“Well, Kevin, what do we do now?” Seth inquired, breaking the tense silence. “Jonathan’s gone, Obrae’s gone, Theoverus’s gone.”
Hopelessness made the air thick and heavy. Contessa bent down, murmuring in Addison’s ear, “Sweetie, why don’t you go with Tawnya and get the beds all made downstairs while Mommy and Daddy talk.” The girl tightened her hug for just a moment more before turning and taking Tawnya’s hand. Mark and Seth moved the rug from the middle of the small room to reveal a cellar’s door. Dust swirled in the air as the door creaked open.
Linda handed her a candle and the two girls headed down the ladder into the darkness. Tawnya dared not look at Mark. “Here you go, Addie, take the candle while I finish climbing down.” The girl carefully held the little light. Once she was on the ground, the men lowered the door back down but left the rug to the side, allowing fresh air into the dank room.
The small room had an embracing closeness that helped her feel a little more secure. Taking the candle from Addison, Tawnya placed it in a notch on the support beam and surveyed the cellar. The walls were lined with their eleven secret survival packs. She never imagined that those packs would be used. Twice a cycle, Obrae hosted the Dinner, and they would renew the packs’ stock. It was more like a ceremony, like a tradition to remember their ancestor’s plight. Was this the life of Traitors all around Lesira? Tawnya stood still as the group discussed their troubles.
“...and what if Blaze didn’t stop them all. What happens when they come looking here?” Kevin asked.
“Do you think the whole town would betray us like that?” came her mother’s shocked voice. “We’ve lived in Srift just as long as they have. Do we need to run?”
“And where would we run?” Contessa added. “We are the furthest from any town in Lesira...”
“Addie, let’s take the blankets and pads from the packs and lay them down for everyone. Do you remember which one is yours?” Tawnya tried to distract the girl and herself.
“Yeah, the one with the dotted blanket,” Addison answered hoarsely. Walking to the smaller middle pack, Addison untied the wool blanket and showed it to Tawnya, her brown eyes glossy in the candle light.
Tawnya smiled, “Do you remember why yours is all dotty?”
“Glenda made it specially for me.”
Tawnya started to untie and lay the blankets down, trying to not think about how there would be three extra.
Addison continued, “Obrae asked me which sheep was my favorite. It was my birthday, and he said that Glenda was going to make me a special blanket.”
Addison went quiet, fighting not to cry. “Why didn’t Glenda tell them that I am a good girl?” Tawnya rushed over to the girl and quickly hugged her.
“No, Addie, shhh.” She struggled to answer Addison’s question because she also couldn’t understand the betrayal of the entire village. “Okay, Addie, how about you tell me your favorite True King story. You are such a good storyteller, perhaps you can be the storyteller of our Family.”
The girl smiled. “I’d like that.”
Tawnya smiled back. “Well, then. Settle into this cozy blanket like a true storyteller and tell me your favorite True King story.”
After pondering for a breath, Addison looked to Tawnya with a shy smile. “My favorite is when the True King first found us in the Wilderness.”
Tawnya smiled back, “I like that one, too. Please tell it.”
Addison wrapped her black and white blanket around herself and began her tale as Tawnya finished unfolding the rest of the blankets.
“A long time ago, so long that my grandparents’ grandparents weren’t born, we lived in the land called the Wilderness. It was a scary land, full of large monsters. Our people were like the monsters, though. We didn’t have families; we didn’t have houses. We took what we could find, even if it was someone else’s.
“There was one man out hunting when a giant cohe attacked him. He shot arrows at it, but they just bounced off of the monster’s skin. When he ran out of arrows, he threw rocks at it, but they also bounced off of its skin. In fact, they only made it madder...”
Addison yawned and leaned against Tawnya as she sat next to the girl, wrapping a blanket around herself. Those upstairs were still debating on what to do, stay or go. Voices would raise and fall, but the conversation never made progress. They were so lost. “So, what happened to the hunter, Addie?”
