I hope that you have filled your stomachs with enough goodies to last you for the whole year! I hope you had a peaceful and loving Christmas and if not…write to Santa and complain…costumer care should be a company's main priority!
Chapter 19 – A Battle of Lovers
The snorting of a nearby horse and the uneasy chatter of men behind Thom filtered through his hearing of a harsh wind. Although the rescue group had set out on a particular dry morning, a cold current had followed them. Thom imaged it as a comfort of a friend wishing the group luck as the journey to the supposed destination dragged for what seemed like an eternity. He felt a twinge of sympathy for Neal, who was commanded to stay behind to govern the Fort. Although Kel and Neal had been in a heated debate for over an hour, Neal relented at the logic that Kel presented him.
With a few hours of sleep, Thom was on full alert, especially finding that Nataila had been deeply involved within the kidnapping of Emilie. The anger that he had felt returning to his rooms after all was revealed on the battlements was immense that it had taken several hours before Thom could look at the situation objectively.
Yet that turned out to be useless since he wanted to capture every single person involved in this crazy plan and … and …and hand them over to the law for them to be dealt fairly in court. Fairness, Thom remembered, was one of the qualities that Emilie picked out of his character that made him very enduring as well as his handsomeness and intelligence. His lips quirked upwards before his mind dropped back into reality.
Leading the group was Lady Kel with at her side was Dom. The band of twenty warriors had covered great distance in a short time due to their skill and Thom came to respect the hard work which was needed for understanding nature's environment. However, all this was lost in the moment of wanting Emilie back at his side, safe and unharmed. That image was becoming unlikely as the amount of time passed from discovering Nataila's disappearance. Although the spell placed on Emilie's ring gave them a rough direction, without being attached to Emilie then the power would eventually weaken until no signal could be sent out.
The riding group halted suddenly which brought Thom out of his lonely reverie. Ahead, over the next mould, stood a lone rider on a dirty grey horse, looking straight at them. The young man looked no better – covered in mud did not disguise the exhaustion on his face.
Without a command, all warriors had their weapons at hand, ready for anything. As if sensing this, the man smirked and slowly moved his horses to the group. Only a few metres away from Knight Lady, he bowed over his saddle.
"Good morning," he said with a slight accent. "Glad to see that you arrived."
"Were you expecting us", queried Kel, her face completely blank of any emotion.
"Of course," he replied, "that is to say that you are looking for Lady Emilie Queenscove."
The assembly stilled as the man spoke.
"And why would you know that?", asked Kel in a soft yet deadly voice.
"Because I know a lot of things that are important", he commented in an off hand manner as if he was discussing it over dinner, "and I know that a band of king haters are over that hill, with the lady, holding her due to him." With that, he pointed to Thom. "You are Lord Thom of Pirate's Swoop? Known black mage and the Lioness' son?"
"Yes."
"Well, there you go then", the man stated with a twinkle in his eyes.
"You can't be telling me that this is all due to the fact that Lady Emilie was kidnap due her engagement to Lord Thom?", Dom said with totally disbelief.
"Oh no", laughed the rider, "it was due to an untimely mix up. They believe that Lord Thom is the King Spy but any nitwit knows that's totally nonsense. The King Spy had been in our mist for four years now."
"They think that I'm the spy?" uttered Thom as he trotted his horses up to the front of the line.
"Sure do."
"And of course you would happen to know the true identification of the spy since you were the contact for northern border," stated Thom.
The man only nodded his head.
"It's nice to meet you", Thom said holding out his hand which the man grabbed and briefly hold before whispering in Thom's ear, "Not as nice as seeing the spy's lover."
"Do you know how many there is?" Kel cut across, giving both men strange glances.
"From a night observation, I would say around thirty minimum, however there may be more inside", the young man announced. "A totally of fifty, I would say."
"That is a ratio of two to one", Dom murmured, "good odds."
"However these soldiers are Tortallers," the man commented.
"A planned rebel against the King?" asked Thom in some awe.
"I think that a little look is in order before planning an attack is in order," Kel said quietly, "Sir, would you lead us?"
"My pleasure, Lady Knight Keladry, Protector of the Small."
"How did you…"
"He knows everything in these parts," Thom graced a small smile at a confused Lady Knight, "he can reads minds like that of Lady Lessa Queenscove. Gallains are unique for it."
"Follow me", commanded the man as he trotted of over the hilly land.
Thom urged his horse to trail after the informant that would lead them to Emilie.
I'm coming Emilie! Stay whole and survive for me.
