Arranged

by Spears, Jessica

  "Repeat the orders I gave you last night," Qwinn said sternly.

  Now they both seemed uneasy. The first one spoke up. "You told us to capture the girl before she escaped from the woods."

  The second nodded in agreement.

  "Now tell me, did you follow my orders?"

  The second one swallowed hard, confirming Morinell's story.

  "We captured her, your majesty," the first finally spoke up. The men around them were quiet as they listened to what was going on. A few whispered to each other.

  "Not before you played with her a little though. Or am I wrong?"

  They both cast their eyes down. Qwinn growled slightly, turning his cold black eyes to the men around him. "Those who do not follow my orders will be punished."

  Both men met his eyes with fear. Qwinn motioned for his biggest warrior to step forward. The two tried to hide their quivering.

  "Thirty lashings. No mercy," he ordered. The large warrior nodded, ordering a few warriors around him to grab the two and tie them to the wall as he took hold of his whip.

  Qwinn only stayed for the first two lashings. Their screams filled the night air as he made his way through the hall. He frowned deeply, he hardly felt better from the punishment.

  Suddenly Jabr came racing down the hall. "The Torin have found a way through the south gate!" he blurted.

  As if doused with cold water, Qwinn was instantly awake. "Gather the warriors. We leave immediately."

  Jabr rushed off as the king strode quickly through his castle. He didn't want to alarm his people, however, the Torin were very dangerous. He entered the armory and grabbed a Linus bark shield, along with a sharp sword. Soon others joined him, dressing for battle. Helmets were put on, arrows and bows strapped to backs, daggers placed in holsters, and nets gathered into pouches. Some of his warriors grabbed their slings and stones.

  With a strong jerk of his head, he motioned for his warriors to follow. They hurried to the hills where the Ou'tani grazed. They resembled horses; however, they had long necks and a short face. Their four eyes easily say through the night. The warriors mounted swiftly and were off. The warriors hooted to each other in excitement for a fight. It had been some time since the Torin had breached their borders. Qwinn led the group, needing the fight just as badly as they did. He needed to wipe Alison from his mind, for even a moment. He never felt more alive than during a battle.

  They hurried through the town, the houses packed together slowly growing less and less. They passed the fields where their food was grown and entered the outskirts of his kingdom. Guard towers had been posted all along the wall, but as they grew closer to the south wall, he found that one of the towers had been completely torn to pieces.

  He raised his hand to slow the warriors with him. They dismounted the Ou'tani and tied them to the trees before grabbing their weapons. Every warrior had their eyes scanning the trees and the hole in the wall. Qwinn stepped forward carefully. It was quiet. Too quiet. He knew that the Torin enemy was still out there, waiting. He held up a fist and pointed a finger to the trees. Three nodded and took the lead to the hole. The rest fanned out, each tensed and ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. Qwinn took the middle, heading straight for the hole. He knew the Torin well enough to know that they would not make a way into the city and leave. It was a trap.

  Qwinn peered into the dark trees along the other side of the wall. If he peered hard enough, he could almost see the gray eyes staring back at him. Silence filled the forest and Qwinn tensed. The Torin King flew from the darkness, roaring a signal to the others. The forest was alive with movement as Torin warriors burst through the hole. Qwinn raised his sword and lunged at their king.

  The beast landed on its two powerful hind legs, finding its balance once again on its front two legs. The body of the beast was pure muscle and highly deadly. Qwinn faced his opponent as the men around him fought. He drowned out the sounds of battle and concentrated solely on his enemy. This was not the first time they had dueled. They were both excellent warriors, it was safe to say that they were evenly matched. The beast bared its long fangs, venom dripping to the ground.

  The Torin King was the biggest of them all, and the strongest. Only the most able was allowed to lead. The beast had slick black skin as tough as armor in certain spots. Horns surrounded the crown of his head. They flared out, signifying that the King was challenging Qwinn. Its harsh gray eyes stared back at the Vidarian King, challenging.

