The Dethroning

[jesusfreak10537]

Okay, this is the re-edited version of the edited version of my book!! I don't think it's any better, but I'm posting it here so I will be more motivated(hopefully) to write it more often.

I am also in the process of changing most of the names in my book, so some of them get a bit complicated(for instance, I'm changing 'Edrei' and Triscolia' back and forth because I can't decide which one to use!).

So here I go...again...



Edrei

Amid the chaos, one woman slipping up the wide stairwell went unnoticed. Gathering her skirts, she rushed up the ancient stairs, pausing outside of a roughly hewn doorway. She turned the knob quietly, and then entered the room. Padding across the cold stone floor, the woman approached a tiny cradle that had been lovingly carved out of a chunk of heartwood. The infant nestled inside cooed, kicking her tiny feet in sleepless protest. “Shh, hush. Be still now, my little one.” The woman reached her hand into the cradle, and the baby curled her tiny fingers over her mother’s large ones. A single tear snaked down the woman’s face. “I resolved not to cry!” she whispered, wiping the tear away with vehement force. Her shoulders shaking with suppressed sorrow, she lifted the infant from the heartwood cradle. The baby yawned and burped, oblivious to the emotional struggle her mother was battling.
“We have no time to lose.” The woman said to the child, then bustled around the cold room. The fire had long since extinguished, for all the able-bodied servants had left to fight in the hopeless war. Wrapping the baby against the chill, she ran out into the corridor, slamming into a man dressed in chain mail. “Sorry, Will. I have our child.” She lifted the baby to his arms, and he cradled the infant, making baby noises. “We may never see her again, love. You are sure you want to do this?”
The woman lifted her chin with as much courage as she could muster. “I know, Will. But at least we will save her from death! I want my only daughter to live and see a land of peace!” Will gave the baby back to his wife. Cupping her head in his battle-calloused hands, he looked into her eyes, and wiped away another tear with his finger.
“You are brave, Elli. I saw that from the day I met you.” He smiled. “Now come. If the child is to escape alive, the time is now.” He led her down the stairs, then across a broad walkway high above the city. A gasp from Elli made him turn. “The citadel is…burning!” Elli gasped, eyes wide. “I did not think…” she trailed off, sorrow overburdening her, and abruptly continued across the walkway. Descending down another stairway, she ran onto the stone paved road, soon passing from Will’s sight amid the panicked soldiers. She weaved her way through the armor clad men, who barely noticed her over their terror. A chill wind rustled Elli’s hair, carrying on it the wails of the doomed and dying soldiers.
She reached a high wall, a lone standing sentinel that stood stonily in its watch of the untouched western valley. She searched the wall’s weathered exterior, her eyes scanning every smooth stone. “Where is it?” she murmured, shifting the child to her other arm. With no small amount of satisfaction, she finally spotted what she was looking for: the sign of the five-pronged star carved in an ancient black stone. Pressing the middle of the star, she stood back and watched as a portion of the wall slid away. Slipping in the small opening, Elli ran down the smooth steps that had been carved out of the side of the hill in some forgotten time long past. The sounds of her harried footsteps echoed eerily against the stone walls. Reaching the end, she again pressed another star, and the wall slid away. She ran out onto the golden plain, seeing her destination. Above her, the sun rose mockingly, almost teasing the mind into thinking it was a normal day in the battered city of Parnassian.
The golden wheat danced and swayed in the expansive field as Elli sprinted toward a caravan of wagons on the last safe road leading out of Parnassian.
The trading caravan had provided supplies for the unprovisioned army, but the wagon master had sensed that the Golden City would fall ere the day drew to a close, and had ordered the wagons to safety. After the caravan passed safely into the eastern regions, the route would be closed against the enemy. The wagons had halted for some unknown reason, and Elli breathed a prayer of gratitude as she reached the caravan. Slipping undetected behind the last wagon, she crept forward until she was standing next to it. She untied a piece of the canvas cover and slipped underneath it. Hugging her daughter to her chest for the last time, she set the little wrapped bundle down amidst jingling trinkets. The baby looked at her mother unconcernedly, but began to flail with panic as Elli turned away.
“Hush, child.” Elli crooned softly. “May the Lord go with you, and surround you with His angels of protection.” She ran her hand over the tiny bald head one last time, watching as the infant yawned and went to sleep. She managed to keep the tears from her eyes as she turned away, and refastened the canvas. A shout behind her of, “Hey, you! Get away from there!” spurred her into action. She sprinted across the field, away from her daughter forever. When she reached the wall, she turned. “Farewell.” Elli allowed her tears to flow freely now, as she watched the wagons start forward again on the path to safety. “Goodbye, Katharine.”


The caravan master leaned against the rough wooden seat and looked out over the backs of his two plodding mares. They had left the golden plains of Parnassian an hour ago; now the caravan was weaving its way through the sparsely wooded territory outside the trading village of Finulae. The wagon master would be glad to reach civilization and have a nice warm bed and actual food. The capital city Parnassian had little water and virtually no food and its citadels were swiftly burning. It was a shame to have the magnificent capital being defeated; it had provided one the caravan’s biggest profits. He remembered how magnificent the city had looked a short month ago, its banners flying high in salute to the celebration of the birth of the King’s daughter. A shout brought the master back to the present. “Captain! Sir!” A small, wiry man bounded over.
“What is it, Nigel?” the master turned to his assistant.
“Sir! We found something in one of the wagons!” Nigel saluted smartly.
The Captain raised a brow. “And what would that something be, Nigel?”
“Um, well, sir,” the small man shifted his weight nervously. “We found a…a baby. It was in the last wagon, wrapped in a blanket.”
“A baby! In one of my wagons! Bring it to me!” the master bellowed, fury turning his ears red. Nigel saluted again and sprinted off to obey the order.
The master sat back, wondering how in tarnation a little brat could have ended up on his caravan.
“Here she is, sir!” Nigel returned, huffing, with a little wrapped bundle in his arms. He plopped the infant in the Captain’s lap. The baby screwed her face up in a resounding wail and began to flail her arms. The master looked at her with obvious disgust.
“Get rid of it.” The Captain quickly handed the baby back.
Nigel widened his eyes. “Sir?”
“Drop it off at Finulae. I’ll not have a baby tagging along on my trading caravan.”
Nigel nodded quickly. “Yes, Captain.” The assistant turned and disappeared among the dust that the caravan kicked up. The caravan master settled back in his seat, satisfied that the infant was taken care of. He unsheathed his knife and began to clean it while he returned to his former thoughts. Yes, he decided, it was too bad about Parnassian ending up in the hands of the Abadonians.



The aromatic smell that rose from the bakery’s kitchen went unnoticed by Maggie, who was up to her elbows in dirty laundry. When she had given birth to three boys, she hadn’t expected they would dirty their clothes so quickly! Finally, the aromatic smell changed to the acrid odor of burning bread. “Oh, no! The bread!” Maggie stood, dried her hands on the apron that covered her matronly body, and sprinted for the kitchen.
Shooing Peter, her three year old boy, from the room, Maggie quickly retrieved the bread from the fireplace. It no longer had the appearance of bread, but the loaf looked rather like a charred, black rock. “I’m sure the Official won’t appreciate serving his guests a burnt lump!” Maggie groaned, quickly bustling around the small, but homely, kitchen to start another loaf of bread. She could hear her boys screeching in the garden out back, filled with excitement because of the approaching trading caravan. Shaking her head, she kneaded the dough, and then braided it.
“Mum, Mum! The caravan is here! And it brings news of the fall of Parnassian!” David, her six-year-old old burst, into the room, excitement glowing on his freckled face.
“The fall of the capital?!” Maggie widened her eyes, trying not to show her fear to her beaming son.
She covered the dough with a towel, and then grabbed her shawl to fend off the chill morning air. She followed David outside, looking around anxiously for Charles, her husband. The wagons had stopped in the middle of the village greenbelt, and now the traders were hawking what wares they had left from supplying Parnassian.
While the children of Finulae were excited about the fall of Parnassian- it gave then something to talk about- the adults were nervous and fidgety. What if the Abadonians broke through and captured Finulae? Maggie kept her eyes peeled to the horizon, half-expecting to see the enemy’s army. She pulled aside a young man. “Nate, where is Charles?”
Nate pointed to the small armory that held the village’s few weapons.
“He’s in there. The Official is holding a council.”
Maggie thanked the boy and trudged through the muddy grass of the village green to the small thatched hut. Once inside the small armory, she found the men shouting at each other. She called, “Charles!” over the din, and her broad husband weaved his way through the crowd toward her. He took her by her arm and led her away from the chaos. “Charles, what in Edrei is going on? The Abadonians have taken Parnassian? What are we going to do?”
Maggie burst out, an anxious expression on her taut face.
“Calm down, Maggie. The capital city has not fallen yet. The remaining soldiers under the command of General Edward deFransico are holding strong for now. There is a gleam of hope for Parnassian, at least for this hour.” Charles smiled reassuringly, sounding more confident than he felt.
Maggie bit her lip. “But what if the enemy breaks through the citadel and comes here?”
“That is why I must go to Parnassian, to lend my sword to the battle.”
“Charles! What if…what if…” Maggie trailed off, horrified with the thought of her husband battling the fierce Abadonians.
“I’ll be fine, dear, and I’ll be home before you know it!” Charles asserted, hoping he was right. “Besides, won’t this be a grand story to tell our grandchildren?!”
Maggie rolled her eyes, a small smile spreading over her lips. “Just take care of yourself, okay? And don’t do anything rash.”
Charles nodded, pecked her on the cheek and then disappeared back into the armory.
Maggie couldn’t keep the awful feeling of worry and fear from welling up in the pit of her stomach. To get her mind off the once far-off war that now choked their lives, she hurried to the village greenbelt to see what wares the caravan had brought.
Later, after haggling over a length of blue cloth, she paid a few coins to an old wrinkled trader and turned away. A tug on her dress halted her movement.
Maggie looked over her shoulder impatiently, expecting to see the old trader demanding more money. Instead a small, wiry man stood there, clutching a small wrapped bundle.
“No, thank you, sir, I am not interested in buying more goods.” Maggie said firmly and began to walk away.
“No, no, wait, ma’am!” the man caught up to her quickly. “This is no ordinary trading good!” Maggie turned, frustrated now. “Well, what is it?”
The man cautiously turned the bundle over, revealing a pink-cheeked infant.
“A BABY!” Maggie breathed, quickly taking the infant from the man’s unskilled hands. “Where did you find her?” she asked, eyeing the man suspiciously.
“Well, that is just the problem, ma’am. She was found on one of the wagons. The only possible clue we have of her identity is this.” The man reached forward and pulled on one side of the blanket the baby was wrapped in. Maggie could see an emblem of a five-pronged star embroidered on the soft fabric. “What is that?” she murmured softly, fingering the cloth. Peering closer, beneath the emblem, she spotted a tiny word sewn onto the cloth: ‘Katharine.’
“I guess that’s her name.” Maggie smiled gently down at the infant. When she looked up again the man was gone. “What…where did he go?” she looked around anxiously. “That…that mongrel! Leaving me here with a baby!” Suddenly the truth dawned on her. She eyed the peacefully sleeping child. “Well, I guess Abba willed you to be mine, eh? Now you will be stuck with me as your mother your whole life.”
The infant yawned and clenched her tiny fists, then peacefully snuggled closer to Maggie and fell asleep.
“What will Charles think of this, eh, little one? He’ll be mighty surprised when he comes home to a new daughter.” With that she smiled at the sleeping Katharine and then marched purposefully back to the bakery.


*************

 

[jesusfreak10537]

Finulae, Edrei. Chapter One
20 years later


The fawn nosed its way into the clearing, following its mother closely. The tiny, curious animal soon wandered to the edge of the forest clearing. A young woman, crouched in the tall brush, smiled as the fawn neared her.
“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you…” she crooned, her palm outstretched to the tiny fawn. The creature took a hesitant step forward to investigate the smiling human.
Suddenly, the mother bleated a warning. The fawn ran over to her and together they leaped out of the clearing as a horse and rider erupted through the brush. The rider reined in the horse, looking around.
The young woman stood up, her hands on her hips. “Duncan! The mother almost let me touch little Myrtle!”
Duncan smiled apologetically and dismounted. “Myrtle? Is that what you are calling it now?” His smile faded at the woman’s angry expression. “C’mon, Katie, I didn’t mean to scare off Turtle…I mean, ah, Myrtle.”
“All right! You just knew that I would be here today and just happened to be galloping your horse through a treacherous stretch of forest?” Katie snorted indignantly and began to gather her supplies. “You know that Myrtle has an infected cut on her flank...which I am unable to treat because of you.” Her eyes flashing, she swung the pack over her shoulder and marched after the two deer.
“No! Wait! Katie!” Duncan ran after her, stepping in front of her to stop her from advancing down the trail. “Maggie sent me. She wants you. Something about a dinner.”
The color drained from Katie’s face. “Oh no! That was today! Oh, my goodness, I completely forgot!” She turned around and ran back down the trail. “Duncan, can you give me a lift?” She paused and looked back, apology in her eyes.
“Fine! Come on, then!” Duncan stormed past her and jumped onto the black mare, the helped Katie up. “C'mon, Horizon!” He kicked the horse’s flanks gently and she galloped down the roughly packed forest trail.
*******

“Of all the scatterbrained girls Abba could have sent me, you are the worst!” Maggie paced in front of Katie. “I cannot believe you were late…again!”
Katie sighed and looked out the window. Darkness was swiftly falling outside, cloaking the sleepy village of Finulae in a hazy sense of peace and security.
“The biggest dinner of the Official and I had no help! Thanks to you, I managed to burn the sweet rolls while I was basting the roast, and then I used a crabapple glaze on what was supposed to be cherry cheesecake!” She shook her head disgustedly. “I need your help, and that is that, Katie! You just had your twentieth birthday, and you are still cavorting about in the fields with that dimwitted boy Duncan.”
“Mother!” Katie cried. She was able to shoulder Maggie’s shouts, but when they turned to her childhood friend…that was another story altogether. “Duncan is not dimwitted! Just because he wants to raise horses instead of farming like everyone else…” she shouted, then stomped from the room. Ignoring her brothers’ and father’s curious stares, she ran up the stairs to her little loft above the kitchen. Hurling herself down on the bed, she sobbed silently, wishing that she could be the obedient daughter Maggie had always hoped for. But then again, she had always let her family down. She didn’t even look like them! She had thick, wavy auburn hair and blue-green eyes, while the rest of the family had brown hair and brown eyes. She had always been interested in animals and writing; her brothers cared for nothing but food, crops, and hunting. She wondered why she couldn’t just be normal and fit in like everyone else.

