Chapter 3 the rescue Pt. 1
"Uncle, I'm going to try and see if I can reach her."
"Alright, you'll have a quarter of an hour, while the men prepare." The lord smiled at her knowing just what she was up to. Of all that knew of the gifts granted by patience's bloodline he was about the last living to remember. The knowledge of the queen's Druidic heritage a well kept secret in the fear that she and her offspring would be persecuted as witches. Not that Samuel minded, he had loved the woman since they were children and now would care for her children as if they were his own. In fact, one, the youngest was. Not that the king or Paige knew of her parentage but she was none the less.
"Thank you uncle."
"Not a worry little Pru." Lord Samuel told her and then was called away by one of his men.
The princess called to a servant to bring her a few things and then once she had the garments she dawned them behind a tapestry. Not many would approve of a woman wearing men's britches but just now she didn't exactly care. She was not going too encumbered by ridiculous skirts tonight. Her life and that of Pheona depended on this.
Moving to stand in a darkened corner Prudence closed her eyes a moment and practiced her breathing. She could do this, would do this, she had left one of her only remaining family members behind, one too young to fight for herself. She could not, would not let her down again.
"Over silence stretching, over a distance so vast hear me now sister not last." Prudence spoke the chant she'd learned form her mother and preyed to the Goddess that her sister would still be alive to even hear her.
"Prudence are you there? I can feel you." Came the tiny frightened voice in her mind. The great hall faded from Prudence's consciousness. All she knew saw or felt was her sister's small voice.
"Aye love, I'm here. Can you tell me what's happening, are you alright?" Prudence asked not realizing her fingers were crossed in the hopes Pheona was alright.
"Aye, I am unharmed; the men took me and Mama to the tower…" Prudence barely had time to feel relief as her sister's voice thinned and then stilled completely.
"Pheona?" She asked afraid she'd not reply.
"There taking her, oh no!" Came the high pitched cry and Prudence knew that Pheona too was in grave danger. She'd rarely heard her little sister so rattled. Pheona was usually so together. Sure she was always getting into trouble but she was not easily scared.
"Pheona? Pheona their taking Mama?" Prudence asked again hoping that her little sister would reply. Even if they were taking the queen that might buy Pheona a little time.
"Yes," Pheona muttered half heartedly in answer to Prudence's question then she was crying out again. "No! Let her…"
Prudence knew she had to keep Pheona there and in control, she had to protect her and right now keeping her calm was the only way Prudence could think of.
"Pheona you have to listen to me, we're going to come for you, please just…" the psychic scream sent Prudence staggering back and then there was utter silence.
"Pheona?" She asked knowing with an icy dread as her mind rejoined her mind that something dreadful had just occurred. "Pheona!" She could feel her sisters buzzing consciousness but it was like she couldn't reply.
"Highness?" A voice was saying and she found large hands gripping her shoulders.
"Oh, Lord Andrew…" She gasped as she began to shake uncontrollably. She knew, they'd killed their mother and Pheona had seen… Tears filled Prudence's eyes and she found that she was being pushed to sit on a bench near a still raging fireplace.
"Are you alright?" Lord Andrew was asking as he brought her a cup of wine."
"Aye, I was just…" what could she tell him? She couldn't say she was talking to Pheona, he'd think her daft or worse… No, she would never tell anyone of the gifts she and her sisters shared. "I was just thinking about what's to come." Pulling her emotions into check she willed her limbs to still, her terror to subside. Then she forced a smile to her lips.
"Well, that has yet to be seen. Are you prepared to leave?"
"Aye, just allow me to do one last thing."
"Aye lady."
"Excuse me a moment." She said and moving to one of the now banked hearths in their corner of the main hall she picked up a handful of ash and began smearing it on her face.
"A clever tactic." Lord Andrew acknowledged once she'd rejoined him.
