Noble Falling

by Sara Gaines

  I was met with a brief nod from the woman before she freed one of her daggers from the sheath on her hip, the predatory look now absent from her gaze. I watched her try to stifle a laugh as she saw Ori reach for his own blade. Ignoring the guard, Kahira began to cut portions of the meat for each of us. Ori said nothing, taking his portion when it was offered.

  After we had all eaten our fill—Enza included—Kahira stood and began loading her things onto Taewin’s back. The sun glinted off the horse’s black coat, the same rich shade as Kahira’s braided hair. In the same way children cannot tear their gaze away from the glow of hot iron the first time they step into a blacksmith’s shop, I couldn’t help but watch as the woman expertly saddled Taewin. I knew she was dangerous, but that only made catching a covert glimpse of her life even more appealing. Fetching her bow and arrow, she draped the quiver across her back, an addition to her wardrobe that only served to make her more intimidating. Leaving Ori to pack our meager belongings, I fought my rising nervousness and walked toward the woman.

  I took a breath to steady my voice. “Where are you heading from here?”

  Kahira glanced over her shoulder, answering me as she walked toward her horse. “West, across the mountains so I can avoid as many people as possible, and then south along the coast.”

  Ori appeared next to me, his packed bag thrown over his shoulder. “Which city?”

  Kahira chuckled as she fastened her bow to her saddlebags. “You think I’d willingly spend time in any city here? Some soldiers don’t treat me as pleasantly as you, Ori.”

  At Ori’s glare, Kahira offered a more concrete answer. “There is land southwest of here on the ocean, where the fishing is too poor to sustain any villages. For me, it just means a safe and warm area to stay for a while.”

  “You could travel to Ferrum with us before turning toward the coast.” As soon as the words escaped, my heart felt as if it had stopped beating. My body devoted every ounce of energy into trying to figure out why I had offered such a suggestion.

  Seeing the dotted tattoo on Kahira’s brow arch, I tried to swallow the lump quickly building in my throat.

  I saw Ori out of the corner of my eye, every muscle in his body taut as he stared at Kahira, almost as if he were daring her to agree. I was not the only one who noticed him, for Kahira saw his posture, but instead of the amused look she usually offered in response to the guard, her own muscles tensed.

  “Thank you for the meal, but a guard outpost is certainly not a place I should ride toward.”

  Her body seemed stiff for the first time since I had laid eyes on her. Kahira began to climb into Taewin’s saddle. Each movement seemed like a struggle for the woman who was usually so graceful in everything she did.

  “Kahira, I… we could use the added protection.” My heart was pounding. Each beat felt like a minute, forcing me to realize how much I wanted this woman to say yes.

  I sought the right words to say. I was fighting with myself as I tried to determine just why I wanted Kahira to agree. Unable to answer any of the questions floating through my mind, I focused on Kahira, hoping my inadequate words would somehow manage to persuade her. When our eyes connected, I was not ready for the amount of pain contained in her gaze. Her stare made it clear she was battling something deep within, and as I watched the struggle move across her face, I hated that my request had anything to do with her reaction. Before I could try to find some way to take back what I had asked of her, Kahira’s expression hardened as she spoke.

  “I am not a guard, and I cannot protect you.” Her voice was cold, and any hint of the woman I had talked with the night before was gone. “I wish you luck, Aleana.”

  Whistling for Enza, Kahira kicked her heels into her horse’s sides. I watched Kahira disappear down the road that would eventually take her to the sea. She never turned to look back.

  ORI had stopped trying to promote conversation soon after we stopped for lunch. I knew I was being unfairly silent—it wasn’t his fault I was distracted. Before I even realized it, the sun was setting. I remained silent, still engrossed in reverie as I nibbled on the thin porridge sufficing for dinner. Kahira’s dismissal had bothered me, and no matter how much I tried to rationalize it, I could not come up with an answer that felt right. The only answer that seemed logical was that Kahira was the first person to completely disregard my nobility. Such a selfish solution troubled me as much as any. No, that was not true, for I found I was most bothered that she had not even turned back to see my gaze so intently focused on her. It was something I could not begin to explain to myself.

