Inform me when your team is assembled. The time is fast approaching when the glory of Delranan shall be sung across all of Malweir.”
*****
Heavy rains and driving winds forced the small band of riders to find shelter for the night. Outriders discovered a thick stand of firs less than a league ahead and returned to lead the rest to the relative safety. Eight horses bearing drenched and miserable riders pulled in nearly an hour later. Lightning struck the nearby hilltop as the riders dismounted.
“Tether the horses while we try to raise some tarps for shelter,” Aurec shouted above the shrieking winds.
His men silently obeyed. Seasoned professionals, they knew what needed to be done. They also knew there would be no fire tonight. The prospect of a cold, wet night dampened their spirits. Aurec sighed and not for the first time. His palm caught the heavy rain drops as they fell splashing across his forearm. Doubts ate at him. He was a prince, and a damned fool of one if today was any indication. Exhausted and far from the warm halls of Rogscroft, his actions might well have pushed his kingdom to war. He shook his head ruefully. The prize stood before him, miserable and soaked to the bone. Still, her splendor was worth the risk. He only hoped she was worth the cost to come.
Maleela stalked up to him and slapped him hard across the right cheek. Her eyes fumed with anger. “You idiot! Do you have any idea what would have happened if they had caught you? Do you?”
Aurec rubbed some of the sting away. “Relax my love. You know I couldn’t risk leaving your safety to others. Not with so much at stake.”
“My father would have fed you to the wolves and turned his army loose on your kingdom.”
“I fear that is an inevitability, but your father is mad. His desires threaten to rip apart the northern kingdoms. I did what was necessary to save both our lands. War is coming and I’ll not sit by while your life hangs in the balance. I had to come and get you. I… I can’t imagine a world without you in my heart.”
The stiffness of her stance softened. Her deep blue eyes, the same as her father’s, glimmered with their own wetness. She rushed into his waiting arms and held on for dear life.
“Aurec, you shouldn’t risk yourself so foolishly,” she whispered through the tears. “Not even for me.”
He pulled her away just far enough to look down into her face, framed so beautifully by her wet hair. “You are my everything, Maleela. For you I would risk the gates of death itself.”
She hugged him like a woman who knew that she was about to lose everything. Their love remained hidden between their families. Initially endorsed by both fathers, it had become a cancer to both kingdoms. She’d long suspected Badron had used her to manipulate himself into a position to declare war. She’d even come to accept the fact that he never really loved her.
Aurec touched a fingertip softly to her lips and smiled. “Don’t worry about your father, not tonight. Tonight you are safe with us.”
“How did you know that is what I was thinking?”
“You think I don’t know you?” he teased. “The shelter will be finished soon. Try to get what sleep you can. We’ve a long way to go before we reach safety. I doubt even your father’s best trackers can find us in this weather.”
It stopped raining sometime during in the early hours just before dawn. The ground flooded easily during the storm, turning the surrounding countryside into a marsh. Aurec’s men slowly forced themselves up. Their bodies were sore from a combination of the forced ride and the weather. Their feet hurt. Wet boots and socks only made matters worse. The predawn chill dug down to the bone. Trying to start a fire was pointless. All the fuel was waterlogged. Aurec made the decision to strike camp.
Venten approached his prince wearing a haggard look. He laid out the small map and repressed a shiver. Gaunt and experienced, he rubbed his salt and
*****
Heavy rains and driving winds forced the small band of riders to find shelter for the night. Outriders discovered a thick stand of firs less than a league ahead and returned to lead the rest to the relative safety. Eight horses bearing drenched and miserable riders pulled in nearly an hour later. Lightning struck the nearby hilltop as the riders dismounted.
“Tether the horses while we try to raise some tarps for shelter,” Aurec shouted above the shrieking winds.
His men silently obeyed. Seasoned professionals, they knew what needed to be done. They also knew there would be no fire tonight. The prospect of a cold, wet night dampened their spirits. Aurec sighed and not for the first time. His palm caught the heavy rain drops as they fell splashing across his forearm. Doubts ate at him. He was a prince, and a damned fool of one if today was any indication. Exhausted and far from the warm halls of Rogscroft, his actions might well have pushed his kingdom to war. He shook his head ruefully. The prize stood before him, miserable and soaked to the bone. Still, her splendor was worth the risk. He only hoped she was worth the cost to come.
Maleela stalked up to him and slapped him hard across the right cheek. Her eyes fumed with anger. “You idiot! Do you have any idea what would have happened if they had caught you? Do you?”
Aurec rubbed some of the sting away. “Relax my love. You know I couldn’t risk leaving your safety to others. Not with so much at stake.”
“My father would have fed you to the wolves and turned his army loose on your kingdom.”
“I fear that is an inevitability, but your father is mad. His desires threaten to rip apart the northern kingdoms. I did what was necessary to save both our lands. War is coming and I’ll not sit by while your life hangs in the balance. I had to come and get you. I… I can’t imagine a world without you in my heart.”
The stiffness of her stance softened. Her deep blue eyes, the same as her father’s, glimmered with their own wetness. She rushed into his waiting arms and held on for dear life.
“Aurec, you shouldn’t risk yourself so foolishly,” she whispered through the tears. “Not even for me.”
He pulled her away just far enough to look down into her face, framed so beautifully by her wet hair. “You are my everything, Maleela. For you I would risk the gates of death itself.”
She hugged him like a woman who knew that she was about to lose everything. Their love remained hidden between their families. Initially endorsed by both fathers, it had become a cancer to both kingdoms. She’d long suspected Badron had used her to manipulate himself into a position to declare war. She’d even come to accept the fact that he never really loved her.
Aurec touched a fingertip softly to her lips and smiled. “Don’t worry about your father, not tonight. Tonight you are safe with us.”
“How did you know that is what I was thinking?”
“You think I don’t know you?” he teased. “The shelter will be finished soon. Try to get what sleep you can. We’ve a long way to go before we reach safety. I doubt even your father’s best trackers can find us in this weather.”
It stopped raining sometime during in the early hours just before dawn. The ground flooded easily during the storm, turning the surrounding countryside into a marsh. Aurec’s men slowly forced themselves up. Their bodies were sore from a combination of the forced ride and the weather. Their feet hurt. Wet boots and socks only made matters worse. The predawn chill dug down to the bone. Trying to start a fire was pointless. All the fuel was waterlogged. Aurec made the decision to strike camp.
Venten approached his prince wearing a haggard look. He laid out the small map and repressed a shiver. Gaunt and experienced, he rubbed his salt and
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