  Qwinn gripped his shield tighter and without warning, lunged with his sword aiming between the beast's eyes. The Torin king dodged with grace and snapped its large jaws at Qwinn, coming close to his thigh. Qwinn kept his momentum and spun, swinging the sword dangerously. Again, the beast dodged, roaring a threat.

  Qwinn was not fazed, he studied his opponent with an astute eye, and the only sound to be heard was the thundering of his heart in his ears. The fight was hot in his blood. The beast leapt. Qwinn leapt. They collided in mid air and tumbled to the ground. The beast jostled him, causing the sword to be knocked from Qwinns hand. He cursed under his breath as he rolled quickly away from the beast, who jumped onto its four legs and raced after him, snapping his jaws with every step.

  His hand surrounded the hilt of the sword and he gripped it quickly, laying on his back and swung upward. At the same moment, the Torin King opened its huge jaws and lifted its tongue. Momentarily surprised by the movement, Qwinn paused. The beast meant to spray him with plahass. Such an action was seen as cowardly, and so never used in a fight. Qwinn knew that if the plahass got in his eyes, he would be blinded, just as his father had been by the beast's father.

  The realization snapped Qwinn back to reality. With a grunt of effort, he jabbed the sword up and into the beasts mouth, pinning his tongue to the roof of his mouth. A howl of agony rang through the air as the beast pulled back immediately, scratching at its face, trying to dislodge the sword.

  The warriors from both sides stopped fighting and turned toward their Kings. The Torin beast gargled blood as it fought to pull the dagger from its mouth. Qwinn wasted no time in drawing his dagger and driving it through its lungs. Another cry sounded out as the Torin King crumbled to its belly.

  The Vidarian warriors began to hoot in victory, chasing the Torin into the forest as they retreated. Without their king, victory was impossible. Two brave Torin warriors grabbed their King by his hide and dragged him into the gap in the wall, disappearing into the darkness, before Qwinn could attack him again.

  "Should we follow?" A warrior to Qwinn's side asked.

  The King shook his head. "They will not return."

  Qwinn sucked in a deep breath. The fight had been too easy. He had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time he saw the Torin King.

  Sheathing his sword, he turned to his men. He held up a fist for all to see then brought it to rest on his chest. They hooted and cried out. Others from the forest returned, informing the King that the Torin had crossed back over into their territory.

  The King assigned ten warriors to stay with the hole until someone could patch it. He knew he couldn't hold his other men any longer, their spirits were high, they were itching to return to the palace to celebrate.

  A few were wounded, but no one was beyond repair. His warriors had managed to bring down one of the Torin warriors. Qwinn walked to the body and unsheathed his sword, lifting it over his head. With one swift and powerful motion, he brought the swords down, decapitating the body. His men cheered as one of them grabbed the head and handed it to the king.

  As the Vidarian warriors reached the village, they cried out in victory, drawing people out of their homes. Soon the town was in a celebratory mood. Qwinn, however, was not. The thrill of the battle was quickly fading and thoughts of Alison plagued him once again. Only about an hour from now, Bartus would tell the council of the girls innocence. Then he would be allowed to move her to a more fitting room.

  He held the Torin's head high for all to see as they made their way to the palace.<
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  He ordered the warriors to return to the armory to return their weapons before their night of celebrating. Qwinn kept his armor on. He had a few things to take care of. He found Jabr and ordered him to find a builder to properly mend the wall. He made his way to the kitchens, ordering a large feast for the celebration of their victory. Then he found himself in the halls leading to the dungeon. He paused; did he want to see her? He had been lost in thought and it seemed that his feet had led him here on their own accord.

  With a heavy sigh, he turned away and headed to the armory. Servants helped him strip off his armor and led him to the baths. The baths consisted of large pools, some warmed by the earth and other cool and refreshing. The crystal blue waters called to him, whispering their serenity.

  As he bathed, he could hear the festive music playing in the feasting hall. Qwinn would be expected to join the merriment. He rubbed a hand over his face and sunk lower in the waters. He needed just a moment where all his stress left him alone. Without another thought, he completely submerged himself and swam below the surface. The feeling of gliding through the water with the use of his powerful muscles was almost as good as flying. It worked, for a moment, until Jabr cleared his throat by the side of the water.

