The Assassin's Mark (Skeleton Key)

by Sarah Makela

  Hidden behind a bend in the road, I turned the horse and galloped away. We barely had enough time to move everyone, including the horses out of sight from the road to a nearby dry riverbed. As the troops marched by, I became aware of just how many mercenaries Doyle had been able to recruit. There were easily a thousand infantry, not counting his mounted force.

  My mind returned to the brave men at Skyhaven. I only hoped Sir Orlan would be able to maintain his hold on the keep a while longer. It was now only a matter of time before it would fall. Even as we moved the horses back up the muddy embankment, I had hard time keeping my thoughts clear. Fifty of the princess’s men plus whoever had been stationed in the keep against a thousand. If Sir Orlan was a wise man, he’d surrender to keep his troops alive, but he’d given his word to buy us as much time as he could.

  Sir Alan eagerly took the next turn to scout for us, perhaps to have time alone to think. The group continued on our way solemnly along the dusty road. The clouds above darkened, and it wasn’t long until thunder could be heard in the distance. It would likely rain soon. If we didn’t find shelter, we’d be caught in the open on the road. Sir Alan returned after a few moments, and the storm front nearly on top of us.

  “We need to get off the road,” Sir Alan yelled to be heard over the sound of thunder.

  Without any maps to guide us, we had no clear insight to which direction we should go. The nearest cover was a forest not far off, but it wouldn’t be enough.

  The two knights broke off from the group in a search of shelter, while I remained with the women and Sir Alan. A few wet minutes passed before they returned with good news. There was a small cave not far away. Dry and out of the sight. Hail started pelting us as we rode hard to the much needed protection.

  With their guidance, we tied our horses beneath a thick set of trees and ducked inside. There were no signs of local wildlife in the tiny cave, and within a few moments, Sir Alan had procured a small fire. We all sat around it as we shared rations and tried to warm up.

  Strangely enough, I was happy since I was near someone I’d do anything to protect.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Edward

  The rest of the evening had been lost to heavy rain. Lightning and hail made it impossible to travel more than a few feet from the cave’s entrance to retrieve more wood. The knights had taken turns doing that and set the wet wood close to the fire so it could be used during the night to come. Tabitha and Sir Alan had the forethought of using their cloaks to block the fire’s light from leaving the cave. It was doubtful Doyle’s little spies were roaming the countryside but not unlikely. If they were paid enough, they’d known to seek out signs of open flame. During a night like this, the fire would draw immediate attention. A brief respite came as we boiled water and brewed a light tea by using pine needles and berries that had been close to the cave.

  Rations of cheese and breads, along with the tea kept everyone happy and alert. I had taken the first hour’s watch, which mostly consisted of listening to the flames and ensuring they didn’t go out. Before I knew it, Sir Alan had relieved me, and I’d fallen asleep against the wall with one hand on my sword’s hilt.

  Morning light and the smell of porridge woke me up. I’d been dreaming of bacon, eggs, and scones. To my stomach, it made no difference. Even with everyone being so crammed together, I found a couple of chances to gently touch Brigit’s elbow or hips as we maneuvered around for food, and then when we packed everything up to leave again. She’d given me a knowing smile.

  Outside, the weather had cleared, and the storm’s power was plainly evident in the forest. Broken branches, beaten bushes, and bark-stripped trees lined our path back to the road.

  There was mud everywhere, and although, the blazing sun was out in the valley. It glinted against pools of murky water on the ground. Puddles, holes, and other such environmental problems would be abundant, making it hard to know what to trust. We couldn’t let a horse break its leg at this point in our journey. Although it was painstakingly slow to guide them, it’d end up saving us time in the end.

  Sir Alan had been first to scout ahead. It wasn’t long until he returned with news that a small company of men were fast approaching. As he neared us, his face went suddenly pale.

  I didn’t have to turn because I heard the heavy trampling of horses from somewhere behind us. We were flanked. Crap. There were no bushes or patch of forests or anything useful around. In the distance were small hills, but in our immediate vicinity, we had no protection and were on a patch of road that could prove hazardous for our horses.

