Myra was galloping alongside the carriage, her head down and her shield arm raised to protect her flank. Several more arrows ricocheted off the carriage and one off Myra’s shield, but still they charged on, away from the fray.
“What’s going on?” Lendra shouted over the pounding hooves and rattling undercarriage.
“Bandits,” Bethany said. She clenched and unclenched her grip on the shield. “A dozen, maybe more.”
Bethany divided her attention between her sister and the skirmish outside. She winced and flinched, watching as the undisciplined band of guards dealt with the more experienced bandits. She wanted so badly to be out there in the fight, to hold her swords and put the fear of steel into the motherless bastards.
Her eyesight failed her as the carriage thundered beyond the fight. Myra still charged alongside them, her horse now frothing and panting from the gallop. Bethany took several calming breaths to ease her heightened defenses. She couldn’t help. She had to leave it all to children.
Even if they needed or wanted her help, what could she do at this stage? Jump out of the moving carriage? That was a great way to break a limb. Then what? Run after mounted bandits with archers? Bethany had done some incredible feats in her time and plenty of those had been caused by impulsive stupidity.
She looked down at her sister. She had to stay put. If the bandits took out the horses or the coachmen, she’d have to protect Lendra. The only other person who could help was Myra, a child herself. Though a child Bethany had entrusted her own life to before and had never regretted the choice.
Eventually, the coach crested a hill and a small clearing opened up in front of them. The coach slowed as it approached the little field with workers harvesting the hay. Men cut the hay and the younger boys and girls gathered the cut grass into bundles. They’d done a lot of work already, as there were already many bundles standing up on end drying in the lazy summer heat.
The workers stopped, curiosity stirred by the exhausted horses and the heavily-armoured knight sitting on a lone horse guarding two coaches. Bethany swung open the door and jumped down. She held her sword and shield tightly. Though she missed her back holster, she hated wearing it in the carriage.
Bethany looked up at Myra. “Hurt?”
Myra showed Bethany the two arrows embedded in the small shield strapped to her left arm. “Apexia protected me today.”
“At least she’s good for something,” Bethany muttered. She surveyed the distance, but her weak eyesight and the trees made it difficult to see. “Do you think they’ll make it?”
A worried look came across Myra’s flushed face. “I hope so. Some of them were supposed to stay with the carriages. We’d gone over that before we left Castle Gree.”
“They’re inexperienced. That was probably the first real fight any of them have ever been in. I’ll talk with them later.” Assuming any of them made it back, a thought Bethany tried to expunge from her mind. She glanced over at the confused farmers and sheathed her sword. She lowered her shield and approached the man closest to them, who was gripping a scythe in a tight, two-fisted stance.
Bethany raised her free hand in a placating gesture. When close enough for him to hear her, she said, “We were attacked by bandits on our way to the capital. My soldiers are still out in the woods.”
“Lady Bethany? Is that you?” A smile crept over his face.
She shook her head, not recognizing him. “I’m sorry, I don’t...wait...Jonas? Is that you?”
He lowered the scythe and they walked towards each other. They attempted to trade grips. Jonas went for an elven greeting of grabbing her forearm, and she tried to clasp his hand. They fumbled and laughed until they agreed to just slap each other on the bicep.
Bethany pointed up at Myra, who didn’t dismount her horse. “Remember Myra?”
“Miss Myra! It is good to see you,” Jonas said in a softer, kinder voice than he’d used for Bethany.
Myra’s cheeks flushed more from his deep voice than all of the riding in the wind for her life. Still, she didn’t dismount and continued scanning the tree line. “Jonas. Good to see you well.”
“What’s going on?” Lendra poked her head out of the carriage. “Are we safe here?”
“Get back inside,” Bethany snapped. Lendra scowled, but obeyed. Bethany sighed and said to Jonas, “My sister’s been made the official ambassador. We’re trying to escort her and some...supplies to the Imperial Palace, but I was sent here with twenty untrained knights, plus Myra.”
