by Cheree Alsop
Kaerdra moved to sit on the arm of the couch next to her. “But how do we get our parents to accept strangers into their countries. They're scared enough about Antorans as it is.”
“We just have to make it easier for them,” I said suddenly, brightening up. The ideas came quickly as the spark Tisha started caught on. “Everyone's afraid of what they don't know, right? So we'll tell them what to expect; that way, they'll be less likely to reject the Antorans.”
“Yeah,” Trevin put in. “And maybe we can see how many people each country is able to take.”
“And they can start building houses and stuff so that the Antorans have a place to stay when they get there,” Kenyen said with growing excitement. “How would it be if we could tell them they all have places to stay already?”
“Where do we start?” Landis asked.
“Ayd can send out the hawks today,” Nyssa said, happy for an excuse to go see him. She blushed when she realized we all knew what she was thinking. “Well, he can,” she concluded sheepishly.
“Alright then, let's get started!” Tisha said.
I went to the door and asked Kimber to bring plenty of quills and paper. She grinned at the look of excitement on my face and ran to get the supplies herself instead of sending someone else.
By the time we finished, there were letters from each of us to our parents, as well as a group letter we wrote together and copied to send to each country so they had the exact same information about the Antorans. We kept it simple, knowing that if we could get everyone on the same page, it would be well worth the effort.
It was hard to keep the secret from Andric, but I managed as well as I could. He knew something was up, but he was busy enough not to ask, and by the time we met on the rooftop at night, we were too tired to do more than hold hands and watch the stars. He was happy for some peace and quiet, as were the wolves who laid at our feet and kept our toes warm. I was grateful for every moment near him because I didn't know how much longer we would be together.
When the reply to our letters arrived a few days later, we opened them with trepidation. Inside, we found mixed responses to our suggestions. Tisha's father was open to the idea of new citizens, but worried about the reception they would receive from his people. Kenyen and Danyen said that their father was interested in the idea only because he knew the Antorans were warriors and would add to his soldiers in case of war, to which we all laughed because there hadn't been a war in more than a decade.
Trevin and Kaerdra's parents were more reserved, telling them that there was not enough information to make a decision. The three groups against the idea were my father and Landis', who were completely firm in the opinion that the Antorans should stay on their own side of the mountains regardless of their condition, and Brynna's father, who was still furious that we had been kidnapped from his castle. Nyssa's father would band with Brynna's if it came down to it.
We realized we had a lot more persuading to do and got to work writing replies to each of our parents’ concerns. The others helped Landis and I the best they could, but we both knew it was going to be a hard argument, especially since my parents still spoke to me like I was young and inexperienced.
When Landis read my letter, he bristled. “They don't give you any credit for what you've done here.”
“I haven't told them much,” I admitted. At everyone's stares, I blushed in embarrassment. “What was I supposed to tell them? That I've been training the other girls to wield swords when my father was completely against me using one of my own, that we barely survived a brush with Breizans on our way here and another one in which a mountain lion was nearly successful in squashing me flat, and that I'm in love with the Antoran Prince, the one person my father hates most in the whole world?”
Their expressions turned sympathetic when I said the last sentence. Several of the boys exchanged glances, but I could tell they already knew. Kaerdra touched my shoulder and I sighed, “It's alright; it'll just be that much harder. At the very least, we might have to ask the other countries to accept more Antorans for the time being.”
“Don't worry, Kit, we'll help you,” Tisha said confidently. “Maybe we can get our parents to talk to yours. It might help them accept the whole Antoran thing.”
I turned to Landis. “Do you think your parents will let up?”
He shrugged, his expression doubtful. “It makes me wonder how much they were actually involved in the state the Antorans are in,” he said quietly.
I nodded in agreement.
“Well,” Nyssa said, grabbing a quill. “We have work to do, so we'd better get started.”
We didn't go to bed until late that night planning for the worst but hoping for a positive response from our parents. We concluded that our last-ditch effort would be to tell them that as their Crown Princes and Princesses, they owed it to us to trust that we would never put our people in danger.
While we waited for the return letters, we tried to put it out of our minds by working harder around the city. There were houses to fix, walls to repair, food to distribute, and wood to cut from the remaining trees to keep everyone warm during the last days of cold weather. A fire started in one house and caught to the houses to either side, and it took an effort by the whole city to get the families settled elsewhere. I heard one of the husbands comment that at least they had less belongings to cart south, but his wife shushed him with heartache plain on her face. It made me more grateful for what we were doing to get them secure places to stay.
When the next letters arrived, our efforts were rewarded. All of the parents were tentatively on board except Landis' and mine. Tisha's father and Trevin and Kaerdra's surprised us by saying they were already making plans for building temporary housing and they were setting up supplies to get the newcomers off on a good foot. Kenyen and Danyen said their parents were asking citizens to make room in their houses until new ones could be built.
To all of our surprise, Brynna and Nyssa's parents got together for a conference and agreed that if they didn't listen to their children, it would cause more trouble than it was worth. They agreed to be open to their daughters' suggestions as long as the safety of the kingdom was always in their minds.
