by Lily Thomas
Jasmine doubted even this amazing stallion would be able to fight off a mountain cat. She also didn't desire to put her theory to the test.
“I hope you’re braver than I am, my friend,” she whispered over to the black stallion. A snort was his only response.
It was a good thing she would be riding him because if it were up to her feet, they would just walk her straight back to Dryden's tent. A place where she knew she would be safe and warm.
Following her easily, the great stallion kept easy stride with her, never once stopping or shying away from the dark of the forest they were heading through.
Glancing over at the stallion's huge head, Jasmine felt more relaxed. His calm big black eyes never once darted. He was at home in these woods.
Jasmine admired the horse for what he was, a warhorse. His muscles were thick, and she could see them rippling beneath his velvety skin as he made his way through the snow. His coat was so silky. Dryden clearly gave his horse the best care.
A feeling of remorse went through her. “If I can, I also promise to return you to your master. It may take time, but I will do my best.”
Jasmine began searching for a large boulder to use as a mounting block as she led the black stallion deeper into the woods. Eventually, she spotted a large enough boulder and pulled him up beside it. Keeping the reins in one hand, she stepped up onto the boulder, then swung her leg up and over his back.
When she first settled on his back, the stallion backed up a few paces. His triangular ears went back, but within a few short moments, he settled down.
Jasmine reached down to pat the side of his thick black neck. Looking back at her he seemed to be asking her what she wanted him to do.
She laughed. “You must be curious. After all, you’re used to carrying Dryden and all of his armor. You must be confused why I weigh so little, but hopefully, that will only make our trip that much quicker.”
The thought cheered her up. Maybe this would be over sooner than she had initially thought. It would be nice to see her sister again, to tell Adorra where she had been and about her amazing if a bit daunting, adventure. Though her sister would probably think her insane.
Jasmine gently tapped her heels into the sides of the black stallion, expecting him to go forth. Instead, he turned his long neck around to stare back at her blankly.
“Well?” She asked him.
Perhaps he was trained to only obey Dryden.
She sighed to herself. Was her escape attempt going to end right here? Before she had even begun it?
Trying again, Jasmine tapped her heels into his sides a little harder, yet he just stood there watching her. She tapped him with her heel while she clicked her tongue, not thinking that would work either.
But in an instant, the stallion shot off from a standstill and into a full-out gallop. Jasmine clutched at the reins, relaxing her legs, so she didn't bounce off his back and into the snow.
After she regained her seat, she steered the large black stallion in the way she thought and hoped her home lay. Once he was faced in the direction she wanted, she let him go full tilt. And go he did.
Jasmine made sure to wrap her fur cloak around her face so the cold air wouldn’t burn her skin.
As they made their way further into the woods, she never let the stallion slow down. Jasmine had no idea when Dryden would notice her missing, but she wanted to have time and distance on her side. She was also pretty sure he would not take kindly to her having stolen his warhorse.
Would he be terribly angry with her?
Probably, but he wouldn’t be cross enough to harm her. He wasn't that type of man. Jasmine felt a brief moment of uncertainty. Maybe she should have explained her situation and asked for his help. As the horse dodged around a tree, Jasmine shook her head. Just because Dryden liked to sleep with her didn't mean he wanted to become entangled in her complicated family affairs. She would have to help her sister on her own.
Dryden didn’t react well to being shaken awake the next morning, but thankfully Mathar backed off before Dryden could knock him on his ass.
“What do you want, and why are you in my tent?” Dryden barked up at the ice giant he had known for so many years. His mind was still caught up in slumber, and the pleasant evening he’d shared with Jasmine.
Reason fought through the bliss. Dryden knew Mathar wouldn't be in here if he had merely overslept, so what was the big deal?
Making sure Jasmine was covered, he reached over to find the spot next to him... empty?
His heart rate spiked.
Looking up into Mathar's I-told-you-so gaze he asked, “Where is she?”
He could tell that he wasn’t going to like whatever Mathar was about to say. Was she dead? Had she done something that was going to make him look like a fool for trusting her?
Maybe she’d decided to use the woods in the middle of the night, and an animal had attacked her while she’d been out.
Dozens of possibilities ran through his head.
“We can't find Jasmine,” Mathar told him, watching Dryden carefully.
As Mathar's words sunk in, all those possibilities churned more forcefully through Dryden's head.
Maybe her body had been found? No, Mathar had just said they couldn't find her. Blood, perhaps?
Mathar continued, “She isn't the only thing missing, though. Your horse seems to have disappeared into thin air as well.”
Mathar again paused to let this last little tidbit sink in.
“Is anything else missing?” Dryden asked as he rushed to get up, not ashamed to be butt-naked in front of Mathar. The chilly air, however, was an unwelcome guest, and he began searching for his clothes, so carelessly discarded the night before. Ice giants might be able to tolerate the cold better than others, but they could still feel it.
“Nothing else. Well, that is, except your reins.”
Dryden paused mid-motion, his pants dangling from his hands as it hit him.
“Jasmine stole my horse and is heading back to her home in the human territory.”
“Now… I would hate to be the one to point a finger at her, but it does seem that way.” Mathar replied sarcastically.