“What are you doing in the carriage instead of out there putting the fear of Apexia in them?”
Bethany growled. “Because I lost my rank and am now Apprentice Knight Bethany. Idiots.”
“What in Apexia’s holy name did you do?”
“I have no idea,” Bethany said. She was going to explain a little more, but the sound of horses approached. Her hand moved to her sword and she unsheathed it. Myra moved her horse closer to the carriage and brought her shield arm up again. Jonas took position next to Bethany, scythe in a tight grip.
“This feel familiar,” Jonas quipped.
Bethany snorted, readying herself. However, the glint of armour caught her eye and she relaxed when she saw the knights crest the hilltop. She quirked a smile as she did a quick count and noted they were all there, and a flutter of relief filled her. They’d lived.
Bethany sheathed her sword and said to Jonas, “Watch your mouth around Darien. He’s trouble.”
He nodded in acknowledgement.
Bethany looked around, noticing there weren’t any captured bandits, nor was anyone dirty enough to have killed anyone. “Where are they?”
“We ran them off,” Darien said proudly. “As soon as they saw us giving chase, they dispersed. We’ve spent more time attempting to find all of you than chasing bandits. Apprentice Knight Myra, why didn’t you follow our lead and give chase?”
“Why didn’t you chase them down?” Bethany asked.
“I was supposed to stay with the carriage,” Myra answered Darien.
“Apprentice Knight Myra, it was your duty –”
Bethany waved her hand to get his attention. “Why didn’t you chase them down? They’re still out there.”
Darien bristled at Bethany’s tone. “I give the orders here, Apprentice Knight Bethany. Are you questioning my orders?” He noticed Jonas for the first time. “You may go.” Darien made a shooing gesture.
Jonas laughed.
Darien scowled and looked at Bethany. “Why is he laughing at me? Is this your...lover?”
Myra choked out a laugh behind her hand. Bethany didn’t even bother and laughed in Darien’s face. She turned to Jonas and said, “See the shit I have to put up with?”
“Lady Champion, I told you you should have brought me back with you,” Jonas said. “I would be up on a mount, chasing bandits for you.”
“She is not Lady Champion!” Darien corrected him. “Identify yourself, farmer.”
“Darien,” Bethany said, the mirth leaving her voice. “Why didn’t you chase down the bandits? The elven ambassador was attacked on the Queen’s road. We need to determine if this is a random attack or an organized attempt on Lendra’s life.”
One the female elven apprentice knights spoke up. “They looked like petty bandits.”
“You were not given permission to speak, Apprentice Knight Lanessa,” Darien said. “Neither were you, Apprentice Knight Bethany.”
Bethany looked at Lanessa. “Explain.”
“Do not answer her,” Darien ordered.
“Answer her,” Lendra said sternly from inside the carriage. Bethany turned to see her sister gingerly poking her head out of the window, her face ashen. However, her expression was one of unyielding authority, a look Bethany found strange to see on her little sister. “I give the orders here, Knight Darien, not you. Lanessa, answer Bethany’s question.”
Lanessa inclined her head. “Most of them had basic armour and weaponry. They all had bows, but they didn’t all ca
rry swords.”
“Spears? Mace? What?” Bethany demanded. “Recall everything.”
Lanessa detailed as much as she could, with the others joining in with additional details. Darien remained silent, his scowl deepening. Bethany ignored him. Twelve bandits in total. All were on horseback. The horses had varying degrees of armour, but nothing to suggest stolen horses or a well-organized militia. Same with their armour. Others pitched in to help detailed the different weapons. Swords, a couple of maces, and a spear.
“They knew what they were doing, though,” Lanessa said.
“They were thugs,” Darien countered.
“They weren’t,” Chambers, another recruit, said. He turned to Bethany. “They knew what they were doing. I was at the temple, Lady Bethany, when it was attacked. I was an initiate then, but...”
Bethany waved a hand. “All right, let’s get to the capital as quickly as possible. We should ride through the night. Jonas? Want to ride with us, for old time’s sake?”