“Well,” I said to Landis with a shrug after handing him my letter. “Looks like we have some work to do.”
He nodded in agreement, his expression slightly deflated. “What do you do when they don't believe in you enough to trust you?”
I shook my head. “I'm not sure; help the others, I guess.”
He brightened slightly. “At least there's that.”
We agreed that we would keep trying, but didn't get our hopes up from the tone of the last letters. It seemed that our parents had also gotten together, but they came out with a different conclusion. They were fiercely against allowing any Antorans to cross their borders, and threatened to make an example of those who did. When Father mentioned that I wasn't experienced enough to ask him to make such a change, I refused the tears of frustration and hurt and turned my attention towards helping to answer the other parents’ concerns.
Finally, we had enough answers and preparations completed to announce our intentions to the Antorans. We waited until the citizen dinner about ten days after Freis was killed. Andric sat quietly at the table, but we had been expecting his silence; counting on it, in fact. It gave me the time I needed to steel my nerves.
Finally, toward the end of the main course, I rose to my feet. At first, no one noticed, but Kenyen tapped politely on his glass to get their attention. I forced myself to stay standing when the tables fell quiet and all eyes turned expectantly to me. The atmosphere at dinner had been quieter than usual and the meetings more solemn since Andric's wolf was killed; the coming of spring and their imminent departure loomed in everyone’s minds. They looked at me patiently, but without much emotion.
“As you know,” I began; my voice wavered slightly and I hesitated. I questioned our decision to have me be the spokesperson, but the other Crowns had insi
sted, saying they wouldn’t have come up with the idea if I hadn’t been so accepting of the Antorans in the first place. I looked down at the Crowns' upturned, encouraging faces, then glanced at Andric. He watched me quietly with his brows drawn together. I took a deep breath and continued in a stronger tone, “We have enjoyed the pleasure of spending our time in Antor this winter, and appreciate all that we have shared with you.”
“Thanks for saving my life,” Bown yelled out. Many of the Antorans laughed.
I grinned despite my nerves. “Yes, and all the near-death experiences.”
They laughed again, and I felt them warming to me.
My smile faded as I continued earnestly, “You've been through so much more than any other group of people I have ever known, yet you continue to help each other keep going, to lift your neighbor up when things get rough. It's because of your spirit of love and devotion to each other that we decided we had to do something about your trek from your homes to our lands where your reception was to be hostile at the very least.”
I glanced down at Andric again; he was looking out at his people, judging their reaction to my words. “We've been in contact with our families since we arrived here, and decided it was time to put that contact to good use.”
I motioned for the other Crowns to stand up so I wasn't the only one taking the credit for the work that we had done. Trevin caught my encouraging nod and smiled at the crowd of listening Antorans. “Our parents, the royal Kings and Queens of Denbria below the mountains, have agreed to welcome you into our countries with open arms.”
He nudged Tisha so that she could take part in the miracle she had sparked. She smiled with tears in her eyes. “As we speak, houses are being prepared for you so that when you arrive, you have somewhere to call home.”
A cheer, louder than we had expected, went up in a roar from the Antorans. Tears slid down cheeks and husbands hugged wives, giving view to the fears and worries they had kept locked away for so long, troubles that were now eased. They would not be turned away; they would be welcomed.
Cries of thanks and blessings were called out to us and I heard our names praised. I sat down, my heart heavy at the thought that at least two countries would be off-limits to these wonderful people. Someone grabbed my hand; I looked over to see Andric staring at me.
“Did you do this?” he asked; his eyes were bright and wet with tears that threatened to spill over.
I shook my head. “Tisha started it, but everyone's been working on it for over a week now.” I faltered. “There're two countries where Antorans won't be welcome, though.”
From my dark expression, Andric guessed it. “Zalen?”
I nodded. “And Faer. Landis has been working at it as hard as I have, but our fathers won't budge.”
He squeezed my hand. “It doesn't matter.” His voice was so soft that I could barely hear it above the clamor in the room even though we were only a seat apart. “I owe you everything, all of you.”
I shook my head. “We owe you.”
“Yes,” Landis said as he sat down on the Prince's other side. “We've learned more this winter than you probably imagine.”
Kaerdra took her seat between Andric and I. Everyone beamed with the joy that they were able to share. They told Landis and I that we should join in as well, that we had worked as hard as the rest and deserved to celebrate.
“All that matters is that my people have somewhere to go,” Andric said in a voice tight with emotion. He rose to his feet and held up a glass of pumpkin milk sweetened with honey. “To the Crown Princes and Princesses of Denbria!”
“To the Crown Princes and Princesses of Denbria,” the Antorans repeated in a cheer that echoed off the walls.
Chapter 25
Letters detailing the preparations that were being made for the Antorans and for our homecoming started to arrive every day. We answered them as quickly as we could; Landis and I helped the others in the absence of the multitude of letters from our own countries. I kept hoping that somehow our parents' attitudes would soften as the excitement that flowed from the other countries continued, but it never did. My parents wrote about how happy they were that the pass would be open soon, but they said nothing in reply to my pleas to change their minds about the Antorans.