Maggie sat heavily down in her worn rocking chair, too tired to even attempt to darn David’s socks. She wondered what she had done wrong in raising Katie. Then again, the girl had always been different. She had her nose stuck in a book while the rest of the Finulae girls were trained in the proper housewife manner. She sighed, jumping suddenly at Charles voice behind her.
“What happened now, Maggie?”
“She was late for the preparation of the Official’s dinner.” Maggie put her head in her hands. “When is she going to grow up, Charles?”
“Maybe it is time to tell her the truth.”
At that, Maggie looked up. “But Charles! She...She…oh, maybe you are right. She already can sense that she does not belong here. Perhaps we should tell her.”
Charles backed away. “Well, Maggie, I have some wagon axles that need repairing. I’ll just be, ah, out in the barn.” With that he turned and ran from the room.
With a resigned sigh, Maggie shook her head at her husband’s retreating form and eased her aching body out of the rocking chair. She told herself that she was doing the right thing as she slowly walked toward Katie’s room. The girl deserved to know that she had been, ah, adopted, as it were.

Katie lifted her head slightly from the pillow at a soft rapping on the door.
“Who is it?” she sniffled, pushing a soggy strand of hair from her face.
Maggie pushed open the door softly. “It’s me. I thought you might like some tea.” She put a tray of herb tea down on a small table by Katie’s bed. Katie gratefully took the steaming mug and held it to her face, breathing in its aromatic smell.
“Why did you really come up here?” Katie smiled slightly at Maggie, who was fidgeting nervously.
“Well, Katie, I have something to tell you.”
Katie looked smug. “You are going to apologize about Duncan.”
“Well, it’s not exactly that.”
“Duncan isn’t dimwitted, Mother, just different. Like me.”
Maggie shifted her weight uncomfortably. “There is a reason you are different.” She took a deep breath, trying to sort through her buzzing thoughts.
Katie tilted her head quizzically. “What?” She laughed. “Don’t tell me, I’m adopted.”
Maggie widened her eyes. “You knew! How did you ever guess you were adopted?”
Katie’s jaw dropped. “You mean…I’m adopted? Seriously?” With effort she clamped her jaw shut. Adopted? Her? David and Mark and Peter weren’t her brothers? She felt as if someone had dropped her life into a river, and she was slowly sinking to the bottom.
“We wanted to tell you sooner.” Maggie sighed. “But we’ve never found a chance.” She eyed Katie. The girl appeared to be dumbstruck. “We figured since you are older, now, that we would finally tell you.”
A heavy silence fell between them, and neither cared to break it. Katie was wrapped in thoughts of her own, and Maggie was inwardly debating her decision of telling Katie of her adoption.

***

“I can’t believe it, Duncan, I just can’t believe it!” Katie sighed. “My own parents gave me up on a wagon train.”
Duncan looked up from the foal he was examining. “Have you ever considered the possibility, Katie,” He slapped the foal on its [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] and it ran back to the pasture, “that they put you on the trading caravan to save you from the Abadonians?”
“Well, yes, but the Abadonians never got farther than burning the citadel, thanks to the troops that came from Ahl.” Katie pointed out darkly.
“Your parents wouldn’t have known that!”
“But still…oh, Duncan, I don’t know what to think.”
Duncan patted her on the back reassuringly. “You’ll figure it out someday, Katharine. Now you’ll just have to put your trust in the Lord to sort everything out. As for me, well, the horses need to be fed.” He smiled apologetically, then grabbed his feed bucket and walked out into the pasture.
Katie sighed as she watched Duncan’s obvious joy and pride in his small horse herd. She leaned against the fence and closed her eyes, wondering why her parents had given her up. Maggie and Charles were wonderful parents, loving her as if she was their own, and she knew they always would. But she had the urge to know her birth parents, to see the ones who had once loved and cradled her. An annoying fly buzzed unmercifully around her head, causing her to shake her head indignantly.
“Can you not allow me a moment’s rest, Lord?” she sighed into the breeze. The cool wind seemed to encircle her, and for a second she could almost imagine herself as the carefree Katie, the barefoot, tanned girl who ran unhindered through flower strewn fields. Then the breeze dropped away, bringing back to her mind the new Katie: confused, bewildered, and wondering about her true identity.

*****

The Captain took a deep breath, and then started up the rough-hewn staircase that was cut precariously in the side of a mountain. He could not figure out why he would be summoned, and could only hope that the Chancellor was in a good mood today. His temper was known to explode at anything and everything that caused his latest scheme to fail, regardless of age or gender. The Captain nodded at a sentinel who stood stiffly outside of an imposing door which loomed beside him. Easing the door open, the Captain softly walked inside, his soft footfalls echoing eerily off the stone walls.
“You called, my Lord?” He stiffened as a dark figure that stood at a tall window slowly turned.
“This time I will not fail.” Dark eyes flashed from beneath a hooded cloak. “I cannot fail. I will not let that pompous Royal family sitting high and mighty in Parnassian triumph over me again.” The Chancellor slowly circled the shaking Captain.
“O-of course not, my l-lord!” he stammered. “It w-will not f-fail!”
“Good.” The cloaked man visibly relaxed. “I believe you to be a reliable man, Captain Avery. And for your sake, it had better be so.” With a flash the Chancellor drew his sword, and then sheathed it again. “You are to invade all the towns in a two-hundred mile radius around Parnassian. Take no man alive, but bring all the women of about age twenty directly to me. She must be among them, somewhere.”
“My most gracious Lord, who would ‘she’ be?” Captain Avery ventured timidly.
“The princess!” The man growled, stalking back to the long window. “The princess, the hope of Triscolia!” The Chancellor stared out the window, wishing his gaze could pierce through the mountains and burn Parnassian. “Go! Take your bravest troops. You attack at nightfall.” His tone became low and menacing as the terrified Captain backed out the door.
“She will learn to fear the name of Scalon.”

*****

Maggie drew the heavy draperies over the window in the parlor. Outside, dusk was swiftly falling, the heavy silence of night occasionally broken by an eerie howl of a dog. Even though the breeze that filtered through the window was rather warm for the springtime, she shivered suddenly, sensing that something was amiss. Turning from the window, she saw her family gathered in the parlor, laughing and talking about the day’s events. Nothing was wrong there, but she even as she sat in her rocking chair with David’s socks, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was not right.

*****

 

[jesusfreak10537]

Just redited another section...

Chapter Two​

Katie sat in a chair in the corner, feeling very disconnected from the happy chatter of her family. She felt drowned in her confusion, her wondering of why her family had given her up. A faint smile played at the corners of her lips as she wondered if she had any sisters. She had always longed for a sister, a playmate who would join her on her long tramps through the woods.

“Katharine?” Katie jumped slightly when Maggie put her hand on her shoulder.

“You look tired, Katie. You should go to bed.”

Katie nodded wearily. “Okay. Goodnight, Moth-um, Maggie.” She awkwardly rose from her chair and padded through the kitchen to her loft. Slipping into her nightgown, she breathed a quick prayer and slid in between her cool sheets.

The wind whistled through the eaves eerily, carrying on it the sound of mournful dog howls. The little house trembled in the wind, and Katie drew her quilt up over her head.

“I just need some sleep, that’s all.” She whispered, rolling over and trying to drown out the resonant howling.

*****​

Captain Avery Gritamer plodded through the sparsely forested area on the outskirts of Finulae.

“Why can’t that crazed Scalon carry out his own harebrained scheme?” he muttered darkly, shaking a blob of mud off his jacket. He wished he were back home in Clandestine, listening to his children’s chatter, instead of slogging through mud in the middle of the night to kill and capture.

“Almost there, men!” he called softly over his shoulder to the ragtag group of dimwitted men who had been assigned to him. They may have never had an original thought, but they could fight, and that was all Scalon cared about.

*****​

Katie woke with a start. Had she heard a faint rustle downstairs, or was it her imagination? Climbing out of her bed softly, she crept down the ladder that led to her loft. Peeking her head into the kitchen, Katie relaxed slightly when she didn’t see anyone. She turned back to her ladder and had to stifle a scream.

“Maggie! What are you doing here? You almost scared me out of my wits!” Katie blubbered, putting her hands on her hips.

“Sorry, Katharine. I thought I heard something.” Maggie whispered, motioning for Kate to be quiet. Together, the two stood shivering in the kitchen, listening intently for some unknown sound. The air was still, and almost too quiet. The silence seemed to grow until even the creaking of the old house sounded like the clang of sword fighting.

Suddenly, a far-off scream pierced the night. It was followed by another, then a clamor of shouts and yells sounded on the outskirts of Finulae. Maggie and Katie glanced at each other in unspeakable horror, and then Maggie shouted, “Charles!”

Charles came bounding out of the back bedroom, looking sleepy and very unsure of what was going on. He immediately sprang to action when the roar of flames and the screams of women pierced his mind. “Katie!” he shouted, grabbing his sword. “Get yourself and Maggie to the cellar!” He ran out of the kitchen, followed by David, Mark and Peter.

Katie grabbed Maggie by the sleeve. “Hurry!” she gasped, lifting a rug by the fireplace and prying open a small trapdoor. “Get in!” she urged Maggie, jumping into the small, dank cellar below.

“The Abadonians must be attacking!” Maggie gasped, sneezing as a cloud of dust rose up around them. “Why would they attack Finulae, and not one of the larger cities?”

Katie shook her head grimly. “I have no idea.” She pushed aside some barrels and bolts of old fabric. “Hide here, Maggie. They won’t be able to see you.”

Maggie nodded, terror etched on her face. She crawled under the fabric and crouched under a low-hanging shelf. Katie draped the cloth over her and then hid behind a few barrels. For a few moments, the cellar was cloaked in silence that was pierced only when a fearsome Abadonian war call echoed outside.





Captain Avery jumped behind the cover of a wagon, easily dodging the sword of a farmer. Sneaking in the shadows, he came to the last house on the outskirts of Finulae. He motioned one of his men, one of the dumber ones by the name of Bart, to join him.

“Kill all that moves, except the women. Bring them to me.” he whispered, softly kicking open the back kitchen door.

The kitchen was dark. The fire had long since extinguished but a few embers glowed in the hearth.

“I don’t see no one!” Bart exclaimed, looking around. “Most likely the men folk ‘ave left and the women are hidin’!”

Avery took out his dagger. “Well, we’ll just have to find them, won’t we?”







Katie crouched below the men’s feet in the cellar, trying not to make a noise. She closed her eyes and silently prayed that they would not be detected. Behind her, she heard Maggie shift her weight quietly under the bolts of fabric. The next second, a large crash that resounded loudly in the cellar made her jump. Looking back in the dim light, Katie could make out a shelf that had come crashing down when Maggie had moved.

“What was that?” one of the men’s voices echoed above her.

“I dunno. It sounds like it was a-comin’ from the floor!”

Katie heard footsteps tromp across the floor until they were directly above her.

“I should have known. A hidden cellar!” Katie heard scratching noises as someone pulled up the trapdoor. She trembled with fear, but she knew she couldn’t let Maggie be found. Gathering her courage, she pushed aside the barrels and met the two men at the top of the cellar steps.

“What are you doing here, traitors?” she spat, trying to keep her voice steady.

One of the men grabbed her roughly. “You are in no position to be speaking like that.” he said coolly while binding her hands. “I would stay silent if I were you.” He turned to the other man. “Bart, go see if there are any others in here.” He pushed Katie toward the door as Bart walked up the stairs.

Thinking quickly, Katie kicked backwards, her foot hitting the man’s leg. He howled in pain and she ran for the door.

“Get back here, wench!” the man growled, leaping after her. Katie sprinted out the door and through Maggie’s garden. She paused behind a row of bean stalks, breathing heavily. She relaxed slightly, hearing nothing. Maybe he had lost her trail in the darkness. A cracking stick made her jump and spin around.

“You’re not about to escape from Avery Gritamer that easily!” the man snarled, grabbing her arm and putting his sword at her throat. Katie trembled with terror, not saying anything. Suddenly a dark shape loomed behind Avery, and Katie’s eyes widened.

“What is it?” Avery kept his sword at her throat as he turned around, only to meet the fist of Duncan. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.

“And stay down there!” Duncan growled, stepping over Avery and grabbing Katie. He unsheathed his dagger and sliced through the ropes that bound her wrists. “Come on. There’s no time to talk. I met your father on the road and he asked me to check on you. Good thing I did, too.”

“Maggie is safe in the cellar.” Katie gasped. “There is another man…in the house.”

Duncan nodded quickly and led her behind a tree where Horizon was patiently waiting. He jumped onto his horse and helped her up behind him. With a quick kick, Horizon darted from behind the tree and galloped into the sparse forest behind Katie’s house.

“I know of a cave where you can hide.” Duncan yelled back to her. “You are to stay there, and don’t try anything dangerous, like you are so apt to do.”

Katie would have slapped him if she hadn’t seen the smile on his face. She relaxed, hoping that now everything would be safe.

Duncan’s smile faded as an arrow whizzed past his face an embedded itself in a tree beside them as Horizon raced by.

“Stay low!” he yelled tersely, ducking close to Horizon’s mane. Katie squeezed her eyes shut as the horse picked up speed, pounding past trees and large rock outcropping that no doubt sheltered the Abadonian archers that aimed at them.

A wild neigh of terror from Horizon made her eyes fly open. The horse reared in pain, and Katie guessed that an arrow had hit the animal. Duncan was trying to get Horizon under control. Even he was having trouble staying on the bucking horse. Katie screamed as she felt herself slip off Horizon’s back. She desperately tried to grab something, but ended up hitting the ground anyway. She heard the terrified whinnies of Horizon, and then everything went black.



Bart helped his captain off the ground, and then stood back worriedly. Avery was red in the face and his temper was on its very edge.