“I have hay that needs making, Lady Bethany,” Jonas said, regret in his voice, “but I’ll be back at my post at the Imperial Palace within the week. Jackson lets me come help my parents with the fields.”
Bethany looked around. “This isn’t much of a field.”
Jonas shrugged. “We have more land down in the gully, but this is ours. We don’t grow any crops next to the road. They’ll just get ruined, so we do hay up here most years.”
“Lady Bethany!” Darien snapped. He flushed and said, “Apprentice Knight Bethany, please. I am in charge here. We will not be bringing northern rabble with us to protect the ambassador. I am under strict orders from the highest level not to put Ambassador Lendra’s life in danger by following Apprentice Knight Bethany’s reckless suggestions.”
Bethany narrowed her eyes. “What did you say?”
“Oh shit,” Jonas muttered.
“You heard me, Apprentice Knight Bethany,” Darien said, a smug expression crossing his face. The snot-nosed bastard was enjoying this. “My orders very clearly outline our itinerary. Deviating from the plan will place the Ambassador in danger and will be a direct contravention of my orders. We will make haste to the nearest village and remain there for the night, as planned. Then, we will depart in the morning fully rested, and the bandits will have moved on to easier prey.”
“That makes no sense,” Lendra countered before Bethany could, still hanging out of the carriage window. “I am the ambassador, and we were just attacked. My life is in danger and you are doing nothing?”
“I have issued my orders, Lady Lendra. They will be followed. Trust me, I am a trained knight who will not allow anything to happen to you.”
“This is stupid,” Bethany said. “Lendra, you don’t need to go along with this. You outrank him.”
Darien pulled his horse alongside Bethany and leaned down until she could smell the garlic on his breath. In a soft whisper, he said, “I have permission from Lord Jud himself to chain you in irons if you disobey orders or interfere in any way with my command of this escort.”
Bethany sneered up at him. “The day you attempt to put me in the irons is the day you will find yourself without a heartbeat.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Absolutely,” Bethany snarled. “I am not frightened by little men with little swords.”
Bethany didn’t go for her sword, even as Darien curled his fist against his thigh. She didn’t flinch or look away, and she certainly didn’t wipe her grin off her face. A year ago, he would have been assigned to her training group, the same way that Myra and others like her had been. She was one of the most experienced knights living, even if she no longer held the official rank.
Lendra broke the standoff. “I want to get out of here. Let’s argue about this later.”
Bethany frowned at her sister, but nodded. She glanced one last time to let Darien know she wasn’t intimidated. His forced sneer was reduced by his shaking fist. She’d gotten his blood pumping and now he had no outlet. She snorted, loudly, which made his fist shake more.
“All right, Lendra. You’re in charge, after all.”
Darien mounted his horse with a haughty sniff. “Knights! Let us resume our travels.”
There weren’t enough knights protecting Lendra, and the knights with her were greener than grass. Darien had no interest in learning; mix in with that his puffed up attitude, and he was a danger to them.
Anyone with a lick of sense would know this was a mistake. It was daylight and they’d been attacked on the main road. If he insisted on staying in an inn tonight, there was a village twenty miles behind them. They could backtrack, hide, and wait for reinforcements from Castle Gree. Instead, they were moving with the bandits along the same route, away from help and their allies.
She glanced at Jonas and shrugged. “I’ll see you at the palace in a few days then?”
Jonas eyed Darien and nodded. “If I could, I’d leave now with you.”
Bethany glared at Darien. “If he’s very lucky, he won’t have a serious accident on our journey.” She looked at Jonas and smiled. She held out her hand and he shook it. “It was good to see you again, Jonas.”
He inclined his head. He glanced up at Myra and said, “Good bye, Miss Myra.”
She blushed and said, “Good bye.”
Bethany ignored the exchange and walked back into the carriage; she knew Jonas was teasing her like he always had done before. She latched the door and smacked the roof to signal she was ready to renew their travel.
