Hey guys! As per usual, I wanted this scene to be so much better than I think it ended up being. But, I digress. Welcome back! Sorry for the long wait. Senior year of school is hard. But! Things are getting better for me. I still miss my friends like crazy, but I've decided I'm not a failure, and I never was. So, I've been diving back into reading books, and consequently more into writing. Let's hope for some faster updates, as now that this story is back on track I'm more excited for what's to come! Hope you all enjoy, and remember, review!
The trail had widened to accustom to four horses instead of just two, but Shirayuki still felt small. Not helping was River, who was the smallest of the bunch. He didn't seem to like that fact either, stomping his hooves in a mood whenever they paused. They took up a strange diamond shape, with Zen in front, Mitsuhide and Kiki on either sides, and Shirayuki taking up the rear.
Zen was in good spirits, she supposed seeing his friends would do that to him. He chatted with Kiki about Below Surface, inadvertently making Shirayuki homesick as he described the Vidre and the never ending seafood. Mitsuhide shook his head at all of it, but he had mostly stopped screaming about how unbelievable everything was after the Moon announced to not ditch the carriage, to use it to get to the next town. The Moon had promised to readjust the path for the human roads or the carriage able roads, but for now they were just treading back through the woods towards the carriage.
Shirayuki remembered carriages from the old town, and she was almost reluctant to leave the sheltered world of the forestry. There wasn't a million humans in the forest, and it was beautiful in a way that reminded her of home. She wasn't eager to give up riding River as well, as much as her legs needed a break, she didn't want to make him pull her and a huge house on wheels along.
But the forest was rapidly thinning with each step, each little white puff of the Moon's trial. Shirayuki felt out of place with Mitsuhide and Kiki, as friendly as they seemed, she truly felt the fact that she was not a human with the two knights joining the party.
River sighed greatly, his sides heaving, as if picking up on Shirayuki's mood.
Kiki suddenly stopped talking and halted her horse.
The others all stopped as well, most of their horse's pricking their ears in confusion at Kiki's stop. Even Kiki's own horse tossed her head slightly, confused.
Zen's smile faded. "Kiki, what is it?"
Kiki's nose twitched. "I…I don't know. Something feels wrong."
Mitsuhide snorted. "The ground is glowing beneath us, of course it feels weird."
"I said wrong." Kiki shot him a glare before redirecting her gaze. "I think we're being followed."
Zen tilted his head. "The Moon's blessing –"
"It didn't stop the pirates from seeing us earlier." Shirayuki confided.
Kiki nodded with a hum. "Maybe we should canter the rest of the way."
Shirayuki blinked, but her eyes went to Zen's, only to find his on hers. "What?" She asked.
He raised his eyebrows. "What about you? Do you feel anything?"
Shirayuki opened her mouth when she realized he wanted her to reach out with her magic. She took a deep breath, then closed her eyes. She let her magic spread around them. Underneath her, River shivered like he could feel it, which he probably could if her theory about his true species was correct. She could feel Zen's magic thrumming belatedly, soft and gentle. Kiki and Mitushide had no magic.
But there, far towards where Kiki had been looking, she felt something…malicious.
Her eyes flew open and she quickly withdrew her senses. "I agree, let's canter."
Zen nodded. "Convinced. Let's do it, then." He wheeled Thunder around, only for the horse to then rear and scream at the sudden appearance of another horse. This one had gray skin and a mangled, unruly mane. It's eyes glowed as it lashed out, trying to kick Thunder. Thankfully, Thunder was a strong horse, and Zen a swift rider. He pulled Thunder's head out of the way and all horses whirled, starting to run, when another rider appeared from the thicket.
Underneath her, River skittered his hooves and nickered nervously, and Shirayuki clenched her teeth to stay on, clinging to his mane.
"Pirates!" Mitsuhide spat. He drew his sword. His horse, normally the one who didn't stop moving, stilled and tensed, ready for battle. Kiki's horse was the same, as Kiki drew her own sword.
Sure enough, on the back of the horses sat cruel looking riders. Shirayuki didn't recognize any of them, but just then River's ears swiveled and she looked over to her left just in time to see the dagger fly through the air towards Zen's head.
The magical dagger saved the Prince's life, as it zipped to his defense and knocked away the normal knife just before it nicked Zen's ear.
Zen cursed and pulled Thunder away, meeting eyes with the next pirate who appeared from around two trees. "I thought I cut you in half already."
The pirate cackled. "We cannot be killed. We have been given immortality for our services, Prince." He had a band of throwing knives around his chest.
"Immortality?" Kiki repeated with Shirayuki.
Another object was thrown, and Kiki deflected it with her blade. This one was just a large, crudely shaped staff. One more pirate, and now they were totally surrounded.