  I felt the fallen tree I was using for a seat shift slightly, Ori’s sudden appearance at my side startling me from my thoughts.

  “Milady, she was a criminal. Had she agreed to your request, I could not have let her come with us.” Though Ori was as polite as expected from my personal guard, he managed to weave a hint of disapproval into his words.

  “She did not harm us, Ori. In fact, she saved our lives, or have you forgotten that act so readily?” I could not help the defensive tone in my voice.

  “That woman might have helped us once, but she got those marks for a reason. Aleana, it was foolish to invite her to our camp every night, where she could slit our throats if she so chose!”

  I felt the fire in my eyes blaze. “You speak too boldly, guard.”

  I was furious, but I knew it was not just because Ori had suddenly found the nerve to speak to me as if I had no rank. No, I knew at least part of my anger was due to his stubborn belief that Kahira could do no good. Ori met my stare for a moment before his head dipped in a bow and he spoke, offering an apology.

  “Your Grace, I meant only to say that for your own safety, it was better that the woman went on her own way, putting as much distance between herself and us as possible.”

  My jaw was clenched, unwilling to release my anger so easily. Due to my continued frustration, the sun’s light was no longer present by the time I spoke again.

  “Ori, she was kind.” The tension was absent from my voice, and there for a moment, I was unsure of who my comment was meant for—my own conscience, or the guard now readying his bed for the night.

  “Kind?” Ori looked at me incredulously. “Of all the words to describe her, ‘kind’ is what you think of first?”

  I shot the man a glare, warning him not to overstep the line he had so clearly crossed earlier in the night.

  “Yes, she was kind. She sat with me last night when I couldn’t sleep. She was guarded, but there was something there; she smiled, and I saw kindness.” I was taken aback by the wistful tone my voice held.

  “Sorry, Aleana, but I didn’t trust her.” Ori apparently felt the need to state what had been obvious since we first met Kahira. “No one goes alone when traveling the distances that woman claimed to have traveled. Even bandits travel together, often preying on those foolish enough to travel alone. That woman—”

  I cut Ori off. “Her name is Kahira.”

  Ori looked annoyed only for a moment, the expression gone before I could decide to be angered by it.

  “Kahira should be dead. Granted, she was more skilled with her blades than any man among your guard, but even the best warriors will fall victim to bandits who can sneak up on anyone in the night. Not to mention, she makes herself an appealing target for any bandit looking to earn coin. That horse of hers alone would fetch enough to feed the most gluttonous man for many months.” Ori looked as if he were trying to solve the most difficult of puzzles. “Plus, it’s not as if she can blend in very well in the taverns that accept her kind.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Milady… Aleana, I assure you, women are rare in places like that. At least, women other than those who make their money in such taverns. Her eyes alone mark her as foreign, and you must admit she had a sort of hardened beauty to her.”

  I nodded absentmindedly, catching myself in the act and stopping all movement, refusing to acknowledge just how truthful Ori’s statement wa
s.

  “Whatever her story, it is one we are better to stay clear of. I would be willing to wager a hefty sum on that.” Ori spread his body on the ground, laying his sword in the grass beside him as I finally readied my own bed.

  Knowing there was nothing left to say on the matter, I switched our conversation to that of logistics. We only had food for a couple more days, but there was plenty to last us until we reached Ferrum. We had no way of knowing just how close we were, but the outpost could be no more than a few more miles away. Any farther, and we would be in Dakmoran territory. Seeing my concern, Ori reassured me there was no way we could miss Ferrum and accidentally find ourselves on the wrong side of the border. Still, even with Ori swearing the road we were on was the only one that led to the outpost, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

  After, when the darkness had crept through the forest and our fire had reduced to smoking ashes, I found myself unable to sleep yet again. Ori’s snores punctuated the sounds of the forest, creating a steady rhythm to which I orchestrated my thoughts. I still struggled with piecing together how Dalric was the one responsible for taking everything from me. He had been such a faithful presence in my father’s life, and even my life, so much so that he had been embraced like family. I knew it was a question I was unlikely to ever truly answer, but I hoped Tallak would hold some insight once I was able to prove I had not betrayed him. Reaching Ferrum was a basic goal, and I tried to focus on it, refusing to think of what might come after, because if I did, my facade would crack and Ori would see just how terrified I really was.