“If I find that country bumpkin,” he snarled, “he will regret the day he was born.”

“Uh, boss? Don’t ya think we’d best be rejoinin’ the others in the forest?” Bart interjected timidly.

Avery nodded, picked up his dagger, and stalked away from the garden, soon disappearing into the thin trees. Bart scampered after him, watching for any signs of movement.

Soon the motley pair arrived at a large rock outcropping in the woods. A group of men stood huddled around a still form on the ground, while a few others stood gazing into the trees.

“What happened?” Avery shouted, stomping over to the men. He turned white, then purple, then a curious shade of red. “Bind her arms!” he ordered sharply, glaring daggers at the unconscious Katie. “As soon as the others arrive with the women, we march for the safety of Diab.”

 

[Joy_Everlasting]

Wonderful writing, JF! *cough*Kaitie'shandsarestilltied*cough*

 

[jesusfreak10537]

AAH! I swear I edited that, Joy! I must be losing my mind! Thanks for pointing that out...again!!!

Chapter Three​

On the plains of Parnassian

The next morning





Pain was the only thing that woke Katie up. It had crept over her body as she lay unconscious, inching into her head and neck. She awoke groaning, rubbing the large bump on the side of her head. At least her captors had untied her hands! Worse than the pain that now knifed through her, however, was the faint memory of tumbling off Duncan’s horse into the arms of the Abadonians.

She had no recollections of what had happened next, or where she was. As she lay stiffly, she realized she was in a slowly creaking wagon.

Opening her eyes was the last thing she wanted to do…who knew what lay around her, or who she would have to face once she admitted to waking up? Katie laid absolutely still, sudden thoughts of home rising in her mind. Had Duncan made it out? Was Margie safe in the cellar? Was the rest of her adoptive family even alive?

These were things she could not face right then…she had to figure out how to escape alive before discovering the fate of her family and friends. Coming to her decision quickly, she opened her eyes and sat bolt upright.

She immediately regretted her choice. The sudden movement inflamed the pain pounding in her head, and she was momentarily blinded by it. Only when the sensation subsided could she clearly see what was around her, and it wasn’t what she expected.

The wagon she was in was covered by a white tarp, and girls around her age were stacked in every inch of the shuddering floor. Most appeared unconscious, but several were peering around with fear-filled eyes, just as she was.

Katie turned her eyes to the already-hated man driving the wagon. His back was turned to the wagon box, but she could see he had the thick black hair and red clothing consistent with an Abadonian. His gaze was fixed on the high-spirited golden mare that was pulling the wagon.

She then painfully turned around to look out the back of the wagon, and her gaze widened even more. A long train of white-capped wagons was stretched out on the wide prairie behind them. It looked like one of the trading caravans that made their way through Finulae every day, except for the swarthy, clearly-Abadonian men driving the wagons.

The caravan was moving at a pace that was far too fast to be normal, so there was no way to jump out and escape. Besides, she could see men on horses trotting next to the wagons, each appearing to be heavily armed.

“There is no way for me to escape now.” Katie sighed sadly. “I’m stuck on the plains of Parnassian.” She nearly jumped out of her skin as the girl next to her tapped her softly.

“Shhhh!” the girl whispered. “The driver has threatened to whip us if he hears us talk.” She cast a nervous glance over her shoulder, pushing her long red hair out of her eyes as she turned to look at Katie. “But how did you know we are on the Plains of Parnassian?”

Katie, despite her predicament, had to smile as she surveyed the girl. She looked no more than seventeen, and had a splattering of freckles and wide green eyes that made her look even younger. “Well, I live in Finulae, and the only plains around there are the ones surrounding Parnassian.”

The girl nodded. “Aye, we could see the capital in the distance at sunrise this morning.”

Katie blanched. “This morning? How long have the Abadonians been traveling?”

“I live outside Finulae. You were already here when those wicked men shoved me into this wagon, but since then we’ve been traveling the whole night and most of today. We got off the normal trading route some time ago.” The girl pursed her lips grimly.

“So we’ve passed Parnassian…we’re probably near the Black Desert.” Katie sighed, feeling hope dissolve from her. “That means…”

She was cut off abruptly by a curt command from the wagon’s driver. “Hey, you swine, shut your traps!” barked the swarthy man. “I’ll have the lot of you whipped!” He glared straight at Katie for a second, and she felt death in his dark-eyed gaze. She shivered, but thankfully he turned around again to curse at the horse.

For a moment the girl beside Katie was quiet, then she whispered timidly, “I’m Annae.”

Katie, pale in the face, managed to mouth, “I’m Katie.”

Then they both fell silent, listening to the trotting rhythm of the horses’ hooves and the ever-persistent squeak of the wagon’s wheels.



***



General Edward Montrose was known for the strict and often rigid way he maintained his battalion of highly-trained soldiers. It was whispered in Parnassian that he could take a group of clumsy rascals and churn out of them finely-tuned men of war. After all, he was the King’s appointed general, and had been for twenty years, ever since the King had suffered an injury at the Great Battle of Parnassian that turned him into an invalid. But today, the normally stern General Edward had spent the past two hours pacing in the small canvas tent that had been set up for him in the middle of his battalion.

The entire battalion, which consisted of about 1,000 men and horses, was camped near a tiny stream that ran through the direct middle of the plains surrounding Parnassian. The men were getting restless; it was nearing dark. They had been sent out here to monitor the activity of an oddly moving trading caravan. Two hours ago, though, a white-robed messenger had galloped up, telling them he had urgent news from the King. It had been relayed to General Edward, and then the messenger had galloped away again. Now the whole camp was aflame with curiosity. What had their esteemed leader so worried that his tent could be seen shaking with his every footfall as he paced?

No one was more concerned than Edward’s twenty-year-old son Nathan. Nathan, or Nate, as he was affectionately dubbed by his fellow soldiers, possessed his father’s broad shoulders, deep brown tousled hair, and inquisitive blue eyes that were now filled with anxiety. He was sitting outside his father’s tent, speculating what was happening while he watched the tent shake back and forth. The only thing Nathan could think of was that the Abadonians had invaded Scion. The city was situated next to the great tunnel of polyion on the Triscolian side, and had long been in Abadonian sights.

Nathan jumped slightly as the tent stopped shaking abruptly and his father nearly ripped open the tent flap. Whatever news he had gotten had certainly not left Edward in a cheerful mood.

“Son,” the formidable general growled, “what do you think those despicable Abadonians have done now?”

Nathan raised his eyebrows. “Could they have raided Scion?” he asked cautiously.

“No! Even worse!” Edward’s normally handsome features were pinched in anger. “The traitors attacked every small town around Parnassian—Finulae, Cornost, Aealoa, and others—burned all in their path, and killed all they could. Except for the young women. Every woman between the ages of seventeen and twenty-five was shoved into a trading caravan. A trading caravan which-” the general paused for effect, quirking a brow, “-I believe is the one we were instructed to monitor. A caravan which was moving too quickly to be normal, and skirted Parnassian as far as it could without suspicion.”

Nathan was surprised and angered at the news. He narrowed his eyes as he muttered, “So that is why you took the whole battalion with you on this assignment, why you stayed within a day’s ride of Parnassian. You suspected the Abadonians were planning something like this!”

He received a grim nod from his father. “Yes, son. I only wish I would have followed up with my suspicions. Then this could have been prevented.” He sighed wearily, then continued, “The King’s advice is to stay here and wait for reinforcements to arrive, because a caravan of their size could be harboring up to three thousand Abadonians. Knowing the King and his council’s,” he cleared his throat, “unhastyness in organizing things like this, we could be waiting for a day, possibly even more.”

Nathan said slowly, “But by that time the caravan would be nearly into Abadon, and the enemy would win.” He looked up at his father, understanding sparking in his ice-blue eyes. “We can’t wait that long. In order to overtake the caravan, we must leave now…and the men in the battalion are so highly trained, Father, that with a surprise attack we should be able to accomplish our goal with little trouble.”

The general beamed with fatherly pride. “I couldn’t have said it better myself, son.”



***





The garden was tucked away on the side of a mountain. It was surrounded by a high, golden wall of polyion, and had been planted with all manner of luxurious flowering trees and bushes. The entire place, though small, painted the very picture of blissful, colorful joy.

If the garden was an ethereal picture, however, there was on blot on the canvas. Seated on an intricately carved wooden bench was a man who completely ruined the entire scene. His slate-gray beard stretched to his stomach, ending at a wicked looking point; his clothes were the darkest black which offset his deathly pale face. Black eyes glimmered with hidden secrets and evil plots under two thin, gray brows. The vivid green grass of the garden seemed to dim and wither around the bench where he sat.

These were the first thoughts that ran through General Caspian de Erita’s mind as he took in the sight of his ruler. Every time he saw the man he cringed in fear and disgust; the leader of Abadon was almost too ruthless to look in the eyes.

“My lord Scalon.” General Caspian muttered as he knelt before Scalon’s bench.

Scalon’s dark eyes glittered as he motioned for Caspian to rise. “Ah, my fine general, it is a pleasure to see you again. I trust you had a good journey from Clandestine?”

“It was of such short nature I scarcely had time to notice it.” Caspian replied bluntly.

“My fine general, you have been in my ranks for nearly fourteen years. You have served me and all of Abadon well, but I know you are a man of many words.” Scalon smiled thinly as he studied the short, red-haired general in front of him. “Then why are you being so brusque?”

Caspian could keep his news to himself no longer. “It is because, my lord, in Clandestine there is talk that you have invaded Triscolia. Not only that, but,” the small man began to pace around the room, “you arranged a phony trading caravan, kidnapped the young women around Parnassian, and put them in the caravan that is now headed straight for the Tunnel!”

He stopped and stared Scalon directly in the eye. “I am your loyal servant, Scalon, but I am also an honorable man. I do not approve of my soldiers, without my knowledge, capturing hordes of innocent women…under your command.”

The Abadonian leader remained silent, unmoving, his facial expression as unreadable as stone. Finally he said smoothly, “And why do you think I did it, my dear Caspian? Why would I make a passel of women a priority in my conquest of Triscolia?” He paused for a second to let the general think. “Let me tell you a little story, Caspian. Twenty years ago, the putrid king of Triscolia had a daughter. This daughter was lost during the Great Parnassian War. Through years of thought and searching, I believe I have found where she is…and thus I have my link to the Triscolian throne,” he finished on a note of triumph, raising his perfectly plucked eyebrows loftily.

Caspian snorted. He could see his leader’s point of view but did not hold it. Nothing in his mind could justify the kidnapping of hundreds of women, but he knew he could not argue with Scalon. Men who argued with Scalon ended up headless.

“As always, you are a genius, my lord,” he sighed in defeat.

“Good.” Scalon said shortly, the matter closed in his mind. “Now, I called you here for a purpose. In order for the wagons to get here safely, we will have to take Scion…” Scalon’s eyes glistened with ruthless excitement as he relayed his plan to the skeptical general.

 

[jesusfreak10537]

****

The afternoon passed slowly. As the wagon train creaked through the endless plains, Katie began to think that time had slowed down. Miles after miles of waving golden grasses and azure blue sky were the only things she had seen since waking up in the wagon. She hadn’t had any water since the night before, so her throat was parched and dry. It seemed as if she would spend forever in the wagon, thirsty, sore, and caked with dirt and blood.
The wagons did not stop until an hour past sundown. After what seemed like an eternity, the wagon driver muttered a short “Whoa!” and the horses stopped immediately. Katie, who had fallen into a lulled state of half-sleep, was jerked to consciousness as the wagon driver shouted, “Everyone up and out of the wagon! And quickly, too, if any of ye swine want some water.”

Katie’s legs felt numb, but she was able to follow the other girls out of the wagon. Once she had been forced to a seat beside Annae, she was able to breathe in the fresh prairie air and get her bearings. The sun had set, but flickering torches provided some light. She could see that the wagons were arranged in a semi-circle, with the hobbled horses and guards blocking the way to freedom. The women were being jammed in between the guards and the wagons, so there was still no chance to escape. Maybe if she created a distraction…

“Here, wench!” Katie looked up to see a short, swarthy man handing her a canteen of water. She took it gratefully and gulped as much water as she could hold. This made her head feel clearer still, so decided to risk asking the man a question.

“Please, sir,” she said timidly, “Where are we going? Why have you taken all of us?”

The man grinned. “What do ye care? Ye’ll find out soon enough.”

The words sent a chill up Katie’s spine, but it was nothing compared to the sight of the dark man who was walking purposefully toward her. The captain who had originally captured her! She shivered and tried to inch backwards. She noticed that the man who had given her water was backing away as well.

“Have you watered the women?” Captain Avery asked shortly, a murderous look on his dark countenance. Katie glanced up at him, too scared to move. She saw that he was speaking to the man behind her.

“Y-yes, sir.” the guard stammered, all of his former confidence having dissolved in the wake of Avery’s anger.

Avery studied the camp around him—the group of shaking women, the grazing teams of horses, the rough wagons. Then in one suddenly fluid movement he backhanded the guard, sending him crumpling to the group next to Katie.

“We need to move faster!” Avery roared, sounding more animal than human. “The Lord Scalon will be expecting us to be here tonight! Tonight, do you hear?!” The Captain stalked forward, causing the group of shaking guards who had gathered timidly around him to retreat in panic.

*****


​

Nathan wearily ran a hand over his dirt-smudged face. He and the rest of his father’s battalion had been tracking the wagon train all afternoon. Now the sun had set, and the men had melted into the darkness. They had picked up the wagon’s trail about an hour before, and now it was only a matter of time before they caught up to it. Nathan, who was at the front of the battalion with his father, suddenly spotted lights flickering ahead.

“Father, look.” he whispered. “Those must be the lights from the caravan!”

“Aye. They are more foolish than I thought to light torches on this pitch-black prairie.” Edward muttered darkly. “Still, the light gives them more chance to see us as well. The element of surprise is vital!”

*****

 

[jesusfreak10537]

​

“I want us moving now!” Avery shouted. “Everyone, get back into the wagons immediately!” He stopped pacing as the men around him scurried off, calling horses. Soon, the only people around him were the group of women that Katie was in. They were getting ready to wearily clamor into the cold wagons when Annae and Katie heard Avery mumble something else.