"Charge through?" Mitsuhide suggested.
"What if they all have throwing knives." Kiki responded.
"And magic." Zen offered, drawing his own sword, "don't forget about their magic."
"Is that how you snuck up on us?" Shirayuki demanded, putting her hand on River's neck to steady the uncomfortable horse. "More earth magic?"
The pirate who had first blocked their path grinned and laughed, a sound like a rock falling into other rocks. "The forest is a poor place for you to hide, little mer."
Shirayuki pursed her lips. Who was giving these pirates magic?
"Claw of the Sea," Kiki challenged, her horse lifting her head alongside her rider, "who killed off the Poisoned Rose?"
The pirates' smiles faded. "Aye, lass." One muttered. "Best be watching your words."
"I mean it." Kiki asked again. "Who killed them? Was it the Lions?"
A knife was thrown at Kiki, but to Shirayuki's shock, Zen caught the knife blade first, straight out of the air. He scowled at the pirate. "Stop that." He growled, tossing the knife to the ground.
Shirayuki stared at his hands, but they weren't even bruised. A theory popped into her head, but she had other things to focus on then. Instead, she said aloud; "This land magic…do you have a divine patron?"
The pirates faltered.
Shirayuki bit back a cheer. "And an unforgiving one, at that. The Poisoned Rose was not killed by human hands, were they?" She met the eyes of the closest pirate, who met hers evenly right back.
The silence was all the answer she needed. "Great." She nodded.
The pirates quickly grew bored of questions. "Enough talk." The one with the knives said. The three others drew ropes, already tied with a lasso on each. "Bag em and gag em."
Chaos broke out. Kiki and Mitsuhide spurred their steeds, who bravely charged at their closet enemies. Kiki cut the rope of one, and Mitsuhide's horse slammed into the rival horse's shoulder in a devastating tackle.
"Shirayuki!" Zen called in warning, Thunder rearing and bucking to avoid an oncoming lasso.
Shirayuki turned to see the lasso fall over River's neck, and immediately tighten. Her horse screamed in shock and fear, and immediately the other horse and rider began to back up. River balked, his hooves dragging through the dirt.
No one touches my horse. Shirayuki thought angrily. She reached forward, and the knife flew into her hands. Just before she lashed the rope into pieces, a bolt of lightning exploded from River's mane, frying the rope into ashes. The frayed end smoked as it fell to the forest floor.
Shirayuki was frozen, stunned from the sudden light and power, but River didn't wait for her to catch up. The horse reared and charged the horse and rider, who smartly wheeled around and fled. River began to chase, but Shirayuki got over her shock to pull on the reins and turn the horse back to their friends. "Whoa, boy!" She cried. "We need to stay with the others."
River huffed, but cantered back the short distance to where the battle had begun. It was not a clearing, it was the middle of the woods, a poor place for horseback warfare, but that wasn't stopping the royals. Mitsuhide and one of the pirates trotted in a deadly circle, horses snapping at each other's flanks and kicking out, meanwhile Mitsuhide and his opponent exchange blows so fast it almost hurt to look at.
Kiki was avoiding another lasso, her horse's ears pinned straight back as she stumbled around a tree for a shield.
And Zen was…oh Great Seas.
Zen was off of Thunder, sword drawn, deflecting dagger after dagger. Thunder was on her side, panting heavily.
River lunged for Thunder, jumping over a bush and landing just over her. Shirayuki had clutch as much mane as she could and thank the Sea that her riding reflexes had developed so quickly. When they landed, she leaned over River's neck and examined Thunder. She saw no blood or bruising, it looked like Thunder had just gotten knocked over.
Shirayuki let out a sigh of relief and turned to the pirate. Just in time to see Zen's hand move a second too slowly, and a dagger strike him point blank in the side of the neck.
A scream built then just as quickly died in Shirayuki's throat. The knife clanged off so hard it nearly snapped, the point bent as it fell to the floor and was lost in the piles of fallen leaves.
Zen cursed and rubbed his neck, but there was no blood. There should have been a lot of blood.
The pirate hissed and instead gathered his horse, ready to simply charge Zen over.
"River." Shirayuki breathed.
The horse understood her, tensing under her grip. His mane crackled, rising with blue sparks, and he whinnied a challenge. Just as the pirate's horse started forward, River jumped again. He sailed right over Thunder, nearly bowled Zen over, and met the horse head to head mid air.
Shirayuki let out a huff, but before the horses could do even more, blue lightning zipped forward and the ground erupted under the horse's legs. This didn't shock Shirayuki at all, and she stayed strong in her seat as the horse screamed and turned with a hard rear. There was nothing the rider could do to stop the fear of that horse, and so they galloped away. The pirate turned to curse at the mer, but Shirayuki and River whirled around, lightning crackling around them. River had shot at the horse's hooves, not a killing blow, but enough to make the horse flee for its life, rider be damned.
