by Andi Adams
In the near distance, Agrippine could see a pack of horses led by lanterns and torches galloping straight toward her. She couldn't tell if she was shaking or if it was the quaking Earth that rattled her core.
As the cavalry approached with rapid speed, she grew even more afraid that, in the darkness, they would not see her and would run her down. Conceivably, they could race straight for her and spook her horse, causing her to be thrown and then be trampled under the horses' stomping feet. So many possibilities, all of which left Agrippine paralyzed with fear.
She braced herself, squeezing her thighs around the horse and readjusting the reigns between her moistened fingers. The horse, sensing her nervousness and feeling the stampede nearing, began to backup with small steps. He reared up with little hops, and Agrippine used all of her strength to stay mounted.
But much to her surprise, as the caravan grew closer, it slowed, and the rumble died down. She heard the gruff voices of men approaching.
"You there, halt! I command you.”
As soon as he spoke, Agrippine's worry gave way to annoyance, and she reclaimed her confidence.
Command me? Does he not know who I… oh, ugh. This old lady guise is getting well…old. Okay, lad, I'll play along.
Agrippine dropped the reigns and raised her arms in submission. "Yes, sire. I am not moving."
"Seize her horse. Secure her for questioning."
A broad-shouldered man dismounted his horse as he barked out orders. On foot he strode over toward her. The shadowy light cast by the lanterns allowed her to vaguely make out his handsome face.
"You there, peasant, have you seen a young woman pass through this way?" he said. "She is my prisoner and has escaped captivity. If you know anything, you better speak now or risk penalty of death."
Your prisoner? A wealthy man of noble blood with enough power to have a prisoner? He continued to approach her horse, the light now enough that she could clearly distinguish his face. Alaricus?
She cleared her throat and fought to keep her expression of surprise to herself. "No, sire, I have seen no one. What does she look like? I would like to know, for if she is a dangerous criminal, I will know not to approach her if I see her in my travels."
"Do not be fooled by her beauty or her innocent face. She is a menace and must be punished for treason."
"A beautiful girl, you say?"
No, this can't be.
"Yes, most beautiful. Hair black as night, skin like cream, and lips the color of poppies. As I said, do not be fooled. She is the devil in disguise."
Leave it to my brother to lose his prize. Idiot.
Agrippine grew invigorated by the fact she was close and that the task now would be easier since she wouldn’t have to steal Genevieve from Heiglet's fortified palace. Elation trumped her previous annoyance, and her heart practically sang with delight. There was no doubt she'd head right back to that dumpy cottage to her band of rebel midgets.
But what if my brother finds her first?
He would take her back with him and leave Agrippine with nothing. She had to find Genevieve before him. Unfortunately, his youth and strength, paired with his extensive convoy, ensured he would certainly beat her to it. She instead needed to outsmart him.
"Dangerous, sire? How? She's just a girl."
"Just a girl? Just a girl?" Agrippine became amused by his apparent exasperation. "She is like no girl I have ever encountered. She is cunning, and quick, and dare I say, intelligent. She is far more skilled than I gave her credit for. But I have learned my lesson and will not repeat my mistakes twice." He seemed to be speaking more to himself than to her. His voice was bitter, and he unconsciously rubbed a hand over the parallel pair of fresh scars on his cheek as he spoke.
That's what you get, you fool, for underestimating a woman. You'll learn again soon enough.
In spite of all these thoughts brewing inside her mind, Agrippine kept an expression of submission and fragility on her tired face. She nodded occasionally through his rant to demonstrate her agreement. She knew he worked best on pride and conceit.
"Well, sire, I have not seen the girl you described, but perhaps I can help you look for her."
"How on Earth can an old hag like you be able to help me? I am one of the strongest riders in the land, and without a doubt, you would never be able to keep up with our pace. You would be dead weight, and time is of the essence."
"You, sire, are correct about my age. I am certainly not what I used to be, but I have magical abilities… powers, that have only grown stronger with age."
His expression changed to one of intrigue. "Go on."
"Well, I may not be able to find the girl for you, but once you have her, I can help you to keep her."
Alaricus seemed puzzled and slightly offended, but still curious.
"I could perform a love spell to ensure she stays with you henceforth. She will be obedient and submissive, just as a good wife should be." The idea clearly interested him, for he nodded along with her as she spoke, as if he could see the plan's potential playing out in his mind.
"And what for you then?" he asked. "Money? You want a reward, I assume?"
"A reward? Yes, something like that I suppose."
"Something like a reward? I don't quite understand what it is you want then."
"I need something from the girl once you have her for a spell I wish to work. Nothing you will miss, I am sure. Once I have what I need, she is yours, and I will require nothing else from you. You have my word."
By the look on his face, it seemed an amiable agreement. In fact, his smirk revealed he was certain he was getting the better end of the bargain.
"Here's what we'll do," he said, "since you will not be able to ride at our pace, you will ride along with one of my guards and another will lead your horse. You will ride behind us, but we will reconvene once we arrive at our destination. We have a pretty good idea of where she is headed."