  My nightly meditation shifted gradually. Hopes and fears of my future became entwined with memories of the previous night, until only the memories remained. It had been so difficult to look Kahira in the eyes. My heart had raced when the woman was close to me, as though I feared her. And yet, I knew it wasn’t quite fear that forced my heart to lodge itself in my throat. Despite how adamantly I tried to attribute my reactions to fear, I knew I was only trying to fool myself—fear was not to blame.

  Chapter 11

  MY silence continued, and I knew it was bothering Ori. He was worried about me, but every conversation we attempted felt forced, something I knew was entirely my fault. The sun’s light was straight above us, and there was still no sign of Ferrum, or any signs of anyone living nearby. Further lowering my mood, my ribs still ached. Thankfully, the pain seemed to be retreating, but I knew the dulling could very well be due to the promise of a proper bed if I could just keep walking a little bit longer. For me, each curve in the road that appeared in the distance was the final obstacle in the way of my safety.

  When each turn only exposed another in the distance, I began to replay the conversation between Ori and me from the night before. Knowing his hesitancy toward Kahira was rooted in his desire to protect me, I suddenly felt guilty for how I had snapped.

  “Ori, will you forgive me?”

  He looked over at me, his confusion evident.

  “For last night. I’m sorry I treated you like that.” I realized I was incredibly inexperienced with giving apologies.

  “Milady, you had every right to speak to me in such a manner.”

  The fact that Ori seemed to believe his words without question sent another wave of guilt through me.

  “No, Ori.” I chewed on my bottom lip slightly. “Please, will you think of me as a friend? Not just another Meloran you have pledged fealty to.”

  The guard smiled slightly, chuckling to himself for a reason I would never know.

  “Of course, Aleana.”

  I smiled in return, and suddenly, the road ahead seemed less daunting.

  It wasn’t long before we saw the hint of smoke above the tree line, no doubt the sign of chimneys being fired in Ferrum’s kitchens ever so slightly distinguishable from the clouds filling the sky. Even though the tension between us had eased, the sight lifted our moods further. With renewed effort, Ori and I continued toward our destination. But as the trees began to thin out, my heart sank.

  “The smoke’s too dark.” Ori verbalized my own thoughts as we stared at the cloud of black smoke in the distance.

  “It could be just a brush fire.” My attempts at offering a logical solution fell flat even on my own ears. The smoke was too ominous.

  Ori stopped, and pulled off his pack before handing it to me. “Wait here. Something’s wrong. Just find a place off the trail and hide as well as possible. I’ll whistle when I make it back to let you know it is me.”

  I shoved the bag back into his hands.

  “You’re a fool if you think I am staying out here alone!”

  “Aleana, I can’t risk you coming with me.” Ori’s look was harsh, but his eyes still held a hint of pleading.

  “And you have no right to order me to stay.” My tone held no room for argument.

  The guard’s jaw clenched, and his eyes searched my expression. Finding no change in my resolve, Ori slung his pack over his shoulder, grumbling as he walked down the trail and toward the smoke. Without saying a word, too afraid to enjoy my victory, I followed him.

  The closer we got to Ferrum, the thicker the smoke grew. A part of me hoped it was not the outpost burning, but I knew there was little else that could explain the black clouds dissipating in the sky. It was only when the sun was sinking beyond the horizon, and the red tendrils of light crept across the clouds, that we saw what remained of Ferrum. The outpost was reduced to nothing but smoldering embers.