"And one my father insisted we learn incase of an attack." Prudence informed him and she felt her throat close up at the memory of Pheona's scream and the fear in it. As she'd not had time to use that skill or managed to save her little sister. "Let's go."
"Aye highness." Lord Andrew smiled a little at how brave she was being about this whole thing. She'd looked as if she'd fall apart and yet she'd pulled herself together and was now about to ride back into the hell she'd only earlier escaped. Yes the Prudence was quite a young lady.
***
The horses were awaiting them in the courtyard as were the castle's soldiers and the four nobles and their contingents of soldiers.
"It has been decided that you shall ride with me Highness, that way if something goes amiss you'll not get left behind." Lord Andrew said after a moment's word with Prince Leonardo.
"That is sensible my Lord."
"A hand up?" He offered and she bowed her head in acknowledgement of his offer. He then lifted her into the saddle and was surprised when she did not stay sideways as he'd sat her but mounted the steed astride.
"Thank you." Was all she said as if not were amiss.
"Alright, we'll take the forest path to the lake, but all stay under cover of the foliage until all have arrived."
"Ready?" Lord Andrew asked Prudence and she nodded as he swung up into the saddle behind her.
"Aye." She said glad he did not question her posture. In truth she'd only rode astride once before and that because her mother had thought it would be safer for her o know how to ride incase of an emergency such as this. And then they were off.
The first few minutes of the ride were completed in silence but Lord Andrew had the oddest urge to speak with the princess. She'd been through a great deal that night and he knew men who'd buckled under the pressure of less.
"You know highness, it will be alright, and we will save the child." He said softly and Prudence shivered, she'd never had a man's breath on her ear, at least not other than her father when he'd taught her to use a bow. Now though this seemed some how different. The goose pimples that prickled along her skin were odd.
"Hmm"
'I said…"
"Shh…"
"Prudence?"
"Pheona?"
"They know your coming…" the faint voice echoed through Prudence's mind and she looked up at the man behind her.
"We can't go forward, they know we're coming."
"How?"
" That is not important just stop the men!" Prudence shouted and Lord Andrew had no choice but to obey.
"Pheona how do they know?" The princess asked going back inside her mind.
"Mama!"
"Pheona!"
"They killed her, oh no they…"
"Pheona snap out of it, how do they know?"
"Nanny Told'em." There was terror and tears in her sister's mental voice. "They did bad things to her and she told…"
"But is it the dungeon?"
"Aye, they're guarding it and have men stationed at the edge of the forest."
"Alright, just stay put we will think of something."
"Highness what is amiss?" Prince Leonardo asked riding up to settle his mount beside there horse.
"They know we're coming." She said and he didn't even ask how she knew, instead he called to one of his men and then they were joined by King Benjamin
and the other nobles.
"What hath happened?" Lord Winterford asked.
"They know we are coming." Prince Leonardo replied grimly.
"And how do you know this?" The Lord asked frowning at the prince.
"We have sources." Lord Andrew replied grimly and the Prince nodded.
"Nay, that can not be I have been watching and none of the men have been sent ahead." Lord Winterford replied.
"Do you question me Winterford?" Prince Leonardo demanded and the Lord slowly nodded.
"Aye, there is no way you'd know of their plans if…"
"What plans?" Lord Samuel asked frowning and in a flash of motion Lord Winterford was lunging from his horse and bringing up his sword to slash across Lord Samuel's throat.
"No!" Prudence cried and would have lunged forward if strong arms had not held her back. She watched her uncle's head severed, then the prince strike Lord Winterford a blow to the head.
"Uncle…" Prudence struggled against her capture but to no avail, Lord Andrew would not let her go.
"There is not you can do now highness." He murmured into her ear even as that very fact settled in on her like a stone to the bottom of a lake.
"Oh no…" She breathed and for the first time in her life Prudence fainted dead away.
TBC
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Well? Not what you expected was it? Well if you want to know what will happen next you'll have to let me know there's some one out there reading this. So PLZ R&R.