Ayd came unexpectedly into the breakfast room about a week after we told the Antorans our plan. We were still eating following an especially intense training session, and everyone waved to him over our food. He grinned and held Nyssa when she ran up to him, kissed her soundly, then proceeded to my side.
“He wouldn't listen to me, Princess Kit,” Kimber protested, running into the room. “I told him you were at breakfast and not to be disturbed.”
“It's alright,” I reassured her. “He doesn't disturb us.”
The others watched him expectantly. Andric had joined us since the dinner to help with planning; he now watched the Hawkmaster with a hint of amusement in his eyes at Ayd's infatuation with Princess Nyssa and her returned affection. This was obviously something he hadn't seen.
I realized that Ayd was waiting for me. I turned to him and the sparkle in his eyes made me pause. The only thing that would bring it was good news, and undoubtedly something he had seen from Rush since he kept his word and never read our letters. What would Rush have shown him?
I accepted the letter he held out to me with shaking hands. I rose from the table and my eyes took in my name written in a hand I knew by heart, but one I hadn't seen in a very long time. “Rory,” I breathed. I tore open the seal and my eyes flew through his brief letter, written faintly but still in his hand.
Kit, I miss you so much and I’m finally getting well enough that Father might let me go at least to Eskand when the pass opens. I would have written earlier, but I had to be sure I was getting over this. I feel stronger now, and have finally convinced Mother she doesn’t have to hover beside my bed day and night. She really needs a rest. But now I’m rambling. I just can’t wait to see you again. I can’t believe all you’ve gone through. Your letters helped me hold on. And I am stronger. You won’t have to carry everything on your shoulders anymore. I need to say goodbye, though I don’t want to go. It’s amazing how quickly I still get tired, but I am getting better. The pass will be open soon, and I can’t wait to see you.
Love, Rory
Tears clouded my eyes and prevented me from reading the letter again.
“Is something wrong?” Kaerdra asked next to me. She touched my arm.
I shook my head and cleared my eyes. “It's from Rory; he's getting better,” I said in disbelief; the reality still danced in front of me as I tried to grasp the fact that I wouldn't go home to say goodbye to my older brother.
“Better?” Kaerdra asked. Hope rang in her voice and her eyes shone.
I nodded and she surprised me by grabbing my hands and spinning me around while she laughed. “Of course he's alright; you said he would be! You never gave up hope!”
“I didn't, did I?” I said when we stopped. “I knew he'd get better. He just had to!” I looked around at the grinning faces that surrounded me, then glanced up at the Prince at the end of the table.
Andric's eyes met mine and it felt as if a bolt of lightning jumped straight from him into me. Hope warred with doubt in his eyes, fear tangled with possibility. The Crowns looked between us, but I couldn't tear my eyes away.
Andric opened his mouth to speak when the door flew open again.
“Crown Prince Andric,” a soldier said breathlessly, “The pass is open and a large troop of soldiers is heading straight for us.”
Andric stared at me for a second longer, then blinked and turned his head, breaking the spell. The guard repeated his words and Andric rose to his feet. “We'd better be ready,” he said. Without glancing back at me, he left the room.
I looked at the other Princes and Princesses; they stared back at me. I shook my head. “We'd better get ready, too. This is going to be rough.” We all knew that I didn't mean just meeting our families.
***
It was Andric's idea that we meet them on foot outside the city boundaries to lower hostility and prevent any of the Antorans from being inadvertently harmed. Much to Captain Jashe’s dismay, Andric made the soldiers and the three younger wolves stay quite a distance back, well outside the range to protect him if he was attacked. Instead, Prince Andric walked forward with only Bayn at his side. The rest of us followed with foreboding that increased at every step.
It was easy to tell when our fathers and guards recognized us for who we were, because they spurred their mounts and galloped haphazardly across the snow-covered field that stood between us. My father took the lead, and before he reached us he held up a hand. The others slowed immediately, having obviously designated him as the leader of their expedition. Father and King Fasred, Landis' father, dismounted their horses and walked quickly toward us. The others waited behind them anxiously on mounts who looked exhausted from the trek through the mountains.
Father’s eyes sought me out and I saw the relief in them when he found me unharmed. He looked at the others in turn, then his eyes came to rest on Prince Andric who stood before us.
I had never seen Andric look the way he did now. His head was bowed and he held his hands behind his back, his feet spread slightly apart as if he gave himself up to whatever method of punishment they chose. Royalty in Denbria were forbidden to bow to each other, giving one line or heir precedence over any of the others, but Andric's posture was the closest thing to pure submissive sorrow I had ever seen. Bayn sat silently beside him clearly under direction from Andric, his eyes low even though the Kings strode toward them with possible ill-intent.
The corner of Father’s mouth lifted in the slightest hint of a smile, then it disappeared.
“I deeply apologize for any harm my actions have caused,” Andric said in a low, almost expressionless tone. “Do with me what you will.”