“That murderous Scalon will meet his end with his cruelty.” The Captain’s hardened face softened for one second, until he saw the two girls staring at him.

“You two! What are you doing here?!” bellowed Avery. Katie noted that his face was turning that curious shade of purple again. She was about to apologize, when Annae spoke up from beside her.

“You don’t have to serve that horrid Scalon, you know!” Annae said softly. “You can join the honorable, noble Triscolians an --”

Her words were cut off by another bestial roar from the Captain.

“You swine! How dare you even mention such a thing!” His face was not purple any longer; it was a bright, fearsome red. “I am a loyal servant to Scalon and will remain so until my death!”

Annae stepped backwards, the intensity of his fury searing over her. She stumbled over her tangled skirts and collapsed in a trembling heap on the ground.

“I did nae mean to--”

“Oh, yes you did, wench!” Avery raged, his fury blind. He would never admit that he did not like Scalon— never!! He raised his large fist to strike Annae, but halfway through the blow his hand was stayed by Katie, who jumped in front of her friend.

“You leave her alone, you big old bully!” she shouted. “Have you no kindness in you at all?”

By now, the men who had run off to hitch the horses had gathered around them again. They stayed mostly silent, but one or two of them let out a loud jeer every few moments. Katie glared at them fiercely, her body quaking with fear as she turned her eyes to Avery.

“My name wouldn’t be Captain Avery Gritamer if I weren’t known for inflicting severe punishments on those stupid, puny captives who dare to speak against me!” he growled menacingly, his face spreading into a slow grin. “Understood?”

Katie shook her head. Her wide eyes belayed her fear, but she managed to say bravely, “If violence is what makes you firm in your pitiful rule, t-then you need to examine your heart!”

Avery’s eyes, and his leering grin, widened. “Ah, look how brave you are. Brave, and beautiful.” Avery narrowed his eyes, his tone growing fiercer. “Defending your friends without a thought to your own welfare, fearsome and noble, is that what you think, eh, wench?”

Katie did not answer, and merely held his angry gaze with an even fiercer one of her own. The jeers of the men floated around her.

“Well think again!” Avery roared, his fury fueled by her silence. In one quick, vicious movement, he grabbed her hair and yanked it backwards. Katie had no time to react, and could only yelp with pain. Her head was jerked violently backwards, and Avery pulled her to the ground. The world around Katie distorted with pain, and everything spun as she screamed in terror and anguish.

“We’ll see how brave you are.” Avery leered. “We’ll see.” He moved his heavily-booted foot to kick Katie in the stomach. She didn’t move, and through the pain in her head she still managed to glare defiantly up at the captain.

Then a whistling sound floated on the air, punctuated by a dull thud and a moan. One of the men who had been watching Avery toppled over, an arrow sticking out of his side. The men around him jumped back, gasping and shouting and scrambling for weapons.

Avery turned sharply, his face red not with anger, but with fear. Even as he drew his sword, he realized that his distracted and mostly untrained men could do nothing against the arrows that were flying from the darkness. They could hold their own against the women, but this was another story altogether. His spirit, and his ego, deflated even more as he heard the Triscolian battle cry rise from the outskirts of the camp.

*****​

Katie managed to sit up on one elbow and creep away from Avery. She still didn’t fully realize what was happening; but when one of Avery’s men lifted her up and used her as a shield against the sudden onslaught of the arrows, she knew that the women were being rescued. She could hear Annae echoing the Triscolian war call from behind her, and she was faintly aware of shouting herself. Then, men wearing the white armor of Parnassian leaped from the shadows, and the man who was holding her gasped and dropped her suddenly. All around her was the clanging of metal, swishing inches from her and Annae, and then the darkness that was surrounding her joined with the slashing and the flickering of blood-red torches, and everything went black.

*****​

 

[jesusfreak10537]

Chapter Four: War Cry​

Nathan had spent the last few minutes pacing restlessly at the back of the battalion. He had never been able to handle a bow, and archery was the first part of the onslaught. Aim not to kill, but to scare, his father had said, but Nathan knew if he was given a bow he would accidentally take out a few of the enemy and friends alike! Now, however, his real expertise could be drawn upon. To Nathan, nothing was better than plunging into battle with a gleaming sword, with the war cry upon his lips, as he was doing now.

He saw an Abadonian coming at him, sword drawn, and had enough time to jump out of the way. Nathan slashed at the enemy as his momentum carried him on, and he barely saw the man fall before he turned and was again fighting his way through the battle.

“Keep the women safe!” he shouted. His objective was to reach the wagons and keep the cravenly Abadonians from killing the helpless women. The enemy had, in the past, killed their captives as a final display of spite, even in the face of death themselves. If that happened now, then the whole purpose of this attack would be ruined—along with many lives of soldiers and women alike.

He reached the wagons unhindered. Though the Abadonians were tough, they did not have enough men to effectively meet Edward’s trained battalion in combat. Nathan relaxed slightly as he realized that all the Abadonians had scattered from the wagons, which meant his fears were disproven. Then he heard a feminine scream from somewhere to his right.

“Stop it! Leave her alone!”

Nathan gritted his teeth and walked quietly around to the back of the wagons. Crouching down next to the wagon bed of a particularly ramshackle wagon, he immediately saw the source of the scream.

A bulky Abadonian had a limp woman slung over his back like a sack of flour. The man was kicking at a red-headed girl who was shouting and hitting him, to no avail. As Nathan watched, the man finally succeeded in wrenching himself from the girl, and he darted into the darkness, still carrying the woman. The girl screamed and ran after the Abadonian.

She was soon stopped by Nathan, who ran and caught her by the arm. She began to wail with fear before he slapped his hand over her mouth.

“Be quiet.” he hissed. “I’m Triscolian.” He then removed his hand and held up his sword hilt with the Triscolian crest.

“Oh, thank the good Lord!” the girl blubbered. “I’m Annae, and that terrible captain just took Katie! Help her!” With that, Annae slumped over in a dead faint.

Nathan deftly lifted Annae and set her down in the nearest wagon. He nodded to the group of women who were staring at him with a mixture of hope and fear, and then began to follow the trail of the Abadonian captain.

*****​

Katie opened her eyes and realized that she was tossed over someone’s back. It was a very uncomfortable feeling, and it became even more uncomfortable when she recognized the man who was carrying her.

“Let me go!” she shouted to Captain Avery, who shook his head and tightened his grip.

“I will carry out my assignment!” he growled. “If Scalon will not receive all the women, he will at least receive you!” He plunged through the thick, waving grasses of the plains at a surprising speed, making Katie’s hope fade even more. No one would find her out here! She shouted and pounded her fists on his back.

“You’ll never get anywhere with this!”

“Who will stop me?” Suddenly, Avery stopped and slammed Katie to the ground. She screamed again, but her protest was weak because her breath had been forced from her throat with the impact.

“You’ll be the one to stop me?” Avery grinned. He took off his jacket and tore off a sleeve. He proceeded to stuff it in Katie’s mouth. She tried to kick at him, but the captain just leaped backwards. Taking advantage of his movement, she rolled to one side and then tried to scramble to her feet. She was knocked over again by Avery’s crushing blow to her head, which brought tears to her eyes. Forced to stop and regain her scrambled senses, Katie was scooped up and tossed over Avery’s back again.

*****​

Nathan was thankful for the silvery half-moon that shone between the clouds. Without its pale light, he would not have seen the tracks that the Abadonian captain had left behind.

“It’s not very hard to see anyway.” Nathan mumbled wryly, pausing for a moment to look at the three-foot-wide trail of crushed, broken grass he was following. “This man is either not very good at stealth, or he thinks we Triscolians are too dumb not to pick up his trail!”

He broke into a run silently. He didn’t want to catch the man very far from wagons. The girl probably wouldn’t be in any condition to walk a long distance. With that thought, he ran faster, ignoring the howling wind that had suddenly kicked up around him.

*****​

Katie decided she would not stand another moment of being carried over the despicable captain’s back. She was mulling over the possibility of escape when Avery came to a small, winding creek. He began to pick his way through the stones and trickles of water. When he had almost crossed the creek, he lost his footing on a slippery rock and tumbled over, losing his grip momentarily.

All Katie needed was that one moment. She drove her knee backwards into Avery’s chest, making him grunt in pain and lose his grip on her completely. Jerking away from him, she stumbled to the bank of the creek and tore the makeshift gag out of her mouth. No sooner had she turned around to face Avery when he was there, dripping curses and water, a murderous expression on his face.

“Wench!” he growled, a fearsome, guttural sound. “I would rather kill you here and now than see Scalon do it.” He lunged for her.

Katie jumped aside, falling to the ground. She suddenly became aware of his sheer size and strength, and knew she couldn’t stand against him. But perhaps through wit, she could escape…

“Annae will tell the Triscolians about you!” She gasped as Avery turned on her again, looking more animal than man. “They’ll follow your trail a-”

Katie was cut off as Avery, roaring in anger, managed to pin her to the ground with his sheer weight. She screamed and twisted underneath him, as his hands began to grip around her neck. Her breath was cut off suddenly, and an airless scream came from her throat. She struggled silently, unable to breath, as Avery’s rough hands applied more pressure to her throat.

As quickly as he had started choking her, the captain stopped. He looked at Katie and grinned. “I love to prolong the death. Makes you shake in fear, don’t it?” He laughed, a sound that made Katie shudder as she gasped for oxygen.

“P-please!” she screamed before his hands came up to her throat again. The pressure at her throat became unbearable once again, and blackness began to swim around her eyes. She needed air desperately, so desperately…

A shout echoed from behind Avery, and the next second glinting metal slammed on top of him, knocking him off Katie and forcing him to lose his grip on her throat. She scrambled away from Avery, who was getting to his feet and drawing his sword. Never before had she been so grateful for breath! The fogginess faded, and she could once again fully make out what was happening.

A young man, wearing the white armor of Triscolia, was jumping backwards as Avery lunged wildly toward him. Katie could feel Avery’s anger and hate seething out of him, and she prayed that the Triscolian would be able to have the wit to match his strength.

*****​

 

[jesusfreak10537]

((Well, I am overjoyed because I have finally written my first ever duel! It was incredibly hard and took me over a month, but I think it turned out rather well...I would love for any feedback on it!))



Nathan had never encountered such loathing that was dripping from the man before him. The Captain was even scarier up close than he had been from a distance; his wild black hair and unshaven beard added an air of insane anger. He had to draw on every single one of his battle techniques just to barely escape from the Abadonian’s swinging sword. All he could see was the unbridled fury in the enemy’s eyes, a passionate hate that made Nathan step back in fear.
“I’ll leave both your corpses out here to rot!” the man spat, chuckling as though he found something funny. “No one will find you, you coddled Triscolian dog!”

Now Nathan felt the anger begin to boil up in himself as well. But he knew that was what the man wanted. He would have to keep a level head. Circling slowly, he raised his sword slowly and cautiously, and then lunged quickly. He made himself miss the Captain and lumber clumsily by him, lowering his sword as if it were too heavy.

“With all that fancy armor, you could have afforded some lessons, swine.” Avery sneered. “Come on, that’s right. Come and get me!”

Nathan had stumbled to his feet and clumsily ran toward Avery. The big captain did not move, but waited for the boy to fall again.

Once he had lurched past Avery, Nathan quickly whirled around and slashed upward with his sword. The movement caught the captain by surprise, and he wasn’t able to move before Nathan’s sword sliced into his calf. Howling with pain and anger, Avery blindly charged for Nathan, who was still regaining his footing from his strike.

Before Nathan could move, the bulky Abadonian slammed into him recklessly, knocking them both to the ground and dislodging Nathan’s sword from his hand. Nathan shouted as the two rolled on the ground, and then suddenly the vision in his left eye was obscured by a red, sticky fluid. Blood. Nathan saw the flash of moonlight on a wicked blade, and realized the captain had drawn a dagger. In panic, he managed to put his hands around Avery’s wrist to stop the knife from slitting his throat. Avery roared in anger, and then Nathan managed to knee the big man in the stomach. The Captain was wearing light armor, so Nathan’s blow barely reached him, but it was enough. In the second that Avery winced, Nathan succeeded in rolling backwards and out of the reach of the knife.

“You wriggle now, but you won’t for long, worm!” Nathan heard the growl behind him as he struggled to his feet. He had barely reached for his sword when the brutal weight of the man slammed into him again. Nathan punched blindly upwards, and he heard his fist hit metal. He opened his eyes to see the Abadonian grinning from above him. The moonlight bathed him in an ethereal glow, making his face all the more terrifying.

“That was almost pathetic.” Avery grinned, tapping the dagger lightly on Nathan’s breastplate. “No, I take that back. It was pathetic!” He took a long look at the dagger, and then regarded Nathan fiercely.

Nathan winced under the Captain’s gaze. He knew he had been taken completely by surprise; his wiry frame was strong, but no match for the hulking body of the Captain. And now he would pay for it with his life.

“At least you have the comfort of knowing before you die,” the swarthy man leaned close to Nathan, so close that his putrid breath washed over him like wave, “that I have won.” The huge arm lifted upwards, rays of white light reflecting off the dagger’s jagged edge. Avery emitted another deep chuckle. “I have w-!”

Nathan heard a grunt, and then he saw the figure of the Captain above him slowly tip over. With a thud and a slight clank of metal, the unconscious man fell to the ground, his dagger clattering harmlessly into the grass.

*****


​

Katie knelt over Avery and felt the big man’s pulse grimly. She was relieved to see she hadn’t killed him; somehow the idea of taking another human being’s life, even one as despicable as the man that slumped before her, held no appeal. Her glare was fierce as she straightened up and offered her hand to the dazed Triscolian.

“Are you okay?” she asked, though the blood that was pouring from a gash on his forehead obviously evidenced that he wasn’t.

“H-how did you do that?” the young man asked incredulously, not accepting her outstretched arm but struggling to his feet on his own.

Katie grinned and held up her other arm. She was clenching a large, muddy rock that she had picked up off the ground. “Rocks make excellent weapons.” She picked up his sword and handed it to him. “Aren’t you going to thank me?”

“Thank you? For what?” The Triscolian slid his sword into its sheath with a metallic clang.

