“I’ll give you twenty silver marks for the lot.”
“Twenty gold,” Lexi replied.
“Now you’re trying to rob me,” he sputtered. “I don’t even have twenty gold crowns. What do you think I am, a fat merchant?”
“You have the coin,” Lexi said. “You just don’t want to part with it.”
“I’ll give you ten gold crowns.”
“Ten gold, ten silver,” Lexi countered.
“You keep bringing your goods to me,” Rubin told her as he dropped the coins into a small pouch. “That’s ten gold, five silver, and that’s only because I like you.”
“The feeling is mutual,” Lexi said, holding up a hand.
“Don’t be a stranger,” he said as he tossed the pouch to her.
“Thanks,” Lexi said, before hurrying back out the door.
Lifting the beam that the big man had used to secure the front door to the hovel made Lexi nervous. She was exposed and something told her danger was close by. She wrestled the heavy beam out of the rack that held the door closed. Then she bolted out the door, glancing over her shoulder, but not seeing anyone behind her.
Lexi felt nervous, she wasn’t used to carrying so much coin. In fact, as she thought about it, she had more money in the coin pouch that she had tucked into one of the hidden inner pockets of her tunic than she had ever had at one time before. She didn’t like that the money made her a target. She preferred to stay below the radar, and she hoped that the usual brigands that loitered around the fence’s hovel would be with the crowds near the Earl’s palace and not following her. A pouch with ten gold crowns was more than enough for most outlaws to kill for.
Lexi hurried around the wide city. She didn’t know when Tiberius would be banished, or what it would be like when it happened, but she had a few things to take care of before that happened. Her first stop was the last place she’d seen Tiberius. She knew he would need what was in the pack he’d hidden a couple days earlier. It was actually fortuitous that Ti had been planning to leave. Everything he would need would be hidden behind the stack of old crates just outside the gate that led down to the city’s produce fields.
She was surprised to find two packs instead of one, but after a quick examination of the contents, she hoisted them both and began her journey to the south side of the city. It was a long walk and the packs were heavy, but a couple hours later, she found herself near the city’s southern gate. The city still seemed deserted, and she hoped her luck would hold a little longer. She needed horses and tack. She made her way down to a stable and made a quick pass, looking to see if anyone was around. The smell of the horses was strong near the stable, a mixture of sweat, oats, and manure. She ducked inside and found half a dozen horses in the various stalls. She decided only to take four, but she needed saddles too.
After exploring the stable, she finally came to a tack room. She found saddles, but they were heavy. It took all of her strength to heft the leather saddles. She carried the first one to the nearest stall and set it on the ground. Then she went back for a blanket. She had never saddled a horse, but she had seen it done a few times. She found horse blankets and carried one to the nearest horse. She opened the stall and stepped inside. The horse eyed her and puffed air out its mouth, causing its lips to flap.
She realized that she was out of her depth, but she was determined to get the horse saddled.
“Easy,” she said. “Easy there horse. I’m not here to hurt you.”
The horse ducked its head twice, as if it understood what she had said. She raised the blanket up and realized that she wasn’t tall enough to saddle the horse. She could toss the blanket across the horse’s back, but not the heavy saddle.
“Okay, I’ll be right back,” she said as she slipped out of the stall.
The horse watched her with a bored expression. She needed something to stand on if she was going to get the saddle on the horse. She went back into the tack room and was rewarded with a set of wooden steps. The steps were even heavier than the saddle, and the best she could do was drag the wooden steps out into the main room of the stable. She decided she would be better off moving the horses out of their stalls and to the steps, rather than trying to move the heavy wooden box.
She went back into the tack room and found a bridle. The first horse was waiting for her.
“Okay,” she told the horse. “I’m going to put this on you now, let’s just stay calm. Everything is going to be alright.”
The horse, seeing the bridle, lowered its head and Lexi slipped the bridle over its ears and adjusted the bit into the horse’s mouth. The beast nodded as if it approved. Then Lexi swung the stall door open wide and led the horse out. It was a docile animal and waited while she stepped up the three-step stool and settled the saddle onto its back. Then she fastened the straps that hung below the animal’s belly and led the horse outside where she tied it to a post. There was still no sign of anyone in the city.
She went back in and repeated the process. She could tell that the horses she was stealing weren’t thoroughbreds. Most likely they were plow horses, but they were used to being around humans and didn’t seem to mind that she really didn’t know what she was doing. She saddled three more horses and slung Tiberius’ packs over the saddle horn of the last horse. Then she used the long reins to tie the horses together and led them up toward the big gate on the highest level of the city. The horses balked a little at the stairs, but after some encouragement, they followed Lexi easily enough.
She was almost to the gate when a man stepped out in front of Lexi. He had a scar on his face that ran from his cheek to the mangled flesh of a ruined ear, and then up into his greasy hair. He smiled at her, revealing black teeth.
“You’re a strange one,” the man said. “What are you doing with those horses?”
“Let me pass,” Lexi said. “I’m not looking for trouble.
“Hand over the money Rubin gave you, and maybe we’ll let you live.”
Lexi sighed. The poor wretch wasn’t even good at stealing.