Addison continued the story in the hazy voice of a child called to sleep. “When it seemed as if the hunter would see no more days, a strange man came out of the woods and fought the cohe. With a mighty sword, he slayed the monster and saved the hunter. The hunter prepared to fight the man because no one saved others unless they wanted the loser’s stuff. But he was also scared of the man with the glowing stick; he had never seen a sword before...”
Looking down, Tawnya found the girl fast asleep, finally free of the day’s terrors. She lowered Addison onto her mat and also settled down.
“Contessa! Are you saying that you wish we had just been killed?” came her father’s condescending voice.
Contessa’s near hysteric voice squeaked, “No, I just...”
“I see her point, though, dear,” pleaded her mother. “If we can’t go back, where are we to go? Word will get out about what has happened in Srift, so we can’t dream of entering another village or town together. Are you suggesting that we live in these woods as nomads?”
Kevin sighed, and Tawnya pictured him squeezing the bridge of his nose, as he did when patience was tried. “No, Linda, I am not suggesting that we live as nomads. Do you think that I wish to regress back to our ancestors? If you’re so unhappy with how I’m trying to fix this, why don’t you...”
“Enough.” Rick’s deep voice rumbled the cabin to silence. “We are all tired, lost, and terrified. While I don’t have a remedy for the later two, I believe that we will all say things that we regret if we don’t get some sleep now. Kevin and I will take first watch, why don’t the rest of you join Tawnya and Addison. Mark and Seth, I’ll wake you for the morning watch.”
Everyone agreed. As the door opened, Tawnya pretended to be asleep, not wanting to talk just yet. The four crept down and found their pads, Linda and Contessa at her feet, Mark and Seth on the other side of the ladder. Darkness replaced the red glow of her eyelids as someone blew the candle out.
The cabin settled into an uneasy silence, and her meandering thoughts stirred. They wondered toward the absence of Theoveus, Jonathan, and Obrae, and she quickly thought of Blaze. However, the death of all those Urlificans began to haunt her. Blaze had done that to save them. Surely such an act could be redeemed. It had to be redeemed. The only person she knew who could affirm her beliefs was Theo, but he was no longer with them. Fear and an aching mourning gripped her heart as she thought of all of her loved ones, of all the pain, danger, and death that they endured. Silent tears cooled her face. What was to happen to them? Slowly, from one corner of her mind, sleep began to numb her aching heart until she knew nothing.
The creak of the old ladder scared her awake as the men groggily replaced each other, and she tried to fall back to sleep unsuccessfully. Blaze kept entering her mind along with her Family’s reaction to her friend’s rescue. She didn’t shy away from yesterday’s memories any more. Those were now part of her past and could not be erased. She could only move forward as the True King would see fit, which included a few apologies to her Family.
Seth left the cabin to check the grounds. Giving up on sleep, Tawnya got up and climbed the ladder, gratefully inhaling the fresh air of the cabin above. Mark’s silhouette turned from his watch at the window as she ascended, dawn’s pale light making the window stand out from the wall. She suddenly felt shy, ashamed of her behavior the previous day. They awkwardly stood, wanting to embrace but unsure whether to approach the other. Finally, they apologized at the same time.
“I’m sorry.”
The words erased any barriers between them, and they stepped into each other’s
arms. Mark was so gently strong. His arms were toned from constant digging, pruning, and picking but not constrictive as many other men’s occupations awarded them. He wrapped a cocoon of warmth and protection around her, and she couldn’t imagine living without him, let alone remaining angry. A tinge of guilt at the peace she was feeling made her pull away. She looked up into his brown eyes reflecting the new light of the day and smiled.
Mark smiled back, but he couldn’t hide his concern from her. “Tawnya, I couldn’t sleep last night knowing that you thought ill of me. I shouldn’t have supported what was being said of Blaze, but I couldn’t support letting you go after her, either.”
She sighed and pressed closer into his arms before releasing and stepping to the window, watching the dawn awaken. Was Blaze awake? Was she safe enough to notice the beautiful morning?
“I can’t in good conscience throw her to fate like you would a chance occurrence.”
“And I understand,” Mark continued. “I didn’t know her as well as you, but I did...do admire her spirit and independence. While her actions yesterday were repulsive, I am ashamed to admit that she achieved something I couldn’t. She saved you. She saved all of us. For that, I am indebted to her and hope, by the True King’s will, that I can someday repay it...”