“For saving your life!” Katie raised an eyebrow.

“No.” the man said flatly. “I had the situation in perfect control.” He nodded expertly. “At any rate, you would be dead right now if it wasn’t for me, so I think it should be you who should thank me!”

Katie snorted disbelievingly. “But I saved your life!”

“I followed you out here and risked my own.”

“But,” Katie protested weakly, “Captain Avery clearly—” She was cut off as the young man held up his hand.

“Did you just say Captain Avery? Would that be Captain Avery Gritamer, do you know?”

Katie raised her other eyebrow. “The man dragged me from my house, stuffed me in a wagon, and then tried to kill me. Of course I would ask his last name!”

The man ignored her began to pace around Avery’s limp form. “Because if it is Captain Gritamer that means Dagon is behind this whole thing! Avery is assigned to Dagon, not Scalon!”

“Yes, I always make it a point to learn who is assigned to whom in the Abadonian army! And who is Dagon?”

“You don’t know who Dagon is?” The Triscolian answered her with a measure of disbelief. “Dagon is only the worst of the thieving Abadonians. He’s their leader. Their king! A clandestine king, aptly put, since he has never ventured out of the Abadon’s capital, Clandestine. He let his crony, Scalon, do all the work for him, so Scalon is the one you hear about. But since Avery is here, that means Dagon is behind this too.”

Katie frowned. “Well, it’s sort of the same thing, isn’t it? They’re both evil, and connected to each other, so—”

“But if Dagon is behind all of you women getting kidnapped, that means the entirety of Abadon is getting ready for something! We could have a war on our hands in a matter of hours! I must tell Father!”

The man turned on his heels and began to run in the direction of the wagon train.

“Wait!” Katie hurried to catch up. “We can’t just leave the Captain lying there! He could have valuable information!”

“He’s out pretty well.” the Triscolian yelled grimly over his shoulder. “He’ll stay where he is! We must get this news to my father, the general, and quickly!”

Katie stopped dead in her tracks. “Wait. Your father is a general?!”

The young man stopped his rush to turn back and grin at her. “Not just a general. The general. General Edward Montrose. And I’m his son, Nathan. Lieutenant Nathan Montrose.” He laughed at the expression on the Katie’s face.

Katie was thrilled. The fabled General Montrose, who has saved Parnassian and become the king’s confidante so many years ago, had rescued her and other girls! If she hadn’t been so worried about her family, she would have been ecstatic, launching facts about the general to his son. But with her family likely dead or injured, and her best friend probably dead as well, the prospect of soon meeting the general dimmed. She was shaken out of her thoughts when Nathan asked, “What’s your name?”

Again, Katie had to stop and think. She knew her name, of course, but the childhood nickname of ‘Katie’ suddenly didn’t seem mature enough in her eyes. She realized she would have to grow up abruptly if she would stand a chance at finding her family; the feeling that it was time to drop all her childish ways and nicknames was strong.

“I’m Katharine,” she said quietly, looking down at her feet. The young man nodded, turned, and sprinted down the rough path through the crushed grass. Somehow, Katharine felt a thrill of adventure rush through her, and she broke into a run after Nathan.

*****
​

 

[jesusfreak10537]

Katharine stumbled back into the circle formed by the wagon train. She felt like she had been running for hours, and she doubted Nathan’s judgment. They should have brought Avery with them somehow! She had no time to think on that anymore, however, because her red-haired friend came swooping down on her with a squeal of joy.

“Oh, praise Abba, you’re safe and sound and I was so worried!” Annae blubbered, throwing her arms around Katharine. “And now we’re rescued and we can go home!”

“I don’t think it’ll be as easy as that!” Katharine said with a hint of fatality. “Who knows what condition our homes are in?” She didn’t add, “And what if our families are dead?”

“Well, we’ll manage somehow.” Annae declared firmly, and the two girls dropped it at that. They had known each other for only a day, but somehow they had the feeling they’d been friends for their whole lives. Katharine finally broke out into a smile, sensing the finality in Annae’s words. She looked toward Nathan, where he was conversing with a tall, broad-shouldered man who looked like an older picture of Nathan. He had high, well-defined cheekbones, and steel grey eyes. Katharine knew instantly that this was the fabled General Edward Montrose.

She shivered in anticipation as Nathan pointed toward her, and then General Montrose started walking toward her.

“My son tells me that you know Captain Avery.” His voice was deep and rumbling, and held an air of fatigue.

“W-well, sir, I didn’t exactly know him. H-he captured me…” Katharine stuttered nervously, momentarily bowed by the look of grief in the big general’s grey eyes.

Annae, in her usual peppery way, broke into the conversation abruptly. “Oh, she knows him pretty well, she does! That evil man captured her and shot her off a horse and then he threw her over his back and carried her off into the woods, but I tried to stop that evil man, sir! I tried, I did!”

“He tried to kill her, too.” Nathan commented with a grin. “Don’t forget that part.”

Annae turned to Katharine with wide eyes. “He tried to kill you? Why didn’t you tell me that? Oh, you probably didn’t get the chance yet.” She answered her own question. “But anyway, sir general sir—”

Edward held up a massive hand. “And did the captain ever speak to you about Dagon?” he asked, a puzzled look on his face.

“No—” Katharine started, but was again cut off by Annae.

“Well, sir general, sir, he always talked about how he hated Scalon. Yup, he said he hated Scalon, he did, and he said that Scalon was just too cruel!” Annae nodded emphatically.

“That’s because Avery works for Dagon, the ruler of Abadon.” Edward had to practically yell above Annae. “But why would one of Dagon’s men be assigned to Scalon? The two rulers are very different, you know. Both evil, but different. Scalon schemes, twists, and perverts judgment, and prefers to do things himself. Dagon likes to sit in Clandestine, at least pretend that he is fair, and sends his cronies out to do his bidding. Both are very jealous of the other’s battalions, and most likely one of these days they’ll fight against each other and forget Triscolia altogether.” Edward frowned. “But obviously they’ve reconciled their differences for the moment, and banded together against a common enemy.”

“Unless Scalon is scheming behind Dagon’s back; turning his men against him.” Nathan put in thoughtfully.

“You could be right, son.” Edward nodded slowly. “At any rate, we shall soon know. I dispatched three men to go pick up Avery. Which,” he added, raising a brow at Nathan, “you should have done in the first place. Avery is too valuable to lose.”

Katherine couldn’t resist sending a triumphant look at Nathan. He responded with a glare, but murmured, “Yes, sir.”

Edward smiled grimly. “We’ll move out as soon as the esteemed Captain Avery arrives. We must get these women to Parnassian.”

*****


​

Avery remained still, trying to quell his heavy breathing. His head was spinning, but he considered that to be normal for a man in his position. When he had woken up and seen the girl and the Triscolian soldier running away from him, he knew he wouldn’t have much time to escape. He had staggered to his feet and looked for shelter. Finally, by sheer happenstance, he had stumbled upon the body of a dead horse. It had obviously died recently, and here he found his escape.

Grimacing from the horrid stench, he pulled the dead horse over him. Insects of every type scurried onto him, but he didn’t care. The carcass covered him, and shielded him from the eyes of the Triscolian scouts. He tried to breath through his mouth, and eventually the hoofbeats of the soldier’s horses faded away.

Cautiously, he struggled free of the horse and sat up. Inhaling deeply, he saw with smug satisfaction that no Triscolians were to be seen. He stood and shook the insects off him. “You can always outwit a Triscolian!” he chuckled. Now all he had to do was make it to a small town on the plains which he knew was nearby, pass himself off as a refugee, steal a horse, and get to Diab. He would have to face the fury of the eternally angry Scalon, but he would be alive. And he would have information that he knew Scalon would want…

*****


​

“General? General!” Katharine looked up sharply as three Triscolian soldiers galloped toward the circle where Edward and Nathan were looking at a large map. Curious, she left the wagon where she and Annae were sitting and went to see what had angered the horsemen.

“He was nowhere to be seen, sir.” One of the soldiers said, dismounting from his shaggy horse. “We followed his trail through the grass, to where Lieutenant Nathan dueled with him, but he was gone, sir.” His voice held a trace of bewilderment. Avery’s trail, which had been so pronounced until the small creek, had simply disappeared. “Obviously, the man is capable of prowess, sir.” He bowed his head toward Edward apologetically.

“Did you search the surrounding area?” Nathan asked, angered. The girl was right! He should somehow have dragged Avery back.

“Aye, Lieutenant. We looked everywhere within a mile. He couldn’t have gone much farther. I don’t think it took us but a quarter of an hour to reach the creek. No man can fight a duel, injure himself, and then run without stopping for over a mile.” The soldier began to back away, but Edward stopped him.

“Send out as many men as we can spare.” The general said quietly. “Avery must be found. Search the entire plains, if you have to. Ask around in all the towns you come across; he cannot go far without a horse.” His look sent the soldier scurrying to round up the men.

Nathan turned, his eyes flashing, to see Katharine standing there. She raised her eyebrows at him, and she couldn’t fight the smug smile that lifted the corners of her lips.

His jaw clenched with fury, and Nathan, shaking with rage, turned and marched away without a word. He had failed his father; he had failed Triscolia. Having Avery could have been used as collateral in negotiation! They could have used him to get information for the troops! And because of his impetuous nature, he had rushed off to get worthless news to his father, leaving Avery behind. That girl wasn’t helping anything either!

Nathan hated self-righteousness above all else; he had no idea that most of the time he was the self-righteous one. But his sense of failure overcame everything else, and he blindly began to hitch a mare up to a wagon, seething. He steeled himself by saying that he would never again fail anyone. Never again…

*****


​

 

[Lessien]

Wow, JF! That's really good! I'm hooked!

 

[jesusfreak10537]

Thanks, Less!

Chapter Five: The Golden City
​

“Parnassian is the closest major city to Abadon, as well being the capitol of Triscolia. This grand city has earned herself a nickname of the Golden City. That is mainly because of the buildings. They were built with golden polyion during the rich years of Triscolia’s life, when we were on negotiable terms with Abandon and able to mine the metal from their mountains. The City itself is surrounded by a gleaming white stone citadel which is completely impenetrable. Well, not completely. The only time that Abadonian invaders have ever gotten through the citadel is in the Great War, twenty years ago, nearly destroying it. That is why, to this day, some sections of the citadel are grey, where others are white. The grey parts are the sections that survived the invasion; the white sections are the parts that were rebuilt after the Great War.” Katharine finished, smiling at the circle of girls gathered around her.

“The Great War.” One young woman sighed. “How terribly romantic!”

“Romantic?!” Katharine wrinkled her nose. “Not romantic, but surely terrible! The War is one of Triscolia’s darkest times. If not for the men who gathered in the northern towns and managed to defeat the invaders in the Plains around Parnassian, Triscolia would have fallen under Abadonian rule forever.”

The girl scowled. “Well, I still think it’s very exciting. Imagine! Parnassian was sacked, and in a few hours, the Citadel was burnt, the King was crippled for life, and the infant Princess disappeared! Oh, but I’m sorry.” She sneered sarcastically. “That’s not excitingly romantic. That’s just boring, everyday, mundane happenings to a civilized girl like you.”

Katharine, angered, started to retort, along with peppery Annae, but both were stopped by a light footfall behind them.

“Exciting. Yes, indeed. Let us imagine…invaders just burned your house to the ground, killed your entire family, friends, neighbors, and most of the Triscolian army, and you’re being carried off as loot. How wonderful.” Nathan said quietly, his voice calm but anger flashing in his eyes. “Whatever you may think, ma’am, war is never exciting or romantic. It is necessary, both to keep invaders out and to prevent future bloodshed. Thousands of soldiers gave their lives in the Great War, for silly girls like you to dream and romanticize about it. I’m sure, if they were alive today, they would admonish you as well. Freedom, and the wars that provide that freedom, are never to be taken lightly.”

Katharine raised her eyebrows. She hadn’t seen this side in Nathan. Then again, she had only known the man for a few hours! She had to repress a happy smile in his direction, and a smug glance toward the girl’s, as she stood up from the rock where she sat.

“General Edward has placed this group under my supervision when we reach Parnassian. I want you to stay near me—the city is sure to be teeming with other refugees like yourselves. Hopefully, we will be able to locate families for you to stay with until you can find your own.” Nathan smoothly continued, sounding aloof and diplomatic. “Now, let’s go—the rest break is over. We need to reach Parnassian by the break of dawn. We are near the Golden City.” He nodded to them, and then turned and started up the large, steep hillside.

Katharine, along with Annae, began to follow Nathan up the hill. She had to force her groaning muscles to move. The group had abandoned the slow, cumbersome wagons hours before and had been walking steadily ever since. Now Katharine longed for more rest—she was used to long excursions, but never had her travels forced her to walk this far. Also, every step was heavier burdened by thoughts of family and friends. The idea that Charles, Maggie, her brothers—and Duncan—could be injured, or worse, was more torturous than the long miles. But now, perhaps, they were at the end of the journey across the Plains. The only thing that had spurred her on was Annae’s perpetual optimism.

“Look, Katie, we’re almost to the top of the hill,” her friend gasped between breaths, “and take a look at that sunrise! If that doesn’t spell out hope, nothing does!”

Katharine grinned and looked up herself. A collage of soft colors was arrayed, all of peach and rosy yellows and oranges, across the brightening sky. It was beautiful; completely different than the purple sunrises in Finulae. However, as she reached the top of the hill, Katharine realized the sunrise was not the spectacular part. The Golden City was.

*****


​

Nathan stood at the crest of the steep hill, unable to suppress a wide grin. Parnassian lay before him, the morning sunlight revealing all of the capitol’s beauty. The high, white citadel glinted peach in the soft rays of light, and the shining buildings of polyion sparkled in golden splendor. He drew in a deep breath. There was no sight like home! From his vantage point on the hill, he could even see the tall spires of the king’s palace. He glanced to his right and saw Katharine and her friend, their faces alight with awe.

“It’s a sight to be seen!” Nathan chuckled. “Especially for you green country folks.” He shook his head at Katharine’s half-amused look. “Just a joke! Come on. I know someone who will be very happy to see all of you.”

“Who?” Katharine asked curiously, caught up in Nathan’s obvious exuberance for his city and home.