“Not likely,” she said confidently.
The man didn’t have weapon that Lexi could see, but she guessed he had something hidden in his filthy clothes.
“Why’d you wait so long to make your move?” she asked.
“Just to see what you were up to,” the man said as he moved closer. “I ain’t the type that horns in on another man’s action.”
“But you’ll take a woman’s hard earned money, is that how it works?”
“Lookie here, I’m not an unreasonable man. I know Rubin gave you gold and silver. I tell you what. You come with me, give me the gold, and I’ll protect you.”
Lexi laughed.
“What’s so funny?” the man said, his brows knitting together so that his face was pinched with anger.
“You don’t look like you can take care of yourself, much less look after anyone else.”
“I’ve killed plenty,” the man snarled. “Don’t think I won’t do the same to you, little girl.”
“I think the only thing you’ve ever killed was a good time,” Lexi said.
The man was reaching into his shirt for a weapon when a horse behind Lexi neighed and then kicked. The man in front of Lexi had an accomplice who had been sneaking up behind her, but he had come too close to the horses and one of them had kicked him in the shoulder. The man went sprawling into the street, screaming in pain. The horses began to sidle away from the screaming figure on the ground. Lexi turned to them and spoke softly.
When she turned around the first man was gone. She didn’t know if he had simply abandoned the plan when his accomplice got hurt, or if he was waiting to ambush her. She moved on, continuing to try and soothe the horses and keep an eye out for the incompetent rake at the same time.
She reached the gate unmolested and waited for the soldiers who were stuck guarding the wooden structure to appear. After a few moments they did. There were three of them, all with spears and wearing armor.
�
�What’s this?” asked one of the guards.
“I’m leaving the city,” the girl said. “Could you open the gate for me?”
“The gates don’t open for anyone,” said the guard.
“Not the big gate,” Lexi said. “Just that small door there.”
She pointed at the side door that was built into the larger wooden gate. No armed force had ever attacked Avondale, and no traders had ever approached the city. The walls protected them from the huge creatures that sometimes climbed the mountain, but as far as Lexi could remember, the big wooden doors of the gates had not been opened in her lifetime. The north gate by the Earl’s palace, and the southern gate which was where Lexi had taken the horses, both had smaller doors to allow people in and out. The walls sometimes needed maintenance and occasionally people were banished, a fate considered worse than death in Avondale.
“I can’t do that without my captain’s orders?” the soldier informed her.
“Could we ask your captain?”
“He’s not here,” said the soldier.
“He’s with everyone else watching the banishments,” another of the three soldiers said.
“So if you let me out, no one will know,” Lexi said.
“Can’t do it,” the first guard said again. “Why would you want to leave the city anyway?”
“It’s obvious isn’t it,” said the other soldier. “She’ll be taking those horses to Commander Rafe and the Earl’s son.”
“They don’t deserve horses,” said the first soldier.
“Look, I’ve got some gold here,” Lexi said, holding out three of the gold crowns the fence Rubin had paid her for the stolen goods. “Can’t you just let me slip out? No one needs to know.”
The soldiers looked at each other. The first one shrugged and the second one nodded. Then they turned back to Lexi.
“Three gold crows each!” said the first soldier.
“Don’t be greedy,” said the second.
“It’s alright,” Lexi said.
She pulled out the coins and gave three to the first two men. The third soldier just shook his head.
“No,” he said. “I don’t want your money. What the Earl is doing to Commander Rafe isn’t right. You tell him Nory said so.”
“Okay,” Lexi said. “I will.”
“Open the gate, Nory,” said the first soldier.
“Wait, you’ve got those horses saddled wrong,” said the soldier named Nory.
He showed her what each of the straps were and how to cinch them up properly. He adjusted the stirrups on the dark horse that Lexi had first saddled and was using to lead the others so that she could ride if she wanted to. The other two soldiers watched quietly nearby. Once Nory and Lexi had the horses saddled correctly, he opened the small door and held it for her.
The door was large enough for the horses to file through one at a time. Lexi felt strange stepping out beyond the walls of Avondale. It was the first time she had seen the rugged landscape of the mountain slanting down toward the thick mist that hid the blighted lands. When the soldiers closed the city door behind her, she felt a wave of fear. For a moment she wanted to turn back, but then she thought of Tiberius and she hardened her resolve. There was a hard packed dirt path that ran just beside the towering stone walls. She glanced up and saw that the parapet along the top of the wall jutted out so that if she stayed close to the city walls, she wouldn’t be seen by the soldiers along the top.
“Alright,” Lexi said, returning to the first horse she had saddled. “I think I’ll call you Shadow.”
The horse nodded again, its dark brown hide seemed to blend into the shadow from the massive walls. She patted its neck and took a deep breath. She was facing so many unknowns. She had no idea what to expect outside the city walls. She had no idea how Tiberius would react to her just showing up after he and the others had been banished. And she had no idea how to ride a horse, but she was determined to learn.
“This is my first time,” she told Shadow. “Let’s take it nice and slow.”