  “What should we do?” Tabitha asked, the slightest tinge of fear evident in her voice.

  “What we can. We need to split up and hope they go after the wrong people or that enough of us manage to escape.” I knew the chances of getting away were slim to none. And yet, we didn’t have an option. I turned my horse toward the grasslands and saw Sir Alan hesitantly steer his in the opposite direction.

  “Keep her safe,” Sir Alan shouted before taking off, making a wide arch to get around the riders behind us.

  Without waiting, we began to split up. I rode past a few boulders and heard another horse make its way toward me. Taking a look over my shoulder, I saw Tabitha and Brigit heading to my direction. In the distance, Sir Alan had managed to draw a sizable portion of the cavalry his way. The other two knights had branched off to the other side of the road, pushing their horses into a similar arc as to what Sir Alan was doing but in the other direction. It wasn’t enough. Some of the cavalry officers remained on our tails.

  “Fuck it.” I let out an exasperated grunt. It was useless to deny what would eventually happen anyway. “Brigit, Tabitha, keep going straight for those hills,” I yelled over my shoulder and began to pull my horse to the side. My gun might not have many bullets, but maybe it’d act as a deterrent. Dismounting, I took aim at the first horse and pulled the trigger. The huge beast went down and caused a small pileup as the horses behind it tumbled onto the first one. Knowing I wouldn’t have a lot of time, I fired two more bullets into the fray, hoping it’d drive some common sense into the heavily armored men.

  I mounted my horse again, and pushed the stallion into a gallop. The horse lurched as one of its legs went into a pothole that had looked like just another puddle. A horrible snap sounded as the horse fell. I had a moment of weightlessness before a sharp pain stabbed the side of my head. Everything went dark for a few moments, then I awoke to the cavalry kneeling next to me.

  “He seems dead, sir. Let’s leave this one and find the rest. This one might’ve gotten off lucky from I’ve heard of our new king’s plans for the group.” The man spoke with a hard-to-understand accent.

  “Yes. Leave the corpse. We don’t need more dead weight. There isn’t much time to set up a pyre. Gather the men; we still have the bitch to catch. Remember, he wants her unharmed. I don’t care if she stabs you. You won’t lift a finger against her.”

  I kept my eyes closed and my body unmoving. I breathed extremely shallow breaths and in controlled pace. I was happy for the cloak covering most of my chest to mask the movement.

  “Damn it. I can’t stand to watch that horse suffer. You there! End that one. I don’t care the idiot ran him like that, but we should give the horse some peace.”

  The men grumbled as one of them dropped into a crouch next to the injured horse beside me. It took all my self-control not to flinch as the man cut the horse’s throat. Its blood sprayed hot over me. Whoever these mercenaries were, at least they cared for the horses and seemed loyal to whoever bought them. It was more than some people I’d dealt with in the past. They didn’t seem to have an unreasonable bloodlust of injuring their enemy’s corpses.

  It didn’t take long before the cavalry moved on. The vibration of their horses’ hooves no longer carried through the ground, but I hesitated to move. If they didn’t already have her, they likely would soon. I’d failed to protect her. Failed on a mission for the first time, ever.

  W
ith my horse dead and quite a distance to Darkview, I’d never make it in time. Tears dampened my cheeks. I’d let myself get close to her, and now she was gone. I had no way of reaching her. Despite all I’d done, it had been useless.

  What are you going to do about it? Cry and hope it’ll all work out? Get on your feet. The woman you love doesn’t have much time left, and if you don’t save her, no one will.

  I opened my eyes with the pep talk complete. I was an assassin. Those who dared hurt her would die. I wasn’t some sniveling peasant pushed aside and forgotten. I serve my princess and those who stood in my way had better move aside. The journey might be long, but so what? My feet might blister, my body might ache, but I was still alive. While I still drew breath, I would do everything in my power to save her.