“My mother!” Nathan laughed aloud, his blue eyes twinkling. “You’ll see!” He yelled to the group behind him, “Follow me!” With those instructions, the young lieutenant sprinted down the hill toward the gates of Parnassian. He suddenly had boundless energy, and did not seem to notice the excruciating slow pace of the girls as they limped after him.

*****
​

 

[jesusfreak10537]

Katharine had a pounding headache. The sights, sounds, and smells of Parnassian were so overwhelming that her senses were overloaded. The size of the front gate of the citadel alone would have engulfed her little town! Everywhere, hawkers were peddling—more like screaming—their wares, and the noise was deafening. Rich and poor mingled together on the dusty streets, watched over by immense statues of cougars that were as ancient and dusty as Parnassian itself. Truly, the city had seen better, more prosperous times. The golden polyion was the only thing that shone through the dust and mire from the centuries of Abadonian raids and blockades of the Trade Route.

A stall in the marketplace, overflowing with uniquely woven rugs attracted Katharine’s wide-eyed attention. A bent and wrinkled lady stood among the rugs, proudly exclaiming that her carpets were the best to be found in Triscolia and Abandon! Spotting Katharine, the woman motioned her forward.

“See this here rug?” the woman cackled, holding up a dark, threadbare rug between her bent fingers. “Came all the way from Abadon, from the palace of Dagon himself!”

Katharine raised her eyebrows. “It is impossible to get anything through Abadon nowadays, let alone through Dagon’s immense palace!” She shook her head.

The woman nodded. “No, dearie! There are secret ways into Abadon the only the wise know about.” She grinned, revealing rows of blackened teeth. “Many ways…the wise…”

Katharine was about to ask more, when she felt a tug on her arm. She turned to see Annae, who was staring around the stall with a mixture of curiosity and worry. “Come, on, Katie! Nathan looks very odd when he turns purple with anger.”

“He did tell us to stay with him!” Katharine remembered, dashing out of the stall with Annae.

With a guilty look and an apologetic shrug, she rejoined Nathan’s group of refugees, with Annae behind her talking very quickly about how noisy the city was. It was indeed noisy! Katharine began to long for a quiet room where she could sort out her thoughts. Thankfully, she could discern a sign up ahead that read Refugee Building. They were probably heading there.

Her guess was correct, and a few seconds later they were literally pushing themselves into the crowded refugee building. It consisted of single large room that looked tiny because every inch of it was covered with refugees. Tired, dirty, and sore, these people smashed themselves and their families into every available inch of space, their haunted eyes conveying that they had seen much worse. Katharine’s heart immediately went out to them, and she quickly saw that there was no room for even a few more people here.

“Lieutenant!” she called, inching her way to the front of the group, where Nathan was observing everything with a furrowed brow. “We have to leave. There is not even enough room in here for these poor people to breath, let alone for us!”

Nathan turned to her quickly with a sudden burst of anger. “Curse those wretched Abadonians! This is what they wreak upon us! Ruined lives, widows, and orphans!”

Katharine thought it prudent not to reply to that; in fact, it appeared that Nathan had not even registered her presence yet.

“We will have to find some host families to take some of you in,” Nathan continued, yelling to his group above the general din, “and while I do that, you all go outside and wait. Try to locate your families, if you can.” With that, he shoved his way out the door and vanished into the crowds on the street.

Annae grabbed Katharine, and together they managed to squeeze through another group of people to the door. They burst out onto the street, exhausted and panting, with a few of the other girls. The rest had stayed inside the building. Katharine leaned against the cool stone exterior of the building, trying her rest her hot eyes. The noise and heat was grating on her, and her head began to ring ominously. If Nathan doesn’t return soon, I’ll have to get the girls off the street so they don’t faint and get trampled in the process!

​

*****



Nathan hurried up the cool, quiet street—so unlike the busy marketplace—to a large, white stone mansion. It was surrounded by lush, green gardens, and radiated peace and prosperity. A tinkling fountain greeted Nathan at the front gate, and he had to stop and breathe in all the smells of home.

“Mother—” he began to call out, but was quickly cut off by a large, joyous woman in a white gown and overly large white hat.

“Oh, little Nate, I’ve missed you so much! Where is your father? I must speak with him! Oh, but it is so good to see you again! How were your father’s troops? No one teased you, did they? Do you enjoy being a lieutenant? I daresay I felt you were coming and had the cook bake your favorite dessert this morning!”

“Mother…” Nathan trailed off again with a sigh. There was no stopping Laurie Montrose when her barrage of questions had been fired. She was a loud, loving person, and underneath her impressive exterior she had a true mother’s heart. Her dark hair was tied back in a severe bun, and besides the ridiculous hat, Laurie had added a huge, sparkling brooch in the shape of a cat to her attire.

“Now, Nate, you must be hungry! Get into the house right this instant, you’ve gotten so skinny from your travels! You’re skin and bones but handsome as ever, Nate, so I need to fatten you up a bit! Come on, now!” Laurie finished decisively, turning on her heel to march back inside the house.

Nathan didn’t move. In a few moments, his mother seemed to notice. She turned around and said impatiently, “Nate, will you hurry up and get out of this heat!?”

“No. I need your help, Mother.”

“With what?” Laurie peered suspiciously at her son. “If it’s about another half dead, rotten animal dragged off the streets…”

“No, no, it’s more important. Father and I, ah, picked up some refugees and they need a place to stay. There is simply no room for them in the refugee building because of all the recent raids to the countryside. I figured that, since we have all those empty rooms just sitting up there, we could bring them here and let them stay until they locate their families and get back on their feet.”

“Now, why didn’t you tell me that in the first place?” Laurie demanded. “I’ll march down right now and pick up those poor souls, and then go pay the neighbors a visit and get them to house some refugees too. Let’s go.” As quickly as that, her mind was made up, and Laurie marched purposefully down the street. Nathan could do nothing but follow in his mother’s trail, thinking how glad he was to be home.

​

*****



The street, passersby, and buildings were all beginning to blend into each other. The golden, hot streets of Parnassian were glaringly bright and noisy to Katharine. The shade of the small building she and the other girls crouched next to offered no relief from the sudden heat. It seemed like hours had passed when she finally spotted Nathan weaving his way through the crowded streets toward them.

“Any luck?” Katharine asked when he had neared.

“Too much of it.” Nathan grinned and started to continue, when he was nearly shoved to the side by a large woman in a floppy hat.

“Nathan dearie, you went off and left me in these horrid crowds. Oh, my, these are the refugees? My goodness! Have they been tramping through mud?” Laurie exclaimed in one long stream of words, without stopping for breath.

“In fact, ma’am, we have been tramping through mud.” Katharine replied seriously. “The Plains are muddy this time of year.”

“Oh, my, aren’t you just a precious little thing? Thank goodness my big, strapping boy was there to rescue you from those horrid Abadonians! Nathan told me the entire story. He is such a darling son.” Laurie beamed. “My name is Laurie, dearie. You and some other girls will be coming to stay with me! It’ll be so fun, won’t it? And then the rest of my neighbors are on their way here and the rest of you will stay with them.”

Katharine did not know what to say. Laurie solved that problem for her.

“Come along, dearies!” Laurie grabbed Katharine in one hand and another girl with her other and pulled them away. Katharine had just enough time to grab Annae before she was propelled forward into the teeming streets.

“She’s very interesting, isn’t she?” Annae whispered into Katharine’s ear as they were jerked along by Nathan’s mother.

“I’m just so thankful to have a place to stay!” Katharine said sensibly, but couldn’t resist exchanging grins with Annae.

Laurie was talking steadily about her house, family, yard, servants, and anything else that she could think of as she walked. “I don’t want you girls to feel lonely, now. If you need anything at all, just speak up.” she said cheerfully.

Katharine thanked her, but could not help thinking, “How can I not be lonely until I find my family?!”
​

*****​

 

[jesusfreak10537]

“Ah, you are right on time. As always.” Scalon greeted General Caspian icily.

“I am most honored by your gracious and hospitable presence, Scalon, highest lord of Diab.” Caspian droned dully, wishing to skip all the boring protocol.

At this, Scalon stood up from the upholstered, straight-backed chair he had been sitting in. His velvet robes swishing eerily across the floor as he walked, the highest lord of Diab soon stood inches in front of Caspian, his presence menacing.

“Not just of Diab.” Scalon said in a calmly triumphant voice. “I am soon to be highest lord of all Abadon!”

“But, my lord, what of His Royal Majesty the High Lord of Abadon, Dagon?” Caspian asked, furrowing his brow.

Scalon glared, the light from the single high window glinting ominously in his eyes. “His Royal Majesty Dagon,” his tone rose and grew fierce, “will soon be blotted off the parchment entirely.”

“But you cannot do that!” Caspian protested weakly. “Dagon has many supporters. He has an extensive army. What you say is impossible.”

At this, Scalon’s demeanor changed abruptly. His pale, smooth face contorted with anger, and his tall, rigid form seemed to loom over Caspian.

“Impossible?!” Scalon screamed. “Then perhaps the money I paid you and your fellow officers is not enough, and it is impossible to keep you in my service any longer! Death will overcome you the second you walk out of these doors. No, my painting is coming along excellently, and if you decide to change its background your fate will be worse than Dagon’s!” Scalon stared at Caspian intensely, until the general inched backwards, wishing he have never left Clandestine in the first place.

“I-I am sorry, most high lord of all Abadon! I was wrong to ever doubt your majesty.” Caspian stammered quickly.

“Good.” Scalon calmed instantly, using his long, slender fingers to smooth his pointed beard. “You are not the only troops who have left Dagon’s side to enter my service. As we speak, a force ten-thousand strong is making its way here to Diab. Dagon had more men than I thought squirreled away in that hideous black stronghold he calls Clandestine. And when the army gets here—sometime in the next hour, according to my scouts—the next section of my painting will be completed.” His cold, reptilian eyes glinted. “And that is why I have called you here, my dear Caspian.”

Caspian remained silent and waited for Scalon to launch into another tirade.

“You are to take all your men and attack Scion.” Scalon said simply.

“May I ask my most gracious and hospitable lord why we must attack Scion?” Caspian asked quickly to mask his surprise. “The Triscolians will not be happy.”

“That is our goal, dear Caspian! To get all of Triscolia’s military might focused on Scion, so we can attack our main target unhindered.”

“And, most gracious lord, may I ask what our main target is?”

“Parnassian.” Scalon cackled with greed. “While the Triscolians are attempting to gain back Scion, we will sneak into Parnassian and capture it. When they find out what we have done, the Triscolians will immediately surrender. Triscolia will be mine, and then I will use Dagon’s troops—now my loyal troops—who are still in Clandestine to rise up and kill Dagon. By that time, I will have found the heir of the Triscolian throne, and Triscolians and Abadonians alike will not be able to argue against me.” A curt, gravelly laugh from Scalon echoed throughout the room.

“As always, you are a genius, my most wonderful and glorious lord Scalon.” Caspian replied, bowing. “Scion will be ours within the day.”

“Just see that it is as you say.” Scalon replied coldly. “Only one general has ever failed me, and he did not live very long, I can assure you.”

“Yes, most mighty and powerful lord of all Abadon.” Caspian said quickly, opening the heavy stone door. “I am honored to be allowed into your presence.” He ducked outside, relieved to be out of the dark and dreary room.

“And, Caspian,” Scalon’s voice echoed after him. “Do not betray me.”

Caspian nodded and swept into another bow. He almost felt like bursting into tears as the huge door swung closed. Few had gone into Scalon’s tower room and survived. Situated at the very top of a steep stone staircase, the room was high enough to nearly see over the Great Mountains into Triscolia. It was connected to the rest of Scalon’s imposing stone palace by only passages the great lord himself knew. There were whispered rumors and flitting secrets about the horrors and prisoners held there, in rooms beyond the thick wood door that was behind Scalon’s straight-backed chair. Too many generals, soldiers, common men, and even women had been summoned there, never to return. Caspian had not wanted to be added to their ranks.

The relieved general started down the staircase, breathing deeply of the fresh morning air. He began to pick up his pace, bounding down the stone stairs two, three, and then four at a time. “I am going to have to speak with my officers…”

*****​

From the room Caspian had just exited, a pair of obsidian eyes studied the hurried general amusedly. The eyes glinted with prospect of upcoming victory, of all those who had rejected him defeated and tortured by his hand. The eyes were hard and black, great pools of nothing but hate, anger, and cool rage.

Lord of all Abadon…and Triscolia…

*****​

 

[Narmegil]

Great job!!! I like it a lot, keep it up, I am well hooked on your baited line.

 

[jesusfreak10537]

Why, thank you, Narm!

This next part was very hard for me to write...read it, and you'll see why.