“Then, why couldn’t we start repaying her by having her travel with us?” Tawnya turned from the window. The question had the slightest edge to it, but she would remain civil. Mark looked away, the line of his jaw twitched. He was holding his tongue, not saying what she knew he was thinking. Reaching over and taking his hand, she tried to make her point in a gentler way. “I’m not trying to hurt you, Mark, but I am also not as naive as some may think. I know what people think of Blaze, and I can understand their slanted views. I just want you to say the real reason for letting Blaze run her own way, the reason everyone let her pass. It wasn’t because of a law of the True King.”
Mark remained quiet for a while. Slowly, the sun’s rays began to transform the outside world. Dull color ripened into the deeper hues of spring’s living palette as a few bird notes crescendoed into morning’s song. A new day arrived.
Mark sighed. “Blaze wouldn’t belong with our Family, but it isn’t as if she tried to belong. While I truly do admire her, her independence and...well, ferocity...made her seem like a bristling cat. She wasn’t shy about her rejection of the True King, either. Who’s to say she would even want to travel with us?” His shoulders hunched, and he dared not look at her, waiting for her anger.
Tawnya surprised him by grabbing both of his hands and folding their arms up, bringing the two closer together. “As I said, I just wanted to hear you say it. If we go around claiming that we act in the name of the True King and judge others by their supposed intentions, I feel that we must realize what our actions and intentions are as well. Otherwise, our whole society will be as lost and forsaken as Blaze. What kind of kingdom would that be for the True King to return to?” Looking into his downcast face, she forced him to return her gaze.
A smile warmed his face, “Tawnya, you are the maiden of my heart. Wisdom, honesty, and the True King guide you.”
“And you are my strong prince of poetic verse who...”
There was a soft rap on the door, making both of them jump. Mark quickly twisted, putting himself between the sounding door and Tawnya. That gave Tawnya a new view out the window, where Seth stood. “Mark! It’s Seth.” Seth saw her in the window and waved. Tawnya smiled and waved back as Mark stepped toward the door, removing the heavy chair in front of it.
Once finding Obrae’s cabin door off of its hinges, they discovered that his famous oak and sheepskin chair was the only item large enough to hold the door in place. Mark strained to lift the makeshift barricade away from the door, and Tawnya carefully eased the door open then back shut once Seth was in.
“Good morning, Tawnya. Thank you,” he whispered as Mark replaced the chair.
“How is it out there?” she asked.
“Still, save for the spring-time craze,” he looked at both of them with a hint of a smile. “I didn’t interrupt anything did I? Did you two declare without me?” Tawnya’s cheeks heated.
Mark sighed, “Unfortunately no.” She looked back at him. The desire to finally declare themselves had almost been fulfilled, only to be interrupted by the Urlificans. A sudden tightness in her chest at the thought of how the Urlificans had changed their lives surprised her.
The floor creaked as Linda emerged from the cellar. “Good morning,” she whispered and tentatively started to hug Tawnya. Rushing into her mother’s arms, Tawnya apologized for her previous behavior. “No, dear, it’s alright. We were all a little short yesterday. I am just glad to wake up this morning with my Family around me” Linda smiled at Mark and Seth.
Like a whip crack, a distant shout introduced the crescendoing patter of an approaching horse. Everyone froze. Tawnya’s heart quickened, wondering if Blaze was returning; however, the horse was coming from town. They anxiously gathered at the window, curious about who was approaching.
“Get down!” Seth exclaimed as a rider in a red tunic burst from the trail.
“Whoa!” The Junior Officer demanded of the huffing horse. The Traitors listened in terrified silence as the Urlifican stopped between the barn and cabin. “BLAZE! SHOW YOURSELF,” his grizzled voice pierced the silence. Kevin’s head shot from the cellar, and Seth quickly silenced him. “Urlifican,” the blacksmith mouthed, and Kevin’s face drained of color. He looked down, repeated the news, and proceeded to quietly climb into the cabin, followed by Rick.