Dryden felt betrayed and angry with her for escaping. He had treated her well, and there had been something strong between them last night. Doubt crept into his mind as he considered her actions in a new light. Maybe she’d only pretended to care for him to create just this sort of opportunity to escape. Dryden ground down on his teeth. He’d been taken for a fool.
“I don’t understand why she wants to return to a world where they clearly want her dead.” He shoved his pants on with angry motions, then jammed his shirt over his head. Had last night meant nothing to her? It had meant a whole hell of a lot to him!
Mathar shook his head. “Maybe she’s stupid.”
Dryden glared at him. “She might be a human, but that doesn’t mean they all lack a brain.”
“Maybe all these nights with you finally got to her.”
“Ha ha… you’re very funny this morning.”
Mathar bared his teeth. “You’ve been acting like an idiotic love-struck adolescent ever since you found her, and you know it. Your men are starting to question your judgment. How much longer do you think they’ll follow you if you continue to put her well-being over their own?”
Dryden growled. “You go too far, Mathar. Do not forget who is king. If I say we protect her, then my men had best follow my orders.”
Mathar’s eyebrows hit sky high.
“What kind of spell does she have you under,” he marveled.
“No spell was necessary,” Dryden retorted as he pulled on his boots and began strapping on his armor. “Her return to the humans is a risk to us. We have to stop her before she reaches them.”
Mathar shook his head in disgust. “That’s not the reason you’re so determined to get her back.”
Dryden glared at Mathar. “Either you support me, Mathar, or I need to find a new second in command. It’s up to
you. Get a horse ready for me and prepare a small group to ride out.”
“There’s a unit ready and waiting for you outside. We can leave as soon as you join us.” With that, Mathar exited the tent, leaving a frostiness behind that wasn’t caused by the cold mountain air.
Dryden clenched his fists in frustration. Mathar was his closest friend, and he didn’t like that Jasmine’s arrival had caused this rift between them. He closed his eyes and considered taking Mathar’s advice and leaving Jasmine to her fate in the mountains. She clearly preferred facing the elements and the predators than staying with him. She’d completely deceived him, leading him into a false sense of security so that she could slip away once he relaxed his guard.
Dryden shook his head in disgust. Jasmine had no real chance of getting back to her territory. If the mountain cats didn’t kill her and the horse, the weather would. Securing the last buckle on his armor, Dryden strode out of the tent after Mathar. He tried to tell himself that he was so worked up because she had stolen his horse.
A growl escaped him, as he thought about how her actions were putting his warhorse in danger as well. His horse was well-trained for battle, but he had an inexperienced rider on his back, and mountain cats tended to hunt in pairs. They wouldn’t stand a chance.
Mathar approached, riding his own horse and leading Dryden's substitute horse towards him. His face was stony and closed off.
Taking the reins from Mathar, Dryden let out another growl. He didn’t want to admit it, but Mathar had been right about his behavior after he’d rescued Jasmine. First, she’d delayed his journey to the border, and he had nearly missed important insights into the behavior of the fire giants, and now he was wasting more time chasing after her on the off chance that she miraculously made it back to the human territory. On the other hand, Mathar should know how much Dryden needed his support right now. Dryden had kept the ice giants safe from the humans for years, and Mathar was overreacting to Jasmine’s presence.
Dryden felt a brief surge of anger as he wondered if Mathar had instructed the guards to ignore any escape attempt of Jasmine’s, but just as quickly he dismissed the idea from his mind. Mathar didn’t want Jasmine around, but he also wouldn’t want to take the chance that she might reach her territory and reveal her knowledge about the ice giants.
Swinging up into the saddle, Dryden turned to the men who would be joining them. “We will spread out, keeping within yelling distance. Mathar and I will track the human’s prints while you all travel around us to look for any other signs.”
With that, he spurred his horse into a trot, going around the encampment, looking for a trace of her escape
It only took him a little while to find her tracks.
“She walked your horse out of the camp.”
He shook his head. “She should have ridden the horse out, and then it would’ve taken us more time to figure out all the tracks from the other horses. Only her feet are that small.”
“At least she had made it easier for us to follow her.”
They took off, Mathar riding silently beside Dryden. The others broke off to do a wide sweep around them, just in case Jasmine tried to pull off some trick to throw them off her trail.
As the search drew on, Dryden felt shame for his actions. He’d been so attached to her, so... interested in her that he hadn't thought about her escaping.
Conflicting emotions fought inside him. If they caught up with her, he’d take her into their tent and turn her over his knee until she begged for forgiveness. On the other hand, if he was unable to find her, he hoped that she would make it home safely. His heart squeezed in his chest as he imagined her lost in the forest, slowly freezing to death or helpless beneath a mountain cat’s claws.
Dryden’s mood deteriorated as they pressed on into the woods without any further sign of Jasmine’s path.
“Dryden,” Mathar interrupted his thoughts.
Dryden turned, not speaking a word, just glaring at everything. Despite their argument earlier, his friend looked concerned.
“We will find her,” Mathar tried to reassure him.