Chapter Six: Two Dreams​

Parnassian, Triscolia
23 hours later

Red flames reflected off the glittering black stone chamber and flashing swords. The man fought fiercely, matching Katharine blow for blow. His strength was superior to hers, and slowly she was pushed back to the edge of the chasm. With one quick movement, the tall man sent Katharine’s sword flying out of her hands. It fell into the gaping chasm, darkness quickly claiming it, but not before it had gleamed red in the glow of the flames. Helpless, Katharine realized she had nowhere to run. The man, his face contorted into an expression of rage, grabbed her arms and shoved her farther backwards. She could feel his breath washing over her as he growled, “I have now triumphed over the Triscolians! You were their last hope, their dying breath, but now,” his tone grew triumphant but even more laced with evil, “this is your dying breath!” With that, he laughed—a bitter, scratchy noise that chilled Katharine’s blood—and pushed her backwards. Solid land met air as she tried to scream. Her breath caught in her throat, and then she was hurtling downwards into the never-ending darkness…

Katharine woke suddenly, her sheets twisted around her. She was panting, gasping for air, and her heart was pounding. Her eyes flew open as she realized where she was—not in a dark cavern, but a light, airy room. Annae was lying close by in another bed, her steady breathing eventually calming Katharine’s nerves. She could see sunlight streaming through the large windows at the other end of the room. Relieved, she climbed out of her bed. She found the white, gold-trimmed dress that Laurie had left for her the night before and quickly slipped it on.
The Montroses had been very hospitable to Katharine and the other girls. Still, all Katharine had on her mind now was finding Maggie, Charles, and her brothers. The fact that they were not her actual family suddenly did not matter a bit; she just wanted to see them again! She had spent hours the night before tossing in her bed, wondering what had happened to her family. That was probably what had brought on her horrible nightmare!
Quietly, so as to not wake Annae, Katharine softly left the room and entered a large hallway. She turned left and soon arrived at a grand, white marble staircase that was the centerpiece of the home. Large galleries opened off it, and every room was spacious and sun-lit. Katharine quickly ran down the stairs and nearly to the front door when a voice from behind stopped her.
“Why, dearie, you’re up early! I didn’t think you would be up until later, that’s how tired you were last night!” Laurie said, smiling. “So it’s a good thing I had the cook make a nice hot breakfast a bit early! Now come to the dining room and have a bit to eat, Katharine dearie.”
Katharine returned Laurie’s smile. “Thank you very much for your hospitality, ma’am, but I am going to the refugee building to locate my family. If it is not too much trouble, I will eat when I return.”
“Oh, dearie, you sound just like little Nathan. He had to go on patrol this morning and he said the same thing, but perhaps you should eat before you go—” This time, it was Laurie who was interrupted.
“I have to know where my family is.” Katharine stated quietly. “I am too nervous to eat anymore of the fine food you have provided us.”
“Okay, dearie. I understand. Go find your family. And if you see my son, tell him to come home immediately to eat breakfast.” Laurie smiled again and motioned Katharine out the door.
For a moment, Katharine thought of saying, “They aren’t my real family!” but decided not to dwell on the particulars. For all purposes, Charles and Maggie and her brothers were her real family, and that was that. She snapped her mouth shut and dashed out the expansive marble door.

*****​

Katharine stood, bewildered, in the crowded street. She had been wandering in circles for nearly an hour, trying to remember where the refugee building was located. She had finally asked two elderly men who were bent over a checkerboard if they knew where the building was. Having received two different sets of directions from the puzzled men, she had set off in the route the first man had directed. It landed her in the middle of a very busy market district of Parnassian, and now she was trying to concentrate on not getting trampled.
“I think I’m lost.” she muttered, dashing out of the way as an out-of-control mule cart careened past. To escape the fast, moving crowds, she wandered down a small side street.
This time, she ended up in a quiet business district. Distinguished looking businessmen riding large horses plodded by her, and many people dressed in rich clothing were traversing the streets. In spite of her urgency, Katharine slowed down to take in all the sights and sounds. Parnassian was so different from her little two-lane town of Finulae!
The streets began to get more crowded as time wore on. Massive buildings of polyion blocked Katharine’s view of everything, and she had passed so many identical squares filled with tinkling fountains and impressive statues she could not remember where she had come from! Finally, she stopped in a large square to rest and collect her bearings. It was pleasant in this square; nearby, a fountain shaped like a rearing horse sprayed water into the air, and a small military battalion was performing drills past it. It was still early in the morning, and a cool breeze filtered through the streets that would be unceasingly hot in a few hours.
After taking a few deep breaths, Katharine decided she would head down a street to the left. After all, the spires of the king’s magnificent palace were to the left; if she couldn’t find her family she could always visit the fabled palace. She stood from the cool stone bench that she had rested on, only to see that two streets opened up from the square to the left. She stared at them and tried to decide which route to take. She was so concentrated that when a heavy hand suddenly gripped her shoulder she screamed in fright and surprise. Jerking around, Katharine realized she was looking up into Nathan’s laughing blue eyes.
“You aren’t lost, are you?” Nathan asked teasingly, grinning.
“No.” Katharine stated flatly, yanking her shoulder out of his grip. “I was perfectly well until you had to scare me like that.”
Nathan swept into a courtly bow. “Always glad to be of service!”
She glared daggers. “You’re acting so foolish because you did not eat your breakfast this morning. Your mother orders you home immediately to eat.” She smiled at Nathan’s expression.
“I told her I would come home as soon as I finished my drills.” Nathan fumed, sounding remarkably childish. “Which I am done with now. So,” he added airily, “I’ll be heading home now since you are not lost and don’t need me to show you the correct direction to the refugee building. Good day.” He turned lightly on his heel and began to march away.
Katharine glared at his back and turned back around to examine the two streets. Which direction was the right way? Or was the building in a completely different area altogether? Now that she looked at them closely, both streets looked shabby and dark. She heaved a sigh. She was lost, so why did it pain her to admit it? Grudgingly, she turned back around and called, “Lieutenant?”
Nathan, who had obviously been waiting for the call, snapped around to face her and retraced his steps.
“So you are lost.” he said smugly, grinning with pleasure.
“No,” Katharine snapped irritably. “I am just temporarily disoriented. Which way is the refugee building?”
Nathan stood there for a moment, evidently basking in the fact that she was lost, and then finally replied, “Over there.” He pointed to the right.
Katharine followed his gaze to a busy street at the other end of the square. A few buildings down, the sign Refugee Building was swinging in the breeze. She blushed and turned to glare at Nathan, who could not contain his mirth any longer and was doubled over with laughter.
“Thank you for your advice.” she said stiffly, her face purple.
“As I said, I’m always glad to be of service.” Nathan chuckled.
Katharine probably would have stomped on his foot and marched away if she didn’t hear a sudden, familiar voice ring out from behind her.
“So you’re giving grief to the citizens of Parnassian already, Katie?”

There was only one person in the world who Katharine would let tease her like that.
“Duncan!” The sight of her friend’s bright red shock of hair and jolly green eyes made all her homesickness wash over her like a wave. She broke into a run and threw her arms around him, laughing and crying at once. “I was so worried…I’m so glad you are okay!”
Duncan’s laugh echoed through the square. To Katharine’s surprise, he lifted her off the ground and spun her around. Then he put her down and stood back, his grin wide.
“Katie, you didn’t have to put up with Maggie. She’s been in a frenzy since she found out…” He trailed off, sobering.
“Found out what?” Katharine asked anxiously, fear gripping her heart once more.
“She can explain it to you, lass.” Duncan said hurriedly, but some of the joy had disappeared from his green eyes. “Right now, you need to explain what happened to you!”
Katharine pushed down the anxiety that was swelling in her and quickly summed up what had happened. “…so now I am staying with the Montroses, until I could find my family. Do you know where they are, Duncan?”
He ignored her query. “I’ll bet you’re wondering what happened to me. Well,” he began sadly, “after you fell off Horizon, I couldn’t gain control of her long enough to get to you, and then she was shot. Fatally, too. She managed to stumble into the woods a bit but then fell right over. Poor mare.” He paused for a moment, swallowing hard. “I just stayed right where I was, under Horizon, and I figure those Abadonians either thought I was dead or just not worth wastin’ time to kill.”
“By the time I got Horizon off me, the Abadonians had left with you. I tracked them a bit into the plains, but they were moving too quickly and I didn’t have a horse. After a mile or so I turned around to Finulae to get a horse. Once I got there, though, I couldn’t leave right away. Your family…” Again, Duncan trailed off. “Your family needed some help. I figured I’d take them to Parnassian and then track you down, but by the time we got here I heard you women had already been rescued.”
“Why did my family need help?” Katharine whispered, biting her lip. Her fear had hit her again, completely swallowing up the joy she had felt in seeing Duncan. “What happened?”
Duncan looked away, past her, as if seeking some means to delay his answer. His gaze landed on Nathan. “Who’s that?”
Katharine turned. She had not expected Nathan to stay and listen to their entire conversation. “He is the lieutenant that rescued me. He was just helping me find the refugee building.”
“I’m always glad to help a pretty girl in distress.” Nathan said easily, moving forward and extending his right hand. “I’m Nathan Montrose. Nice to meet you.” He shot a quick look at Katharine, whose glare was fixed on him.
Duncan nodded and shook Nathan’s hand heartily. “Duncan.” he replied. “I hope Katie here hasn’t been too much trouble.”
“More than you’ll ever know.” Nathan muttered, his gaze quickly sizing up Duncan. The two men stood there, regarding each other seriously, sharp blue eyes meeting green. Katharine could sense a certain tension between them, but it passed quickly. The two stepped back, Duncan’s easy grin spreading across his face.
“Now will you explain to me what happened to my family?” Katharine demanded, her hands on her hips, her brown eyes flashing with concern and more than a bit of fear.
“I am glad you are here to deal with her.” Nathan commented, smirking. “I must be off to my regiment now. Good day, both of you.” He nodded to Duncan and sent a cool glance toward Katharine, then moved off.

((Why do they only allow 15,000 characters per post?! lol))

 

[jesusfreak10537]

Katharine waited until he was out of earshot and then raised her eyebrows at Duncan.
Her friend sighed and turned toward the refugee building. “Maggie, Charles, Mark, and Peter are in there. Go see them.” He shook his head, his expression implying that he was not going to say more.
“And David? Where is David?” Katharine asked anxiously, worried about her impetuous eldest brother.
Duncan shook his head, and Katharine broke into a run toward the building. Maggie chose that moment to step out of the door of the refugee building, her red face breaking into an expression of relief.
“Katie! You’re not hurt? I was so worried!” Maggie squealed as she pulled Katharine into her arms. Both were fighting back tears, and Katharine could do nothing but bury her face into Maggie’s shoulder.
“I was so worried, too,” Katharine gulped, pulling away. “Is everyone okay?” She was dreading Maggie’s answer.
Slowly, Maggie shook her head. “Peter is unharmed. As am I.” She took a deep, shuddering breath, and tears streamed down her matronly cheeks suddenly. “B-but Charles…a-and Mark…” She broke off and covered her face with her hands, her shoulders wrenched with sobs.
Katharine put her arms around her adoptive mother. Her own heart was being wrenched as well. In all her twenty years, she had never seen Maggie cry before.
“Charles is…hurt badly.” Maggie finally continued, haltingly, as she wiped the tears from her face. “He was stabbed in the side.” Here she was interrupted by a sorrowful cry from Katharine. “The blade went right through him…a few more inches to the left, it would have gone through his heart…as it is, the doctors say there is l-little hope.” Maggie clenched her fists, breathing rapidly now. “Mark got an arrow through his leg. It’s infected…they may have to amputate it. But they don’t think he will die…” She broke off, shutting her eyes.
“What of David?” Katharine managed to say, her entire body shaking with sorrow. Or maybe it was rage.
“D-David.” Maggie said, trance-like. “David…was cut down by an Abadonian sword, trying to get to Peter. We found him…after…”
“What are you saying?” Katharine demanded, tears welling up in her eyes. She knew what Maggie was going to tell her, somehow.
“We buried him behind the garden.” Maggie wailed, her body swaying like an old tree in the wind. “Under that big oak tree you would climb with him...”
“No.” Katharine stepped back, shaking her head, horrified. “No. T-that’s impossible…no!” Her voice rose. “It can’t be! No! Not David. He was too big; too strong…you’re lying…” But she knew Maggie would not lie to her. She backed up farther, every inch of her mind wishing to deny the truth.
Katharine felt Duncan come up behind her. She felt queasy, like she had been hitting her head against an unyielding wall. She thought of David, her strapping, loud brother, lying in a bloody field, and her knees buckled. If Duncan hadn’t been there suddenly, putting his arms around her, she would have collapsed on the ground. David’s open, honest face swam before her mind, and she had to bite her lip to keep from screaming.
She felt as if she were walking in a dream. Life seemed to be moving slower, now, and the sun that splashed across her face seemed unreal. She could no longer hear Duncan, who was trying to comfort her by quoting old proverbs, and even the air that her tight lungs gasped in seemed artificial and stifling.
Two dreams, she thought suddenly, to quell David’s smiling face in her mind, one of my death last night, and now a waking nightmare…
“I need to see Mark and Father.” She said mechanically, barely hearing herself say the words. “I need to see them.” She broke free of Duncan’s hold and dashed into the refugee building. It was slightly less crowded then it had been two days ago, and it was easy to spot Charles and Mark, even in her dream-like state.
They were lying in an unoccupied corner, on two starch-white cots amid a sea of other cots. Doctors and nurses were scurrying about them, but none took notice of Katharine as she rushed toward the two.
“Oh no…” Katharine breathed, kneeling by Charles. A clean bandage that was already becoming stained with red covered nearly his entire chest, and he appeared to be sleeping. His grizzled face was bruised, his eyes closed.
“He seems to be improving, actually.” A voice next to her commented. She looked up to see Mark, who had dragged himself into a sitting position and was observing her sorrowfully. “I sure am sorry this had to happen, sis.”
Katharine shook her head and flung her arms around her sandy-haired brother’s neck, sobbing. “Do not be sorry for me. Oh, Mark, look at you…” She pulled back. Her brother was gaunt and his face had a hollow look about it.
“An’ look at you—you’re a soggy mess, sis.” Gruffly, her brother used his sleeve to dry Katharine’s tear-streaked face.
“Your leg…”
“Don’t bother me much.” Mark shrugged. “Those doctors like to make a fuss about everything. Give me a few days, and I’ll be good as new.”
Katharine mustered a small smile. She could tell he was in pain, and she had to choke back her tears again. “Mark, I hate to ask you this, but…but what happened to David?”
Mark looked away from her, toward the wall. “The second my leg heals, I’m going to find them Abadonians. Make them pay. For everything.”
She did not reply.
“After we left the house, the night of the attack,” Mark began, still not looking at her, “to see a whole pack of Abadonians running down the street, burnin’ everything in their way. We didn’t get very far. Father went down first. Peter stormed by me in a rage—kid’s a good fighter, actually—to help him. I could see that he wouldn’t get very far either, but I was surrounded myself and couldn’t get to him. So David managed to fight himself free and make it to Peter. Saved the kid from bein’ stabbed, but took the blow himself. Then all them Abadonians focused on me, and it didn’t take long before my leg was almost cut off. I must’ve looked dead or they’d have finished me off for sure. Peter managed to escape somehow. By the time the enemy left, I was mostly unconscious. That’s how poor Mum found us. She fainted dead away, and if Duncan hadn’t of come along, with some neighbors, we’d probably still be lyin’ there.”
Katharine heard Mark’s voice break, and she reached out to put her hand on his shoulder. Her brother still kept his face averted.
“I wasn’t even awake yet when they buried David.”