Alaricus' guard assisted Agrippine off her horse, helped her up on the back of his, and then mounted behind her. Another guard grabbed the reigns of her dark-haired stallion and, in the blink of an eye, Alaricus remounted his horse and sped away to do Agrippine's hard work for her.
27
Genevieve trudged through the wood alone. With each step, her senses attuned to the sights and sounds that became her company. After fleeing, she followed the river that had led from the moat of Alaricus' castle conveniently in the direction of home. She knew having a source of water to rely on was crucial, a lesson she learned the hard way during her last foray in the forest. But as she trailed close to the bank, insect bites inflamed her ankles and shins, which were still raw from the shackles.
It had only been a few hours, but she kept moving in spite of her exhaustion. She hadn't had a full night's sleep since being brought to the castle, only small stints of an hour or two, and even then, they were uncomfortable and restless. Her feet sunk into the muddy banks, and she noted the extra effort of every step. She drove the negativity from her mind, focused on putting one foot in front of the other, and used the promise of 'home' to propel her forward. Alaricus would only be kept bound for so long. She needed to move quickly to keep ahead of his impending pursuit.
Nighttime was the hardest. The darkness was a blanket that smothered her and, though she was alone, the beasts that prowled in the bowels of the forest never left her thoughts. She tried to concentrate only on the exhilaration of her freedom, but it was muted by a mounting anxiety of the mysteries that lurked in the shadows. The moonlight was unable to penetrate the thickness of the boughs, the blackness so dense at times she could hardly see her hand in front of her own face. It was another reason to keep close to the riverbank; it was the only place that a sliver of moonlight was able to illuminate the darkness.
She'd been traveling for what seemed like forever when the ground began to quake. A deep rumbling sound, like distant thunder, echoed through the forest. When the sound did not die away and the vibrations rattled her teeth, she knew it
was not a storm, but a great number of horses, like a banner of knights charging into battle.
They were coming for her.
Genevieve's instinct was to run, but she decided to use the opacity to her advantage. She scanned the nearby trees for one whose branches grew lowest on the trunk. She darted over to one that caught her eye and hoisted herself up. She climbed the branches, careful to watch her footing by staying close to its trunk. She knew that dressed in ivory she could be seen if not concealed well enough, and it was far too cold to strip off her vestments and leave herself exposed to the night air. She hugged the trunk, working to cover what she could of her body.
Up and up she went until she could see the moonlight tickle the tops of the trees. Her breath was heavy and the muscles in her arms ached. But for now she was safe. She watched Alaricus and his entourage gallop by without slowing and knew, without doubt, they were heading to the cottage to find her.
With that in mind, she knew she couldn't return there. They would be waiting for her. Yet, she needed to find her brothers, let them know that she was alive and warn them they could be in danger. Who knows how far Alaricus would go to find her? She needed to hurry.
She rested for a moment longer before beginning her descent. Since it wasn't safe to return to the cottage, she would have to figure out a way to make her brothers come to her.
Sib led his brothers along the well-beaten path toward home, the same way they had traveled every night for the past twenty years. He tilted his chin skyward and inhaled deeply, not needing to watch his footsteps; he already knew every intricacy of the path, every divot, every narrowing, every random rock that littered the carved-out trail. The air was crisp and comfortable after a long day in the forest. They were dirty, sooty, and tired, but keeping their routine was the only way to assuage their grief.
Every day was the same. Same route to work. Same monotonous job. Same route home. The only deviation over the past two weeks was that now, upon their return to the cottage, they'd pass the ruined rubble of what had been their shrine to Genevieve and then they'd make a stop and pay their respects to the brother they missed so much. Also new to their routine was that now, they walked home in silence. Among the whisper of the rustling forest, Sib could almost still hear Grog's gravelly voice, complaining like always.
This damned weather is chilling my bones.
Seasons seem to change quicker every year.
Looks like rain, can feel it in my joints.
Blasted winter's-a-comin' and then think of how long this trip'll seem.
Sib opened his mouth to quiet his brother's grumbling voice, but stopped himself. His heart sank when he realized the conversation was merely an imaginary murmur carried on the wind. As Sib walked back and forth to work, he contemplated what could have happened that day. There were still so many questions left unanswered, and it was the uncertainty that continued to gnaw at him.
Without realizing it, Tyne had apparently quickened his pace to walk next to him.
"You appear to have a troubled mind, Sib. Anything you wanna talk about?" Tyne asked.
Sib tried to find the words. He didn't even know where to begin. He was supposed to be the eldest, the strong one, the one who kept it all together for the family's sake. He heaved a sigh and shook his head.
"You're thinking about Grog and Snow, aren't you?" Tyne said. "Cause I know I am. Can't get 'em outta my head. I … I just wish I could know what happened, you know?"
"So do I, Tyne. I really do. I keep running all these possibilities through my mind, and I can't help but wonder if I had been there, if things would'a turned out different." Sib looked at Tyne, whose long face seemed even more drawn than usual. It was clear from the discoloration under his eyes and the sallow color of his skin that he hadn't been sleeping well.
"You know what I can't understand is why would anyone steal the body of a dead girl?" Tyne said. "Seems sick to me. It's unsettling."