Which only made Dryden feel worse. They were wasting time out here in the snow searching. Their mission to the border was supposed to be a simple one, find out what Stryme was up to and return home. Then Dryden happened upon a freezing human female and now look at the trouble this little slip of a human was causing him.
He should have tied her up and gagged her, left her in a tent by herself, and ordered another one of his warriors to ride with her. None of them would have found any interest in a human female, even if she had tried to charm them the way she had charmed him.
He growled as he thought about Jasmine riding in front of one of his warriors, rubbing against one of them with every stride of the horse’s gait, and for a moment he saw red. No, it had been clear from the beginning that he didn’t want anyone else looking after her. He’d saved her life because she was an innocent, left to die, but the minute he held her in his arms, he’d been entranced by her.
He finally admitted to himself that he would do anything for her, save her as many times as it took. He smiled grimly to himself. It didn't mean he wouldn't heat her backside for betraying his trust when he found her, though.
He spurred his horse even faster, looking forward to capturing her.
Once the snowy morning came, Jasmine slowed the stallion. She didn't want to tire him out before she got back to her home, and she had enough of a head start that she felt comfortable taking an easier pace.
Keeping him at an easy trot, she guided him through the dense forest.
The sky was still a dark gray, but it had been lighter for a while now, long enough for her to know it was at least late morning, possibly nearing mid-day.
It wasn't long before the snow started to fall on her once again, obscuring the distance she was able to see ahead. The soft fluffy white flakes covered the trees, rocks, and ground all around her.
Jasmine was reluctant to slow the stallion's pace even more, but as the snow fell more thickly, she eventually had to slow him to a walk. She wanted to keep putting as much distance between her and Dryden. He would undoubtedly be following her trail by now.
She gulped as she thought about him catching up with her. He would never hurt her, but he had to be fairly angry. To be honest, she didn't exactly know him all that well and how he would react when he eventually found her.
The thought of Dryden hot on her tail spurred Jasmine into forcing the stallion back into a trot, trusting he could see better than she could with the snow whipping into her face.
She kept him going, the need to reach Adorra pushing her forward. She had a wedding to stop.
Suddenly, a gray shape came out of nowhere from the blinding snow and struck her in the head.
Chapter 12
Jasmine woke shivering to a pounding in her forehead. She let out a groan and raised a hand to her face. As she lifted her arm, she dislodged a layer of snow that had accumulated while she was passed out. Gingerly, she brushed crystals off her eyelashes and blinked up at the snow still falling above her. How long had she been lying on the ground? What had happened?
Moving slowly, she reached a hand up to the top of her brow and rubbed the spot that was sore. She let out another groan as she pressed too hard on the bump there and saw stars flash across her field of vision. Jasmine let her hand fall back into the snow and lay unmoving for a few minutes. She felt unbearably bewildered about what was going on. Her head felt fuzzy, and her thoughts crawled slowly through her brain. She thought back and tried to recall what she had been doing before she passed out.
The snow continued to fall, and she blinked as tiny snowflakes caught on her eyelashes. An animal snort startled her, and she rolled to her side, horrible visions of deadly mountain cats forcing her to move despite the pain.
The source of the noise turned out to only be the black stallion, standing patiently nearby, gazing at her curiously, as if wondering why she had decided to dismoun
t without waiting for him to stop.
Relief rushed through her, clearing her mind. She remembered pushing the horse to go faster, her inability to see through the snow, and the sudden shock of hitting something solid and unmoving. She must have whacked her head on a tree branch and knocked herself out. Jasmine took a deep breath. The cold mountain air steadied her. She felt a surge of gratefulness for the stallion’s training. With the stallion nearby, she didn't feel as alone or hopeless.
“Thank goodness you’re still here,” she said out loud, her voice sounding a little scratchy from being out in the cold for so long. “I would’ve lost my mind had I found myself without you.”
Jasmine pushed herself up onto her knees. Her vision blurred as little black dots swarmed across the landscape. She bent her head and shook the dots away. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up to her feet, only to collapse back down to her knees.
Her head throbbed. It felt like her skull was about to crack open. Jasmine lowered her head to the ground, letting the cold snow soothe the pain from her forehead.
Soft horse lips tickled her cheek. Turning her head and opening her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of the black stallion standing next to her.
Swatting his face away with a hand, she laughed a bit. “Oh, you silly horse.”
He snorted in her face in reply. He backed up, lifted his head, and let out a mighty neigh with a stamp of his massive hoof.
Jasmine clutched her head, her ears ringing. “Soon. Let me recover before I get on the move again,” Jasmine whispered up to him.
The giant black stallion moved away, and Jasmine rolled onto her back. Her eyes locked onto a thick branch that hung low above her. She cast a glare at it. That branch must’ve been the one that knocked her from the horse, and now she had no idea how long she’d been out. Jasmine sucked in a breath. How much of her lead had she lost? Was Dryden charging closer even now?
Ignoring the snow, Jasmine pushed herself into a sitting position, where she spent a minute rubbing the front of her head with her fingers, probing the tender parts. It would be sore for several days, but if she moved slowly, she figured she could get back on the horse and keep her seat while they continued their journey. She didn’t have much of a choice, every second was precious.