The horse neighed and Lexi took that as a good sign. She reached up and took hold of the saddle horn. She had to raise her leg high to slip her foot into the stirrup. Then, throwing caution to the wind, she hopped upward, pulling with her hands and slinging her opposite foot over the saddle and sliding into the smooth leather seat.
“Okay, okay,” she said, trying to calm her nerves.
Shadow looked bored. Lexi slid her other foot into the stirrup and then took hold of the reins. She felt strange on the back of the horse. It was so different, and it seemed so high up that it made her nervous.
“Let’s go,” Lexi said, nudging the horse lightly with her feet.
Shadow plodded along at a slow walk. From the saddle, the movement was awkward to Lexi. There was both an up and down motion and a side to side sway as the horse followed the path. Lexi was glad the horse didn’t need her to guide it, or that it didn’t go too fast. She held the reins in one hand and had a death clutch on the saddle horn with the other. After a while, she began to relax and slowly she made her way around Avondale, back toward the northern gate, where the city waited to see their brightest and best be banished.
Chapter 22
Tiberius
Leonosis walked briskly down the hall in front of Tiberius, who was surrounded by four armed men. Tiberius had never felt threatened by the soldiers in his father’s war band until that moment. The soldiers refused to look at him with anything but suspicion and Tiberius wondered what they really thought of Rafe’s actions over the past few days.
They went back up to the lavish guest quarters and Leonosis led Tiberius into the King’s large sitting room. The King was sitting in the same chair, nursing the same goblet of wine as when Tiberius had been shown into the room the day before. He didn’t seem to take any notice of them whatsoever.
“We don’t need guards,” Tiberius’ father barked from where he stood by an open window. “He’s not a criminal.”
Leonosis waved to the guards who hurried back out of the room and closed the heavy wooden door. Tiberius stood in the center of the room and waited for the lecture he expected from his father, but it was Leonosis who spoke.
“I will never understand you, brother,” he said as he dropped into a chair near the King. “I hand you your revenge on a silver platter, and yet you stab me in the back and side with that oaf.”
“Rafe is not an oaf, he’s the most promising warrior in your war band.”
“He’s a fool who threw his life away for a wench. And here you are, following his lead. I swear, brother, you make me feel ill.”
“Your punishment was excessive,” Tiberius said. “Have you no honor? What about the agreement you had with Rafe?”
“I had no agreement with him,” Leonosis said.
“You lie as if it were your native language.”
“And you vex me with your self-righteous tirades. You have no idea what is expected of a leader, much less an Earl. You think the world is so black and white, but you are wrong, Tiberius, and you will learn the truth soon enough.”
Princess Ariel came out of her room and into the large sitting room. She had removed her armor and was wearing a silk gown that was tailor-made to fit the curves of her lithe body. Her hair was down, and her lips seemed especially red. She smiled at Tiberius.
“You are a curious one,” she said.
“He’s a fool,” Leonosis said softly.
“I have petitioned my father and yours,” she went on. “They agree that banishment is not the best punishment for you. If punishment is needed at all. The last I heard, loyalty was not a crime.”
“That depends on who a person is loyal to,” growled Earl Aegus.
“My daughter wants a new pet, that is all that matters,” said King Aethel.
“I’m no one’s pet,” Tiberius said.
“No, you are not,” Princess Ariel said. “In fact, you surprise me with your boldness. I like you, Tiberius, and I wanted a chance to talk wit
h you. Come with me, a little privacy is called for.”
“Don’t bring any more shame on my house,” threatened Tiberius’ father.
“Don’t worry,” the Princess said playfully. “I’m sure Tiberius will be on his best behavior.”
She led him back to her room and closed the door. Tiberius felt excited and repulsed at the same time. The King seemed somehow as if he were in a trance and both Tiberius’ father and brother seemed out of their depth. The only person that appeared to be in control, or to have any power for that matter, was Princess Ariel. Tiberius thought she was beautiful, but also strangely sinister. He could feel magic swirling around her, almost like a protective storm was encircling her. He was flattered that she wanted to be with him, even if it wasn’t in a romantic fashion, and at the same time he wanted to get as far away from her as possible. He feared that if he stayed with her too long that he would fall under her spell and lose himself. Still, he was intrigued that she was familiar with magic. She was the only person to speak to him about his own power without being repulsed.
“Wine?” she offered, pouring some dark red wine into a crystal goblet.
“No,” he said. “Thank you.”
“Come, sit down,” she said, waving her hand at a chair by the window. “I won’t bite.”
He moved across the room and sat down, but found it impossible to relax. He sat on the edge of his chair, his feet poised beneath him in case he needed to spring up and flee. Princess Ariel sipped her wine and sat down in a chair next to him.
“Avondale is a lovely place,” she said as she gazed out the window.
From where they sat, they could see the city curving inward in both directions and the lush fields and forest running down the extinct volcano’s cone. In the distance, the sun sparkled off the lake.
“It is,” he agreed.
“It’s a shame you’re so hell-bent on leaving.”
“I don’t want to leave,” Tiberius said. “But I can’t stay. My family doesn’t want me here anyway. They were sending me to the temple to become a Paladin.”
The Princess laughed.
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