  Climbing to my feet took effort, but the more I moved, the more energy returned to me. I knew what direction I had to go, and with the training I’d had, this should be easy. I patted my pockets but couldn’t find my gun. It took fifteen minutes before I found it, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The horse still carried some supplies, mostly water and dry rations. I took what I could from the saddlebags. My cloak had been torn to where it was useless, but I took it along to help stave off the cold during the nights to come.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Brigit

  I hated leaving Edward behind, but I knew I had to push on. He’d risked his life for mine. The future of the Kingdom depended on me getting away. Tabitha, bless her, noticed the cavalry took a turn toward us. Thankfully, they refrained from using their bows. At least it seemed that their commands were to take us hostage. The idea of being caught by the mercenaries wasn’t pleasant but it’d be better than outright dying.

  Despite our initial distance, our horses began to get tired. We’d pushed them harder than we should have and the storm had taken its toll on them. Already beaten by hail and tired from the day’s ride, the horses were little match for the trained cavalry’s fresh horses.

  “They’ll catch us soon enough, Your Highness. When they do, you can’t resist. They might outright kill us otherwise. The less aggravated they are, the better for both of us.” Tabitha pulled one of her knives from the satchel to somewhere inside her clothing. It seemed she had no intention of being violated without having a chance to fight back.

  They caught us within a few more minutes, cutting off our escape, and forcing us to dismount.

  One of the officers wore regalia depicting him as sworn to Doyle’s cause. He appeared to be in charge. He had an air of arrogance to him, but also attentiveness, a dangerous combination in an enemy’s follower. It meant he was dedicated to thoroughly completing his mission no matter what.

  "Come with me peacefully, princess. I don't wish to hurt you. I was instructed to bring you back with me alive. There were no indications on what condition you should be in, so long as your face is unharmed and you're capable of providing an heir for my lord." His words shook me to the core. This was far worse than anything I'd imagined. Not only would I be dragged away to Doyle, but I was supposed to surrender my kingdom to him and provide him an heir.

  My legs trembled, but I forced myself to stay upright. "I'll come with you. Please, just don't hurt my maidservant." I reached for Tabitha, but the officer before me grabbed my hand and pulled me away from her.

  "So long as you don't give me any reasons to look unfavorably upon her, then I'll try to make sure she's unharmed. You're the only one my lord cares about." He winked at Tabitha, then lifted me onto his horse. "Gerald, take this one with you." He pointed at Tabitha. "Try not to have too much fun."

  The other mercenary stalked forward and grabbed Tabitha by the upper arm, yanking her in the direction of his horse without a word. Tears formed in Tabitha's eyes, and my shoulders slumped forward. All of this was my fault. Perhaps if I'd taken a larger force to storm my family's castle none of this would be happening now. Instead, I'd tried to take stealth, and my uncle had continued to outwit me. What good was I as the Queen of Freehaven if I couldn’t even evade capture?

  My heart lurched in my chest as I thought of Edward, Sir Alan, and the other two knights. Had they even managed to make it out alive? What if they were dead? Why? All because they were trying to protect me. Was my life worth them giving theirs away?

  The officer climbed onto the horse behind me, but I barely paid him any attention. My turbulent thoughts kept me occupied as we rode toward Darkview.

  How had I been so stupid?

  Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I held them in check. I suddenly wished for the obnoxiously oversized cloak to hide my face again. At least I would've been able to sort through my emotions in private. The men who'd captured me and Tabitha pushed their horses hard as they rode. What seemed to have taken a lot longer on the journey to my cousin’s stronghold was over by nightfall. We'd ridden almost the whole day, but it meant I'd have this chapter in my life closed sooner than later.

  Perhaps I could bargain with Doyle. I could meet with my advisors and give him something he wanted. A title or some land? What was it he'd wanted from my mother and father that caused the rift in our family? I shook the thought away unable to remember since my mother hadn't spoken of that time in her life much.