"I can't even venture a guess. I have no idea and don't even wanna think on it. It's evil and wrong and inexplicable." His mind fought like hell against the perverse thoughts that vied for his attention.
Tyne cleared his throat. "I bet he tried to protect her though. I'd put every galleon I have on the table that Grog died fighting for her."
"I'm certain you're right. And as difficult as it is to know he's gone, I know it's how he would have wanted to die — protecting someone he loved."
"I just wish she could've known how he felt about her. He was never great at showing it, but in his own way, he accepted her as part of our family. His death is proof of that."
"Well, who's to say what happens after this life? Maybe she knows now. Maybe they are somewhere together, spending their days bickering about who knows what." Sib smiled at the thought. "I…I just hate that he was alone is all."
"Well, maybe it's as you said, maybe he's not alone now."
"Yeah…." The thought warmed Sib’s heart. He looked up at the sun lowering in the sky. Its bright rays danced through the empty space, and Sib was suddenly overcome with a feeling of peace.
He continued to shuffle along the path, his head up looking into the trees, the leaves of which had bloomed into a springtime panorama of brilliant color. It occurred to him the change had happened without his realizing it. Perhaps he had been too distracted over the past weeks to notice the shift.
His thoughts were interrupted by a misstep on something round. His weight suddenly shifted forward, and before he knew it, he was on the ground, sprawled on his back.
What the…?
A blurry vision of his brothers' three faces hovering over him warbled into view.
Tyne reached for Sib's hand to help him up. "Whoa. Are you all right there, Sib?"
"Lord, what happened?" Eron said, stooping to pick up Sib's spectacles. "Lose your footing, old boy?" He lifted the glasses to the sky, and inspected them for cracks before returning them. "Reminds me of that time when I —"
"Not now, Eron," Tyne said. He supported Sib's weight under his arm until he was sturdy on his feet.
"What on Earth happened?" Sib said. "What'd I trip on?" He looked around for a rock out of place or some other foreign object. What he saw laying only a few feet from the path caused him to scratch his head in confusion.
"Is… is that an apple?"
The brothers followed Sib's gaze to the red fruit. Tyne indicated to Flic to go fetch the object. Flic picked it up and sniffed it and then ran over with his arm outstretched to hand it to Sib.
"Innnnteresting… why, it does in fact seem to be an apple." Sib inspected it suspiciously and then took another look to the trees. "In all the years we've traveled this path, has anyone ever seen an apple or an apple tree for that matter?"
The brothers shook their heads.
"Then how did it get here?" Tyne said. "Someone must have dropped it."
"The only apples I've seen 'round these parts come from the Valley of Shadows, which lies to the east of us," Sib said. "And as you know, that region is a good distance from here. Come to think of it, the last time I saw an apple was the night that Snow…" Sib's voice trailed off, not only out of sadness at the memory, but more so out of a great effort to focus. It was as if the pieces were in front of him, but he couldn't make sense of them.
"How odd," Eron said.
Sib tossed the apple into the air, and all four of them watched it arc up and then fall down back to his hand, his fingers too small to wrap around it fully. "Yes, odd indeed."
As Sib and his brothers continued their route home, he remained focused on his surroundings while he tried to identify anything else that seemed out of place. They had traveled for only a few more minutes when he spotted another apple laying right in the middle of the trail.
"Another one?" Sib wondered aloud. "But how?"
He waddled up the path and snatched the apple up in his grasp. He inspected this one, too. It looked normal. It looked just as the other one had.
Red.
Ripe.
And quite out of place.
He didn't dare taste it, for he was certain an apple had been the last thing Snow ate on the day of her death. The memory of it left him leery. He still wasn't sure how or why, but he knew enough not to test his theory.
He scanned the forest again, and, in the distance, he saw another red speck a bit off the path. Without warning, Sib broke into a sprint, which wasn't all that fast, truth be told. He was certain his brothers were in tow, even though they shouted from behind him a myriad of questions. As he approached the red object, he realized it indeed was another apple. He saw yet another, and another, and another, each leading him a bit farther from the path until he was in an unfamiliar clearing. His brothers caught up and were huffing in exhaustion.
"Where… are…. we…going… and why… are… we… running?" Eron's face was flushed to match the color of his beard, and he was doubled over in an effort to catch his breath. He was clearly contented by the fact they’d stopped. Sib too was winded and took a long moment before he responded. Actually, he took his time answering Eron more because he wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't exactly certain why he followed the path of the apples, as opposed to returning home like usual. He didn't know why the appearance of the apples sparked in him a sense of intrigue, but he could feel in his gut there was something more to the situation than he could see.
"I… I don't know, Eron. I just… have a funny feeling about this."
"Well, it most certainly is strange," said Tyne. "We've never seen an apple in these parts, and now we've found about a dozen, almost as if they'd been set for us to find." Tyne's expression morphed into one of fear. "Do you think this could be… a trap?" The four brothers tiptoed about to form a circle with their backs to one another so they could see all the way around the area. The brothers stood posed to fight against nothing but the emptiness between the trees.