Zen was staring at River incredulously, Shirayuki was staring at him incredulously, when something happened.
Shirayuki didn't feel any pain, she just heard a sickening sound. The sound of seaweed ripping. Her back tingled, like something had just punched her right at the small of her back.
Zen opened his mouth to scream, but Shirayuki felt the force of the thing on her back, and she flew off of River, landing hard on the ground near Thunder's hooves. White light, the Moon's blessing, brushed up around her cheeks and under her eyes. Her hands twitched, and she blinked in confusion. She went to try to rise, but realized she couldn't.
Zen rushed to her, and her vision got fuzzy. River was squealing, lightning was flashing, and Mitsuhide yelled something. Something crashed, and Thunder managed to get her legs under her without kicking Shirayuki in the head.
Shirayuki let a warm hand grab her cheek, and then tears fell, as the pain started. A hot feeling, like boiling magma, sizzled over her back. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't get enough air in. She rolled over and groaned, tears falling. It was like a electric punch. She heard yelling, but nothing was really registering.
Then things started to get super fuzzy, and she just let her eyes roll back into her head and things fade to black.
They made quick work of the pirates, although most of it was River. The horse had lightning in his mane and tail, and was charging at everything that moved. One pirate lie burned on the floor, but Zen only cared about getting Shirayuki up on Thunder's back. The horse, despite getting knocked down, didn't seem to have broken anything. She wasn't even limping. "Kiki! Mitsuhide!" Zen called for help.
His knights dismounted and together they lifted Shirayuki. River was thundering around them, lighting lashing randomly out and still nickering challenges. "Hold her." Zen grunted. Blood stained his hands, it was rapidly pooling out of her, from where the knife had embedded itself. It clutched at every bit of clothing, stained the skin, it would not stop. Thank goodness his battle nerves were already in high action, otherwise he might have thrown up. Not her. Why couldn't it have been him?
But he had to calm River down, somehow. One thing at a time. "River!" He shouted.
The horse's ears swiveled to him and the little Arabian stared him down. For a scary second, Zen thought that the horse didn't recognize him. It was never a good idea to shout at a scared horse. He raised his hands placatingly, and crouched slightly as he approached. "It's alright." He whispered. "We need your help. Come on." He held out his hand for River to sniff.
Lightning still sparked from River's mane. For a weird second, when the horse lashed his tail, Zen thought he saw the tail of a mer – a really big mer, or maybe a dolphin. Then the horse leaned in close enough for Zen to grab the reins, so he did. He pulled River close to him and stroked the horse's muzzle. "There, there." He soothed. "Come on."
He was still shaking when he pulled River back to the rest of them. Mitsuhide had gotten Shirayuki slung over Thunder, who stood regal and calm. "Here, trade." Mitsuhide said, grabbing River's reins.
River's mane was settling, and Zen quickly mounted. The tack made it awkward, but Kiki quickly pulled it off Thunder and threw it onto River. They had many practices with emergency situations like this, and they moved just as smoothly as they had a hundred times before, even with the unfamiliar horses and River's mane still occasionally sparking.
Zen steadied Shirayuki, then as soon as she was secure, and Mitsuhide and Kiki were up, he cantered through the path to the carriage.
As they rode, he realized a women was floating alongside him. She put her pale white hand over Shirayuki's forehead, and he turned to glare at the Moon. "Now you show up?"
She looked offended. Her form was odd – looking, with almost half of her completely gone. "Prince, I didn't see the pirates."
"You see everything." Zen hissed. His fear for Shirayuki was quickly being overcome by anger, and hurt.
"Not this." She sighed, sadly. "I'll keep her alive until the carriage."
Zen bit back a mean statement, and pressed his heels into Thunder to urge her faster.
They made it to the carriage, somehow. It was Zen's old travel carriage, the discreet one with the white tarping over it and no markings other than dirt to label it. They jumped off their horses, Zen sliding Shirayuki into his arms carefully. He had to hold her back up, which was awkward for everyone. "Get the horses." He told Mitsuhide. "Kiki, you're better at first aid."
Kiki nodded grimly and they rushed to the back. Kiki unlocked it, hands flying just as fast as they were with her swords. She jumped inside and Zen handed Shirayuki up.
They lied her out on the small sitting couch. Kiki shoved a pillow under Shirayuki's head and her stomach. She pulled Shirayuki's shirt off, while Zen found the emergency aid box and pulled it to the mermaid's side. His hands flew through the box's content, pulling out stitching needles and antiseptic.
Kiki was muttering at Shirayuki's face. The mermaid's eyes were open in slits. "Bit this." Kiki ordered, handing Shirayuki a strap of lether – a stirrup's length.