Seth eased up to spy on the Urlifican outside. Mark grabbed hold of the fire poker and tried to ease Tawnya into a corner behind him. The fear of capture whirled around her, making her feel faint. She called upon the True King for strength. The Urlifican’s boots paced back and forth along the graveled ground. “He’s studying the ground,” Seth breathed. A latch clicked, the gate creaked, and he remounted with a grunt.
“Hya!” and the horse squealed as it was forced to gallop once again.
Everyone remained still for a long time after the Urlifican left, afraid that he might return. Rick broke the silence with his low voice, “We must get out of here.”
Linda quickly got up and shooed the men out of the way. “Tawnya, stand on the ladder while Contessa and I pass you the packs.”
“Addie, start rolling up the mats, sweetie,” Contessa’s shaky voice whispered.
Tawnya did as she was told, trying not to let her shivering show. Had the Urlifican not been so focused on Blaze, they would have been found out. What would they have done? Blaze had saved them twice.
With packs on their backs, Rick, Seth, and Kevin each carrying the spares, they prepared to leave. “Where will we go?” Contessa questioned with doubt in her voice.
Kevin sighed, but before he retorted, Seth calmed his wife. “I think we should head to the fireleaf cave. Few know about it, and we can decide what to do there.”
“Do you know how to get there?” Rick asked.
“Yes,” Seth nodded. “I thought it might be a good place to hide should this happen, so I asked Obrae where it was.”
“By the King...” Mark’s horrified whisper caused all to glance toward the window he was staring through. Seth muffled Contessa’s scream, Kevin grabbed Linda and Tawnya, and Rick yanked his son away from the window.
Like a gray boulder, the cohe glided down the mountain at a gut wrenching pace, wings half extended. It’s death scream paralyzed all of the Traitors with fear as it rushed toward the cabin. “My King, my King, my King,” Contessa sobbed, with Seth trying to quiet her. Its shadow crossed the cabin, and Tawnya watched as the beast flew to the far side of the field, landing on two terrified sheep. She looked away from the carnage, tears of fear sliding down her face. All was deathly quiet as the Traitors waited like rabbits in a burrow with the fox outside.
“It knows!” Contessa whimpered. “It knows we’re here. It’s looking, looking right at me!�
�� The woman clutched her daughter as both cried uncontrollably.
“Tessa, it’ll be alright. Please,” Seth pleaded while embracing his family and leading them to kneel. “It’ll be alright,” he prayed.
Another scream left the monster as the whomp of its huge wings vibrated through the air, and it flew back toward the cabin.
Chapter 6
The rhythmic crunching of Lily’s exhausted progress lulled Blaze into a stupor. Several times she caught her head bobbing forward but shook the threat of sleep off. Distancing herself from Srift took precedence over rest. With the rapidly fading evening light, she had urged the mare to run with abandon. The night was setting his dark grasp on the land by the time she passed Obrae’s farm, forcing her to slow Lily to a walk while forging west. That was the last land she recognized. Now, the moon floated directly above her, and she still pushed Lily away from Srift.
When the ground leapt up to attack her, Blaze instinctively braced herself against Lily’s neck, stopping her steady dive over the mare’s shoulder. Rubbing her eyes to a fuzzy alertness while Lily slurped from a trickling stream, she discovered the moon setting in the north. Perhaps she could stop for the night. Blaze crumbled to the ground with a loud exhale. Lily shied away from her sudden cascade but resorted back to drinking. The thought that she needed to take the tack off of Lily and tie the mare up was smothered by the unrelenting demand of her body for rest...
She was in the great hall of a huge castle. Torches cast their flickering aura dimly upon the ring of oppressing blood-robed spectators; the writhing of their tortured shadows was the only motion. Blaze stood in the middle of the ring, sword prepared for the next attack. Her opponent was standing as her mirror image, his Urlifican leathers and cloak a dull black in the red light. “Pull your hood, you cretin!” she demanded of the unknown assailant. He only stood there with the black hood covering all but his chin. The tautness of that sliver of yellow skin only meant that he was mocking her with a large smirk. Gritting her teeth, she prepared to humor him.
Traitors (The Traitor King Saga Book 1) Page 9
