can be put behind us, the better.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” said Marie. “This is Danny and Lisa of Greenwood.” She gestured at her friends. “They’re smart, have good sense, and they know the former rebels. Now that they’re free from Rumpelstiltskin’s influence, I would trust them with my life. You couldn’t find anyone better positioned to help you sort things out here.”
Lisa blushed at Marie’s praise, and even Danny looked pleased.
“And what of you, Your Highness?” The captain’s eyes narrowed, and Marie remembered that he’d always been an astute man.
“I need Ferdy and his squad, and any engineers and diggers you brought with you.”
“Engineers, Your Highness?” The captain raised both his eyebrows.
“I don’t have time to explain right now,” said Marie, “as it’s a matter of some urgency. But I promise to give a full account on my return.”
The captain hesitated, and she drew herself up to her full height, glad for once of her unusual stature. She met his eyes and raised her own brows.
He grimaced. “As you say, Your Highness.” He turned towards the trees and signalled to one of the guard hovering nearby. “Fetch the lieutenant and the oth
er men requested by the princess. And make it quick.”
The man dashed off and soon returned with at least twenty men. Marie gestured for them to follow her and led the way towards the cave entrance at a half-jog. Ferdinand kept pace beside her.
“What’s all this then, Your Highness?” he asked.
“It’s William.” She met his eyes. “He might be in danger.”
“So he’s alive, then?” He looked relieved, and Marie realised how worried he must have been all this time.
“He was when I left, but he was also trapped behind a cave-in. An unstable one.”
Understanding filled Ferdinand’s eyes, and he picked up his speed, calling to his men to hurry. “Now I understand the engineers and diggers,” he said. “But is it safe for you to accompany us?”
“You need me to show you the way.” Marie narrowed her eyes at him. “And don’t even think about trying to send me away once we get there. I outrank you, remember?”
Ferdinand chuckled. “Duly noted, Your Highness.”
They passed through the caves, dodging ex-rebels who quickly made way for them. Only Robbie came forward.
“Where are Danny and Lisa?” he asked Marie. “I can’t find them.”
Ferdinand turned astonished eyes on him, presumably surprised at the informal way he addressed Marie, and the forester boy shifted uncomfortably. He held his ground, however.
Marie replied without thinking, struck by a sudden thought. “They’re outside, with the captain of the guard.”
Robbie drew in a quick breath, and Marie realised how her words had sounded.
“No, no,” she rushed to assure him, “they’re helping the captain. You’ve all been under an enchantment and the guard knows it. They’re going to sort everything out and help you all get home.”
“Home.” Robbie’s eyes dropped to the floor, and she suspected he was remembering what they had done in Greenwood.
“It will be all right, Robbie, I promise you,” she said. “But at least some of these caves are affected by the enchantment. And now that it’s failing, they’re not safe. There have already been some cave-ins.”
The Princess Pact: A Twist on Rumpelstiltskin (The Four Kingdoms Book 3) Page 20