She watched Darien prance by on his horse, back erect and head high in the air. “On a scale of one to ten, how angry would you be if Darien woke tomorrow with both of his legs broken?” She glanced over at her sister and smiled.
Lendra’s hands were still shaking and her own smile was weak. Still, she managed to say, “Ask me later tonight when I’m feeling more objective.”
Chapter 2
Dusk was settling in when the escort arrived at the Warm Walrus. Bethany stepped out of the carriage and stretched her arms out in front of her, craning her neck to work out the stiffness. The inn’s wooden sign had fresh paint on it, and it hung from what might have been an actual walrus’s tusk.
Bethany pressed her fist into the small of her back, bowing her back to work out the kinks and pain. Her back was never quite the same after it had been broken in several places. The healers did all they could—she should have died that day—but they couldn’t take away all of the damage. Her spine ached when she sat for any length of time, but she worked out the soreness as best she could in silence.
Bethany had caught glimpses of movement in the trees just beyond her vision threshold for most of their journey, but Darien wouldn’t send scouts. He was in charge, he’d said. He had a different way of doing things, he’d said. He was following orders, he’d said. Getting Lendra killed was probably not amongst his orders. If she’d been on horseback, she would have went herself, but she was in the carriage with Lendra because that was what her sister wanted.
Darien had ordered two of the children to ride around the property, and she didn’t countermand the order. It was the minimum precaution they should take. If it were up to her, she’d have the horses changed and they’d carry on. But it wasn’t up to her. For now, she wanted to keep it that way.
Darien had clearly been ordered to be an aggressive little prick to her. Of that she was certain. The other knights—and she used that term lightly—had never worked with her. None of them had completed proper training. Even Myra, who was still technically an apprentice, had fought in an actual war, with real swords and real enemies, where blood and gore painted their nightmares red.
To the others, she was a curiosity and an unpredictable element of awe. If they were to believe the rumours, she was Apexia’s daughter. However, since Bethany didn’t go around shooting fire from her asshole, it was easy to push that aside and not think about it. So what was left? The stories of her deeds.
What people like Jud and Da
rien failed to understand was they could strip her of her rank and future. They could make her job impossible. They could lock her up, even. But none of those actions could strip her of her reputation. She had been Lady Champion. For anyone she’d rescued or defended, she would always be Lady Champion.
So Bethany didn’t feel threatened. She didn’t feel the urge to smite Darien for following orders. She could go along, biding her time. She had to choose her moment carefully. She would choose it soon. Until then, she’d watch and learn.
The two scouts came back a handful of minutes later, not nearly long enough for two people to do an extensive check of the grounds around the Warm Walrus. The inn was on the edge of a small strip of buildings, all businesses supported by the inn. Chances were, either owned or rented by the innkeeper, too, since there was no actual town in this area. Though, they’d passed enough farmland that Bethany knew there were people living in the area.
“Report,” Darien said.
The boy with the blond hair and sunburned skin answered. “Knight Darien, there are only merchants and workers in the area. There are other horses in the stables, suggesting we are not the only occupants of the inn.”
Bethany rolled her eyes. She could have given that report from where she was standing. She glanced over at a dismounted Myra and said, “Would you check inside please?”
“Hold, Apprentice Knight Myra,” Darien shouted, but Myra kept walking. “I said hold!”
Myra, Apexia bless her heart, kept on walking until she disappeared inside the building.
“Myra! Myra!” Darien called out. He dismounted from his horse and continued to shout at her, even as he thrust the horse’s reins into the hand of a waiting stable boy, who’d ducked into the argument just long enough to do his job.
Darien spun on his heel and glared at Bethany. She let him. She’d learned that it was better to endure Darien’s tantrums than wait for his help. She’d let him refuse Sir James’s offer of additional guards at Castle Gree for their escort. Bethany had assumed that was the plan; their own numbers were too small to protect Lendra and the money her carriage carried.
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