​

*****​

 

[Narmegil]

So sad

 

[jesusfreak10537]

Thank you Narm! lol.


The courtyard was still. Sun slanted through the wrought-iron fence, its advance stopped every so often by large, shady trees. The green lawn sloped gently downward, ending in a small fish pond and rose garden.
It was there that Katharine sat, among the roses; their aromatic scent and colorful cheerfulness lessened her pain. She had never known such deep, heart wrenching grief before. It cut deep in her soul, filling the aching wound with sorrow, hurt, and above all else, rage. It blinded her, and kept her senseless; she was barely even aware how she had escaped the crowded refugee building and run here, to the Montroses’ garden.
“Katie?” Duncan’s voice cut into her silence.
“What?” she muttered dispassionately, fingering a peach colored rose.
“Mrs. Montrose told me you were back here.” Duncan said haltingly.
The rosebushes were suddenly interesting to Katharine; she studied every intricate petal of the flowers. She ran her fingers down the rose, pulling back abruptly when she cut her finger on a thorn. Even the prettiest things of life have their sharp side, she thought darkly, watching as an angry red slice appeared on her finger.
“Katie,” Duncan cleared his throat, breaking into her thoughts, “I came to tell you I found a house for your family. That’s what I’ve been doing all day, besides looking for you. The owner is willing to provide it cheaply, and I thought it best for you and your family to have a house to heal in.”
“If we ever heal.” Katharine remarked bitterly, holding back her tears. With David gone, Charles at the brink of death, and Mark standing to loose his leg, she could see no way how the physically and emotionally battered family could pull through.
Duncan remained silent for a moment and then said, “Katie, I don’t think I told you how glad I am that you’re safe.”
This was such an abrupt change of subject that Katharine turned around to look at her friend. He was regarding her strangely, a different look in his eyes. She shrugged and shook her head. “I’m glad too.”
“I’m so sorry all this had to happen.” Duncan went on fervently. “I promise you, I will get back at those Abadonians…”
“Don’t be sorry for me.” Katharine interrupted, standing abruptly. “Be sorry for David.”
Duncan held up his hands. “You need some nourishment, Kate. You’re not functioning properly. Come on, Maggie’s at the house, settlin’ in with Charles and Mark; she’ll fix you something to eat. You just need some rest.”
“Nothing will ever help this!” Katharine cried, unable to hold back her frustrations. “Rest and food won’t bring back David, or heal Charles and Mark! I’m just so useless!”
Throwing her hands up in frustration, she hurried from the rose garden and up the lawn to the house.

*****​

“I’m coming with you.” Annae declared, her hands on her hips, her words firm.
“What?” Katharine said disbelievingly. She had come up to say good-bye to her friend, and should have known Annae would try something like this.
“I can’t find my family and I hate to be a bother to the Montroses. At least if I come and stay with you, I can help you with your father and brother. And I’ll help you.” The fiery girl cast a sorrowful look at Katharine’s downtrodden, hopeless expression. “I’ll be good for you. Come on, we’re leaving.”
“But…” Katharine’s protests were drowned out as she was hauled out the door by her friend. She was actually glad to have Annae’s bustling presence beside her. Duncan had already spoken to Laurie Montrose; after a few heartfelt thanks and tears, and promises that they would visit, they bid Nathan’s mother farewell and left the grand house. As the two girls wound their way through the crowded streets, following Duncan, Katharine was even more thankful that Annae was with her. She would have broken down in tears otherwise.

​

*****​

​

It was really a cute little house, made of solid white stone and wedged in between an entire row of houses exactly like it. A tiny walkway overgrown with yellow flowers greeted Katharine, Annae, and Duncan as the latter rapped on the door.
Maggie answered the door, a worried look on her face. “Come in; I’m so glad to see you, Katie! And who is this?” She stopped for a moment to study Annae.
“This is my friend, Annae.” Katharine said.
“I’m pleased to meet you, madam, and I just have to say, this is a lovely, cute little house and I promise I shall be no trouble at all; I know how to cook, so I can make meals and my father is a doctor so I can treat wounds rather nicely too; I thank you so much for allowing me to be here, Katie is such a sweet girl!” Annae burst out in one long breath.
Maggie allowed a ghost of a smile on her wan face. “Your father is a doctor? You’ll have to take a look at Charles and Mark.”
“Oh, of course I will, ma’am, I’d be happy to do so now if you’d like.”
“Go ahead.” Maggie nodded toward a door at the far end of the hallway they were standing in. “I’d be much obliged.”
Katharine had the presence of mind to get Maggie into a chair while Annae darted off. Her poor mother looked as if she were about to faint!
“Maggie, you need some rest.” she said firmly. “Where are the bedrooms in this narrow little house?” She cast a long look at Duncan. “Which I thank you heartily for finding for us.”
“Upstairs.” Maggie, without arguing, began to stagger up the tiny staircase. “I’ll be down soon. Mark will need his bandages changed in a bit.”
Katharine managed to smile encouragingly at Maggie. The second her mother was out of sight, however, her face changed back to its original sorrowful expression. She glanced dourly at Duncan and then moved into the small kitchen off the hall to see if she could find something to cook.

*****​

​

Annae crept quietly into the darkened room. The small, enclosed space had only one shuttered window and smelled of infection and bandages. Two small beds were pushed against the back wall of the room; the rest of the room was bare save for a small washstand and bureau.
Creeping up to one of the beds, Annae noted the man sleeping there. His face was lined deeply and bruised; his eyelids were fluttering, and his few locks of white hair were damp and matted with sweat. She spotted a cloth in the washstand and wet it, and then placed it gently over the man’s forehead. He muttered incoherently but did not stir.
“He’s been like that for the entire day.” A deep voice suddenly said, and Annae whirled to stare at the occupant of the other bed. “As I told my sister, he seems to be improving, but lyin’ here like a tired old mutt isn’t helpin’ me any.”
Annae pursed her lips, frowning, at the man who had spoken; his deep-set blue eyes were alert, but his tanned face had a gaunt look to it. He was studying her curiously, a shock of sandy-brown hair falling across his forehead as he examined her.
“Who are you?” she finally asked, raising her eyebrows under his scrutiny.
“I might ask you the same question.” The man’s lips curled up in the faint trace of a smile. “But seemin’ as I’m a polite fellow, let me introduce myself. I’m Mark.” He paused for a second, his face twisting in a sudden spasm of pain. “Infernal leg!”
Annae stood quickly. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I came in here to see if you needed anything and I completely forgot! What can I help you with? Do you need some water? Food?”
“Nope.” Mark nearly chuckled. “I’ve got enough females fussin’ over me for today, thanks!” He gritted his teeth. “If this leg weren’t bothering me so much, I’d a been up and running around this town hours ago.”
“Do you not think there is a good reason you should stay in bed?” Annae queried, curious about his logic.
“Well, yeah. I suppose.” he admitted. “Seemin’ as that Abadonian arrow nearly cut my leg off, I guess I do have grounds to rest for a while.”
“Cut your leg off?! What happened? Katie wouldn’t even tell me the whole story.”
Mark sobered. “You shouldn’t be hearing the whole story, ma’am. And I’d appreciate it if I knew who you were…”
“Oh! Right. I’m Annae. Katie and I met on the wagon train.” Annae quickly replied.
“Wagon train? Katie didn’t tell me a thing about a wagon train.”
“She’s not much for the details.”
Mark scowled and looked away, toward the wall. “You find out the news that your brother is dead and your father is injured, and another brother is stuck up in a bed like an ol’ invalid. See if you’re up to the details.”
Annae looked crestfallen. “I’m sorry. “
Mark swung his head around to look at her, brow furrowed. “’Tis a-a tough time for us right now, kid.”
“Kid?! Who are you to call me a kid?” Annae exclaimed, trying to distract Mark. Her father used this medical tactic many times. She could nearly hear him telling her, “Annae, cheerfulness is man’s best medicine!”
“’Cause you are one.” He grinned quickly, but it disappeared just as quickly. He heaved a sigh and cautiously moved his bandaged leg to a more comfortable position under the blankets. Running a calloused hand over his eyes, he fell silent.
“Oh—I shouldn’t have worn you out—I’ll leave.” Annae said quickly, turning to exit the room. She was planning to ask Katharine more about this brother of hers.
“No.” Mark said tiredly, almost gruffly, from behind her. “I get sick of lying here. I think I have every pattern of the roof memorized already. Tell me the story, of what happened to you and Katie. Then I’ll tell you mine.”

*****​

((Hmmm, dumb 15,000 characters rule!))​

 

[jesusfreak10537]

*****​

Katharine was up to her elbows in white flour when a harried pounding echoed through the small house. She realized that someone was banging on the door. Hastily trying to wipe her hands, she hurried to the door and opened it.
“Why, dearie, this is such a cute little place! I’m sure your father and brothers will recover just fine. I come bringing tea and preserves, dearie, which will do a soul a world of good!” Laurie’s earnest voice resounded before the door was even fully open.
“Why, Madam Montrose!” Katharine said respectfully, blushing as she became painfully aware of the fact that she was covered in flour. “What a surprise! You really are too kind.”
“Oh, not a problem, dearie, not a problem! I am just sure that your family and mine will become the best of friends. I want to do whatever I can to help!” Laurie beamed. “I would love to meet your mother, dearie, I’m sure she needs a break from all the stress.”
“I’m sorry, my mother is resting right now—”
“Then you all will just have to come up for dinner! It’ll be a nice little time, and I can meet your mother, and we’ll chat and I’ll have the cook make some nice little scones! You simply have to visit tonight; it will do you all a world of good!”
“But, madam—”
“Nonsense, nonsense! That charming dear Annae can stay here and watch over the wounded, and you can bring your mother over and whoever else wants to come! It shall be a lovely time! I’ll be expecting you before sundown!” Laurie deposited her basket on the front doorstep and then skipped away, her floppy brimmed hat bouncing with every step.
Katharine took the basket and shut the door. She leaned against it for a second, closing her eyes. Nathan’s mother had the remarkable talent of arranging people’s lives for them. Still, she knew Maggie would be glad to meet Laurie.
“Who was that?” Duncan asked, coming into the house from the walled garden in the back, by way of a door at the end of the hall.
“Madam Montrose. With a basket of tea and preserves and a dinner invitation.” Katharine sighed wearily. “She ordered that Annae would stay here while I took Maggie to ‘visit.’”
“I’ll accompany you.” Duncan said quickly, seeing that Katharine was tired and would probably get lost on the way to Laurie’s home. “I’m not sure if this is the best thing for you or your mother.”
“It will get Maggie’s mind off…” Katharine stopped abruptly, her face darkening. “I need to finish the bread.” She rushed past Duncan into the kitchen. Unbeknownst to Duncan, she had escaped so he would not see the tears that streamed in rivulets down her face.

*****​

​

“Pass the tea, dearie.”
Katharine thought she would have to leave that room if she heard that statement once more. It baffled her how Maggie and Laurie could drink so much tea and chatter on while Charles and Mark lay at the point of death! She knew that talking with the kind and sympathetic Laurie was good for her mother, but Katharine felt she had to do something other than sit in the stuffy parlor and pass the teapot back and forth.
The old clock in one corner rang seven times. Katharine grimaced at the time, shooting a cursory glance around the room for another time. The parlor was the epitome of a stifling formal gathering room; severe fabrics covered comfortless straight-back chairs and various molding statues were placed perfectly on rigid end tables.
Duncan had indeed been fortunate to escape the parlor by explaining that he ws interested in the rose garden and wanted to examine it. Katharine had thus been unable to use that excuse, and had been imprisoned in the airless parlor since a little after five.
The only halfway interesting thing in the room was a yellowed portrait of the three Montroses and regal-looking man and woman. The latter was holding a tightly swaddled baby, and the portrait appeared to have been painted in a very grand hall. Studying it had allayed Katharine’s boredom for awhile, but now she was itching to return to the little rented house.
“Your town sounds very lovely. I should very much like to visit Finulae someday.” The beaming Laurie was saying. “Perhaps, when this is all over, young Katharine can join my retinue and we shall all traverse to your lovely town.”
Maggie smiled. “I would like that very much,” she responded dismally, “but Finulae is lovely no longer. The invaders nearly burnt all of it to the ground. At least our house was spared.”
“Well, that at least is a blessing…you must focus on that!” replied Laurie cheerfully.
Katharine’s mind wandered from the conversation. She did not want to think about her house, or Finulae, when there was so much else to consider. She sighed bleakly.
“Mother!” A panicked shout suddenly echoed from the grand hall, followed by a loud thump of the door being slammed shut. “Mother!’
“Oh, my, Nathan, be polite, we have guests here!” Laurie admonished as her son dashed into the room, breathless and angry. “We have guests here! And Nathan, what have I said about you tramping in the house with your shoes on?”
“Where is Father?” Nathan said quickly, breaking into Laurie’s rush of scolding.
“Why, he is in the library, studying some dismal thing or another…why?”
Nathan wheeled and ran down the hall abruptly.
“That boy! He will never cease to amaze me!” Laurie frowned. “Were your boys that bad?”
Maggie laughed. “Oh, yes. David and Mark were always in some bees’ hive or muddy pasture, getting all dirty.”
Katharine toned out the conversation again, curiosity taking a hold on her. What had made Nathan so concerned? She stood from her rigid chair and walked softly out of the parlor, unnoticed. She broke into a run and caught Nathan at the end of the hall, where he was knocking furiously on the library’s door.
“What is it? Did something happen?” Katharine asked breathlessly, anxious.
“Of course something happened! Something always happens.” Nathan snapped.
“Coming, Nathan! Coming! Oh my…these books in here are all over the place! One moment!” Edward could be heard mumbling from inside the library.
“You know what I meant.” Katharine replied angrily. “Tell me what happened, now.”
“And who are you to order me about?” Nathan growled, glaring.
Slightly taken aback, Katharine tried again as Nathan resumed his loud knocking on the massive library doors. “Please tell me?”
The doors opened and Edward appeared, looking flustered and carrying a large stack of papers and books. “What is it, my boy?”
Nathan glanced at Katharine quickly and shot the answer to her just before he darted into the library and slammed the door.
“Scion is taken.”

​

*****​