3
Jenn was true to her word and managed to get them all safely out of the city with no more casualties. They were now camped almost eighty miles to the south of the city. They had come across a group of about thirty refugees fleeing the city, mostly farmers and craftsmen with their families who were in the city market plying their wares. They had managed to get their wagons and horses away before the gates had been sealed so they had much needed supplies. There was also a Cleric of Doryel with them much to the relief of De Marx.
The Cleric, Brother Doogan, was inside the back one of the wagons with the Queen now, along with Jenn who had been ordered by De Marx to watch over the Queen and who had grudgingly agreed to follow the order. De Marx had send three of his men to the three closest cities seeking aid five days ago as soon as they had met up with the caravan of refugees on confiscated horses, they were due back any time now and he was anxious to hear a report. The refugees had been more than willing to give up their horses and to share their supplies, especially since the only real protection they had now was each other and the small band of royal guards.
De Marx stood up as Brother Doogan stepped from the back of the wagon and approached him. The Priest wore traveling leathers as was the custom for a Follower of Doryel to Goddess of travel and celebration. His pale blonde hair hung in curly locks and framed his youthful face, a face that was now contorted with fatigue and sorrow. "I am sorry Captain, there is nothing I can do. The arrow that pierced her was tipped with a poison that is alien to me. My magic is not strong enough to force the poison from her system. She will not be with us much longer. I have managed to make her more comfortable however, and she is awake. She wants to see you." De Marx placed an understanding hand on the distraught priest's shoulder as he moved passed him towards the wagon without saying a word for fear his voice would betray his grief.
De Marx stepped up into the back of the covered wagon and glanced at Jenn who sat next to the Queen, her back ridged and dumfounded look of shock on her face. The Queen however looked at peace. "Hello Jacob, you did well getting us to safety, and I understand that Miss. Zoll was quite a help as well." De Marx smiled softly as he knelt next to his queen, "Aye Majesty, she help quite a bit, we owe her a debt." The Queen reached out and touched De Marx's hand, "Jacob, in the last moments of my life I would like so much for you to call me Khari, we have been friends since we were children after all." De Marx laughed softly, "Yes, Khari, we have been friends for a long time. Now you need to rest so that..." The queen cut him off. "You know that I am going to die no matter how much I rest. I have accepted that but I have one last order, no, on last request for you before I die."
De Marx leaned closer, "What is it Khari, name it." Khari smiled warmly at De Marx, "I want you to take the refugees past the Guardian Forest and into South Vale. On the South Western coast just passed the Cobald Mountain range you will come to a small fishing town called Twin Anchors. It is there that I want you to raise my daughter as your own. Teach her well as she is vital to the future of North Vale." De Marx raised his eyes brows in confusion. "Khari, your daughter is gone. Taken by the Keerians." The Queen shook her head. "I speak of my unborn daughter Jacob. She is the one who must be protected." De Marx looked as though he had been slapped in the face. "Majesty! I didn't know. But you can raise the girl on your own, the priest will I'm sure be able too..." in a firm yet forced voice the queen said, "Jacob, stop. There is nothing he can do. Even now I feel my life slipping from me, I used most of my life force in the transference."
"Transference? Life force? Majesty I don't understand." De Marx looked up at Jenn who still had not said a word and would not look at the Queen. "Jacob, I used my power to take the child from my womb and place her in Jenn's womb. She will carry my daughter full term for me since I will not be here. She has graciously agreed to be a surrogate." From the look on Jenn's face he believed it was anything but gracious agreement. "Jacob, I have also pardoned her for all past crimes she committed under the name of "The Wraith" I will not have the surrogate mother of my daughter be someday charged with murder. Promise me you will keep her at your side always and allow no harm to come to her." De Marx touched his fist to his chest and bowed his head. "On my honor, I will protect her as if she were my wife and I will raise your daughter as if she were my own."
Khari smiled weakly as a tear ran down her cheek as she turned to Jenn and reached out and clasped her hand. "Thank you Jenn, you have done me an honor, teach her all you know as well, I fear she will need it for all that lays before her. Do not tell her of her legacy until she has a chance to have a life of her own first. Then let her make the choice. If she wants to be free of the responsibility do not fault her, for it is a heavy mantle to bear, but if she does as I hope, and chooses to take back the throne and avenge our people, make sure she has the tools and the knowledge to do so. Give her this on the day that she makes her choice." She placed a ring in the palm of Jenn's hand. The ring had a brilliant blue garnet set into the center of the royal coat of arms. Jenn gasped, "The Queen's royal seal." Once again the queen smiled, "It is more than that, it holds all of my knowledge, and my mothers knowledge and so on down through history. When it is needed my daughter will be able to draw upon all of our families experience." Jenn nodded and placed the ring in a small pocket hidden on the inside of her pants.
"Now, Jacob, could you leave Jenn and me alone for a while? I wish to speak to her for a while." Jacob bowed slightly, "I will make sure you are not disturbed, and I will begin making preparations for our trip southward." As he turned to leave the Queen spoke again, "Jacob, thank you for being my friend before I was your queen and for being my friend now." "It has been my pleasure, Khari." De Marx left the wagon with a nod to Jenn and immediately called to his remaining soldiers. "We make for the Southern Vale as soon as our other solders return from the Cities." "They just arrived," said one of the men. "And it's just as good that we are going south, the other cities have been taken." De Marx swore again. "Damn, let everyone know, we leave at first light."
Inside the wagon, the queen was becoming weaker. "Jenn, I know that I have asked a lot of you, and I know it is against your nature to do this but I want you to know that it is appreciated. Thank you for giving my daughter a chance for a life." Jenn smiled weakly, "I'm an assassin, that doesn't mean that I'm completely heartless. I just never had time for children before and I never found the man worthy enough to give me a child anyway."
Jenn smiled, "I suppose I can't get much better than the child of royalty, neh?" Khari laughed weakly and winced in pain, "Never forget, that although she is of my blood, you will be more mother to her than she will ever know of me. She will need your love." Her voice was strained and ragged along with her breathing as she spoke. "What will you name her Jenn? Tell me now so that I might know her in death." Jenn began to cry, as she placed one hand on the Queen's and the other on her stomach. "She will be called Khari, after her mother." The queen smiled and another tear fell, her chest rose once more with a final ragged breath and whispered, "Tell Khari, I loved her before she was born..." Then Khari Ahrealia, Queen of the Northern Vale, and War Sorceress, closed her eyes forever.