  Instantly, all of Qwinn's tension returned as he resurfaced and faced his friend. "What is it?" He asked, a little too gruffly.

  Jabr did not seem to notice. "The council is gathering."

  Qwinn nodded and in one swift motion, he pulled himself out of the water, grabed a towel and began drying off. He quickly dressed, tying a dark blue cloth around his waist and leaving it to hang to his knees with a gold strip of cloth in the front. He also tied his sash around himself, signifying he was royalty.

  When he was ready, he walked with Jabr through the halls to the council room, bracing himself for what was surely to come. Jabr nodded encouragingly as Qwinn opened the doors.

  The members were discussing softly among themselves as the last few men filed into the room. Qwinn took a seat at the head of the table while Bartus took the foot. Once everyone was settled, Bartus banged his staff, calling attention. "Morinell has read the girl," he paused dramatically.

  "And?" Someone finally asked as everyone shifted uncomfortably.

  "She is innocent."

  The room remained silent for a few seconds, then everyone burst into argument. Qwinn grit his teeth. Why was it so bad that Alison was innocent? Bartus banged his staff. "It was an accident."

  "What is the word of one woman?" Someone said loudly, causing the others to uproar.

  "She lies!"

  "The girl killed Lavtis!"

  "Execute her!"

  Qwinn couldn't control his anger anymore. He felt strangely protective of Alison, and they were threatening her life once again. He stood so quickly that his chair skittered backwards and tipped over, banging to the floor. Instantly, the room was silent. Qwinn breathed deeply, trying to fight the urge to slice someone's throat. "It was agreed upon by this council that Morinell would determine the final sentence of Al…the girl. Through her vision, Morinell has seen her innocence. This meeting was not called to sentence her again. It was merely to inform you," he growled. "With all of you as witnesses, the girl is innocent. End of discussion."

  With that, he turned on his heel and banged open the doors. The room was silent behind him.

  Qwinn clenched and relaxed his fists as he walked through his halls. He wanted to hit something. How could he think they would except her innocence and leave them in peace? He was a fool. Hope only brought disappointment.

  Jabr rushed past him, halting and doubling back. "The meeting is over already?" he asked. One look at the King's face and his questions died in his throat. "They ask for you. The celebration is underway."

  Qwinn frowned. "I do not want to go."

  Jabr stepped in the King's path. "Your sister requests your presence."

  Qwinn paused. He adored his sister. He would do anything for her. He sighed heavily. His men would expect an appearance from him. It seemed that nothing was going as it should today. After a moment of tense silence, Qwinn nodded.

  Jabr walked with him to the great feasting hall. They could hear the music playing and his men laughing and being merry without him. It would seem that his sister had allowed the feasting to begin. She probably guessed that he did not want to join.

  Qwinn straightened his sash as Jabr pushed open the large doors. The noise level grew as Qwinn stepped in. People were dancing in the center of the feasting hall; food was laid on tables around the edges. On a dais sat his sister and father on top of a large pile of pillows, overlooking the festivities. She was laughing as she leaned over into his ear and whispered something, causing him to chuckle.

  Though his father couldn't see, Qwinn was more than certain he was watching everything that was going on with his senses.

  Qwinn's twin, Adalia, spotted him and jumped up, her face lit with happiness. Though they were twins, they were as much the same as they were different. His skin was dark, where as hers was a few shades a lighter blue. His eyes were black, where hers were more of a green with a silver ring around the iris. His body had a powerful aura; hers was graceful. However, he loved her as if she were her second half.

  She rushed from the dais, her skirt, which was made from slits of cloth, flowed around her long legs. She threw her arms around him in an embrace. "I knew you would come. Father wouldn't believe me."

  Qwinn hugged his sister back affectionately. "How could I resist your summons dear sister?" he teased as he led her back to the dais. He bowed his head to acknowledge his father, not knowing what to say. He'd burst out of the council chamber like an angry child and he was still angry.