Shirayuki was a healer, she knew what to do, even in her haze. She bit down on the leather, and Kiki grabbed the needles from Zen before he could even think about attempting the proper pattern.
"I'll pull it out, you clean the wound." Kiki ordered. "I'll stitch her."
Zen nodded. He had helped hundreds of his knights with their wounds, and his hands had never been this shaky. But he grasped the hilt of the dagger. "Ready?" He asked Shirayuki.
The mer didn't react.
"Three…two…one!" He winced and almost adverted his eyes as he pulled the dagger straight up and out. Shirayuki bit down hard, her eyes widening with the flare of pain, and her hands clutched the cushions so hard she almost ripped them.
Zen put the dagger down and quickly wiped out the blood. It wasn't spilling so much since she was elevated. Shirayuki hissed with pain at the antiseptic. Her skin quivered. Zen felt a hot flood of anger pool in him. But he just focused on his work.
Kiki jumped in and began to stitch.
Zen tossed away the bloodied cloth and moved over to Shirayuki's face. She watched him, green eyes narrowed with pain and shock. He brushed her hair away and wiped her sweat. "Hang on," he murmured, "we've got you."
She blinked, her teeth still tight on the strap.
Kiki worked efficiently. Zen pushed his head against Shirayuki's during the few minutes it took to close the wound. Zen had felt useless plenty this past month. He had spent days physically stuck on the prow of a ship. Days immobilized by sickness. A few weeks out of his territory, underwater. Still, he had never felt worse.
Kiki tied off the string and cut it with her teeth. "Done." She breathed. "You should be alright, Shirayuki." She traded out her sewing supplies with a long gauze roll.
Shirayuki spat out the leather. "Thank you." She managed.
Kiki only hummed. She glanced at Zen. "I'll go help Mitsuhide with the horses."
Zen never felt more grateful for his aid. He blinked at her, only then realizing they were still not alone in the tent.
The Moon floated just on the threshold, looking with worried and sad eyes over them. No wonder they still had light in the carriage – Zen hadn't even considered it he was so focused on Shirayuki.
Kiki passed the Moon with a slight hesitation.
"I am sorry." The Moon started.
Zen took a deep breath, and sighed out his anger. "Don't be. We're okay. We'll be okay."
The Moon pursed her lips. She walked into the room, footsteps slient, dress dragging against the wood. He watched as she put her translucent hand on Shirayuki's head.
The mermaid closed her eyes, and her breath evened in sleep.
Zen frowned. "What is it?"
The Moon knelt, and met Zen in the eyes. His tattoo burned on his arm. "This is not a mortal wound."
Zen's stomach filled with concrete and sunk to his feet with a hard clunk. "What do you mean?"
The Moon, distastefully, picked up the bloodied knife and held it for Zen to see. On the base of it, an image was etched. Zen narrowed his eyes at it. It was strange, square symbol, with lines all curving around to meet each other in the middle. He wasn't sure why, but it bothered him, made him uncomfortable.
"Shirayuki said that-that the pirates have a divine patron." Zen stammered.
The Moon nodded. "I pray that you don't ever meet him, or that he ever show himself to you in the forms my love and I take." She stared at him with her unnerving white eyes, and it occurred to Zen that she was expecting him to already know.
The word tasted like oil against his teeth, but he whispered. "The Earth?"
The Moon dipped her head. "I have been shielding you for him for days now. But, when I go dark, you will be unable to call on me at all. I will be…"
Zen nodded. "But…" He waved his hands over Shirayuki. "Shirayuki? What can I do to heal her?"
"Magic." The Moon whispered. "It will have to be the Sea."
"We're a few days travel from the Sea." Zen snapped, feeling his anxiety start to burn. "We can backtrack, but-will she make it that-"
"Prince." The Moon sighed exasperatedly. "You carry the Sea with you." She explained. "Just call upon her shield."
"Her-her shield. The Aigua?" Zen clutched Shirayuki's hand, feeling a little more grounded with her there.
The Moon hummed. "Or the other one."
"What?"
The Moon stood, her vision fading. Zen was about to ask why, when sharp blast of orange light jumped into the tent, temporarily blinding him.
Zen waited for his eyes to readjust, and when they did, the Moon had gone. Kiki and Mitsuhide stood in the carriage doorway. "Zen." Mitsuhide said. "You should probably come help us set the horses up. This is a two horse carriage, we need your help tying Thunder and River to the sides of it."
Zen nodded, swallowing his grief. "Right." He stood after squeezing Shirayuki's hand one more time. "Kiki, can you –?" He nodded to the wrapping.
Kiki nodded. "I can." She stepped up and into the carriage as Zen stepped out.