  Neither Ori nor I knew what to say. Even at a distance, we could feel the heat rolling off the charred wood that once made up the outpost. This time, when Ori handed me his pack, I took it wordlessly, my attention too focused on the blackened form of a man lying face down in the grass. Ori walked closer to the smoldering buildings, for what purpose I did not know. It was clear there was no one here. No one alive to take me to my betrothed. Every soldier I had hoped to find rested somewhere in the smoking ruins of the Ferrum outpost.

  It wasn’t long before Ori retreated from the heat, returning to my side. His face was reddened by the still smoldering rubble, and his eyes watered from the ash floating through the air.

  “Whoever did this can’t be too far. A day away at most.” Ori’s voice was somber as he crouched over the canteen, using the water to rinse his face.

  “What do you mean ‘whoever did this’?” The realization that this fire might not have been an accident sent a chill up my spine despite the warmth in the air.

  “There were a couple of bodies that still had evident wounds. Whatever happened here is the result of a fight.”

  I bit my lip almost hard enough to draw blood. “Do you think Dalric’s men expected us to make it here looking for help?”

  “Milady, it’s quite possible. Had we traveled any faster, they might have caught us.”

  “What do we do now, Ori? I can’t go back. We’re lucky we’ve made it this far! These soldiers were supposed to save me! Without them, without horses, there is no way for me to beat rumors of my betrayal to Tallak.”

  Tears were streaming down my face, but everything I did to stop them only forced more to fall from my eyes.

  “Aleana, please.”

  Ori’s voice sounded distant. My head was too clogged with the sounds of my own sobbing.

  “Aleana, look at me?”

  I heard him, but I couldn’t do as he asked. My safety was gone. There was no way I could make it to Seyna in time. Now, if Ori and I managed to get to Tallak’s castle without being caught by Dalric’s men, rumors of my betrayal would have already reached Tallak’s ears. Then, all it would take were the weakest of accusations for Tallak to abandon our marriage and imprison me for the rest of my life. Before another sob escaped me, I felt Ori’s arms wrapping around my frame. I pressed my body against his without even thinking.

  “Milady, this is not over yet.” The guard’s voice was finally able to ease some of my despair. “We can continue toward Seyna and try to find horses.”

  I pulled
away from him, my tears finally stopping.

  “Ori.” my voice still sounded strained. “Tallak will have me arrested if he believes these rumors. Without his own soldiers to escort me to him….”

  “He still knows your family, and reputations like those of the Meloran line are not easy to forget. We can find horses, and as we get closer to Seyna, we can find other soldiers. Dalric’s men might have beaten us here, but now they will have to check every other town since they didn’t find us. That will slow them down, which means the rumors will most likely also slow. Not to mention, Dalric will be careful how far the rumors spread until he knows for sure where you are. His story only works if you aren’t there to say otherwise.”

  I took a deep breath, trying to convince myself Ori was right. The guard did have a point. Dalric wouldn’t want Tallak to hear about his takeover before he could cover his tracks, especially with Dakmor’s involvement. Which meant he had to kill me first. With that knowledge, the threat of tears finally subsided.

  “We need to make camp for the night.” My voice sounded strong once more, and Ori’s slight smile told me he understood his words had gotten through.

  “We should head back down the trail we came from. I saw a few spots that will make for a decent campsite off the main path. It’s getting too dark to look for anything decent farther on.”

  Ori’s hand rested on my shoulder and, giving it a squeeze, he headed back the direction we came. I fell into step beside him, and it wasn’t long before we saw a suitable area to sleep for the night. With the light of the gray haze present just before night truly falls, we set up our camp, forgoing a fire and immediately rolling out our beds. At the somber end to our day, I was determined to make up for the silence I had forced Ori to endure previously.

  “How is your head feeling?”

  “Ah.” I saw the shadow of his arm brush off some unseen nuisance. “Even Falyn has given me worse.”