  Qwinn's father, Emrys, nodded back as he motioned him closer. Qwinn sat beside his father on the large pile of pillows.

  "The girl is safe. No one will touch her. Now enjoy your victory and relax." He patted his sons shoulder as he stood and held up his hands. The music stopped playing and the room quieted. "King Qwinn has defeated the Torin king!" His voice boomed.

  A cheer rose up as the people clapped and Qwinn's warriors hooted. "We thank Ahanu for another day of safety."

  Murmurs of prayers were heard throughout the room. Finally Qwinn stood. All eyes were on him. "Let's eat!"

  More cheers rang out as the music started up again and platters of food were brought in. Adalia left the dais and hurried to where the people were dancing, joining in the fun. Emrys chuckled and patted Qwinn's arm, motioning for the servants to bring them drinks. Qwinn smiled for his people. But he couldn't help but slouch against the pillows. He didn't feel merriment like those around him so obviously did. He wanted to be alone.

  A pretty servant girl poured cussa, a sweetened liquor, into a goblet and handed it to the King. He barely noticed her beauty. His mind was far off. He accepted the drink, swishing it in his cup before downing the whole thing. He knew the only way he was going to make it through the rest of the night was by drinking heavily. The girl poured him another, smiling at him.

  He turned away once his cup was filled, looking out over his men. They ate and drank and laughed as they yelled over the music, trying to out-do each other with stories of battle. For a moment, Qwinn wished he was back in the fight. When he was fighting for life and honor there was nothing better. All he had to concentrate on was reading his opponent's next move and trying to outsmart him.

  Qwinn's mind wandered over the many battles he'd taken part in. To one in particular; he had been too young to fight in the war with the humans, but he swore to himself that he would win, if ever he was faced with the opportunity to fight them again.

  He drank two strong gulps, the cussa tingling and warming all the way down his throat and into his stomach. His mind wandered back to when he was a child. He stood next to his mother and sister as they watched from their forest house as the men of the tribe prepared to join the humans in war against a neighboring army. The sun had barely set.

  Qwinn begge
d to join, but his mother would not allow it. Qwinn's father stepped before him and embrace him tightly. "Protect your mother and sister while we're gone," he said.

  As soon as Qwinn nodded, his father moved on to Adalia. She threw her arms around his neck and held tight. Emrys laughed as he detached her. Then he turned to Qwinn's mother. They embraced and kissed. Her arms lingered around him. "Please be careful." She whispered. He kissed her forehead then patted his children's heads.

  The men assembled, Emrys leading the group. He mounted a horse and raised his sword. The men on horses followed, while those on foot marched behind.

  Qwinn pulled free from his mothers arm, and ran after them. She called out to him, but he kept running, wanting to join those marching so that he could fight beside his father. He was only a few months from his tests to prove his manhood. He was eager to show off his skills.

  Jabr rushed beside him, the beginnings of a mustache showing. "Where are you going?"

  "To fight alongside my father."

  "Qwinn!" They heard his mother scream.

  Bartus, who was bringing up the rear, steered his horse to block the young boys. "Return home, young Qwinn."

  Qwinn glared up at him. "I am almost a man. I want to fight!"

  Bartus shook his head, his yellow eyes resting on the boy. "When you become a man, there will be plenty of opportunity to fight. Enjoy being a child. Return home. Protect your family."

  Swishing his drink, Qwinn swallowed the rest, choosing a selection of meat from a tray placed before him. He had not thought back to that day for a long time. That day had changed everything.

  Alison yawned and stretched. It was only after she had recoiled that she realized that something was different. Her eyes popped open in surprise, taking in her surroundings. It was obvious she wasn't in the dungeon anymore.

  Her green eyes scanned the room in amazement and fear. She was lying on a large bed with a canopy draped with a silky blue cloth. Lush blue blankets covered her. She moved her ankles and found herself unshackled. Lifting the blanket, she stepped down carefully from the bed. Someone had lit a few candles to light the room. As far as she could tell, the room only had the essentials, a bed, a dresser, a stool and a bedside table.