  We rode through the front gates, and violence was all around me. The men and women who lived in the capital were being slapped around and abused by Doyle's mercenaries. This wasn't the way to treat people, but perhaps he didn't care. He was a slaver after all. Would my people become his slaves too?

  Nausea overwhelmed me, and I clenched my stomach feeling a prick of pain as my fingers brushed the spot on my side where I’d been narrowly cut. I bit my lower lip to hold in a cry.

  The people around us stopped what they were doing and started shouting. "Princess! Princess! Help us, princess!"

  I lowered my head, not wanting to look at them. How could I help them when I couldn't even help myself? "I'm sorry," I muttered under my breath.

  The officer behind me leaned in a little. "Don't be so glum. Act like a princess for them, not a coward. They look up to you. You're only making yourself appear weaker."

  I turned a little in the saddle to look at him, but regardless of his loyalty to my uncle, he was right. If I acted like a prisoner, I'd be no better than one and my people might lose all hope. That was the last thing they needed right now. “I’m beaten and your prisoner, what do you care?” I spit the words at him with venom in my tone.

  “It’s not for you but for them. They need to have faith that there is still hope for the future. Furthermore, you’ve been captured. You’re not dead yet, princess. Trust me. There are things worse than death, but as long as you live, you are bound to the kingdom. How dare you let your people down? Some here still remember your father and the sacrifices your family made to ensure Freehaven’s safety. Some of us don’t have the option to stand up and fight against our lord, but that doesn’t mean we’re bad people.” He grinned. “You’d be amazed to know how many follow him due to blackmail and his iron fist. None have stood up and said enough yet. When that happens, his line of pledged officers will likely abandon him.” The officer in spoke whispers, but his demeanor was outwardly arrogant as if he was nothing more than a commander in Doyle’s army.

  Passion resonated in his words, and some of them matched what my father had taught me. Humility, honesty, and duty to your kingdom were the cornerstones of my family. The officer was right. I’d let the people down if I rolled over for Doyle. Despite the situation, I was still the Princess of Freehaven and the kingdom’s rightful ruler.

  I was beaten but alive, and my people needed me more than ever. I pushed down the pain and fear of what was to come and put on a brave face as I looked into the crowd.

  There was a subtle change in the masses as I did. None of the guards near me seemed to notice, but what had been a beaten down people began to pull themselves together slowly. A crying mother holding her child walked away with determination on her face. A desperate blacksmith with
his hammer clutched in his left hand lifted it with renewed hope.

  “The seeds of rebellion are born out of bravery and tyranny,” the officer said as he reinforced the idea into my head.

  Doyle was a slaver, a tyrant. As long as I was alive, the people had reason for hope. And as long as they had hope, they’d push back against his new rule. He might sit on the throne, but he would not rule the kingdom. The people might pay his taxes, but they’d hide their profits. Sons and daughters that he’d draft and train would rise against him with cold bitterness in their hearts.

  It was a bittersweet realization.

  I wasn’t worthy of such people to look upon me. I was one woman. They’d sacrifice their lives for a cause but would likely have little impact. Their deaths would be meaningless as long as I was his captive. Doyle knew this too. The moment he had an heir, he wouldn’t need me alive anymore. He’d execute me. Without a worthy cause, the people would slowly surrender and let go of their hope. Either way innocent lives would be lost for an ideal, an icon.

  I didn’t want to become their martyr. But if the people had nothing to believe in, they’d lose hope. If they lost hope, the kingdom would lose its soul and its future would fall into the hands of a tyrant.

  The officer turned my head and raised his eyebrow at me. “It seems you’ve begun to understand what it means to rule. There are many tyrants but few rulers.” He released my face and stared back into the crowd. For a moment I thought I recognized him. A scar ran along his chin similar to a knight who’d been banished from my father’s court when I was young. His name eluded me, but I knew I’d have lots of time to think about it.

  We rode on in silence to the grand castle looming over us. The great walls that once had kept my home safe would now be my prison. On the pristine grey stone hung the bodies of loyal knights displayed to show everyone the price of loyalty for the old king.