With Kel's men in the right places, a signal from her informed everyone to attack. They had waited until Kel was sure that a dawn attack would be best for surprise. Thom was anxious that waiting another day would have cost Emilie's life. He was relieved that they were going.
His objective was to head straight for the small barracks as it was the only building in the large campsite to hold a prisoner out of view. The structure was new, built from the wood found up in the north. This was a temporary position.
As steel stuck off steel, Thom moved quickly as he could, crouched closely to the ground, behind bushes weaving towards the building. He noted that the majority of the enemy had already rushed out to fight with the Kel's forces. Taking a chance, Thom slipped in through the door.
A strangled cry met him, as a man half dressed hastily moved out of a room, which Thom suspected as the sleeping quarters. The man stumbled as he grabbed his sword high and came after Thom. Without wasting any time, Thom slammed the man against the nearest wall, knocking him out cold and the sword slithered down to the ground beside him.
Thom swifty turned the headed to the end of the long room but stopped as running footsteps sounded behind him. A dagger appeared in front of him , sticking deep into the door frame. He cursed himself at his forgetfulness, and shielded himself with his Gift. Three more knives flew at his direction but bounced off the screen of magic.
His patience was thin as his attacker did not leave him alone. He raised his hand and muttered a word as he continued his path further into the barracks. A loud slump echoed the deserted building. Thom smiled grimly as he did not need to check that the man's arms and legs had been literally glued to his side.
Glancing through a widow, Thom noted that Dom's small group were having trouble covering themselves from arrows which were stopping them from attacking the soldiers on the ground. They were nearly surrounded by the enemy.
Thom felt extremely guilty. He should have stayed outside to check that things were going well for Fort Hope. As he watched another array of arrows raining down, Thom noted that the archers were on the roof of the building. Gathering all his magic into himself, Thom sought out the bodies above him with his mind. There were eight. Concentrating hard, Thom raised them up and threw them to the ground. The cries of surprise indicated his success.
Sweat was running down from his temple. Thom knew that he would have to conserve his Gift for later use, especially when he didn't know what was ahead of him. Grabbing a sword from a stack in the armourer room, Thom rotated it in his hand before smiling. My mother has taught me well…it's like riding a horse…you can't forget.
Steering his way around, Thom finally came to a door that was heavily protected with two guards which took him a matter of minutes to wound and kill with the sword. However when tugging the door, it was lock.
"Emilie!", he shouted through the wood. However no reply came, bringing Thom out in a cold sweat. Thom blew the door out of its frame which hit the wall of the locked room. He hurdily stepped in to find it a lady's quarter.
It puzzled him. He was so sure that this would have been a cell.
Why is this heavily guarded? He mused as he ventured further in. The room was light and airy, the air was filled a strong perfume, a lady's garments scattered around as if in a rush.
A low giggle brought his head up and around, to face Lady Harriet of Mahri who held a crossbow in her arms aimed at his chest.
"I knew that you would come", she crowed, "although I can't believe that thing would tempt you so much…a hussy. Well you have certainly failed in picking a respectable lady to become the future Lady of Pirate Swoop. My… what a disgrace the whole court has become!"
"And you're a fine specimen of a lady, I assume," retorted Thom as he gripped his sword tightly in his hand and took a step forward.
Lady Harriet raised the cross-bow higher. "Don't take another step or I'll shoot."
"That arrow isn't going to stop me" growled Thom as he ventured forward.
"Probably not", conceded Harriet with a twisted smile on her face, "however I only need it to allow me a few minutes to escape the people outside. We weren't expecting you for another few days."
"You won't escape" Thom spat out, "so tell me where Emilie and maybe the King will grant you life imprisonment."
Harriet laughed a cruel sound. "Never."
"Tell me or I will harm you."
"How can you when there is an arrow in your chest", stated Lady Harriet with a contorted face. And with that she shot.
Thom made his way forward to grab Harriet and shake the information out of her, but stopped suddenly when the arrow pierced his right shoulder. The searing pain went through his body. He was in shock. His shield should have prevented this. He was a black mage. His eyes darkened and his head swam away from reality.
Nevertheless, he had enough sense to keep up his shield. For it was soon, struck with a sword too big for Harriet to wield efficiently. Wanting to end this, Thom shifted the sword he held to his left hand and thrust it straight to Harriet's stomach. This stopped the oncoming attack of Harriet and she fell backwards and cried out, before life escaped her.
Thom closed his eyes briefly before glancing at the arrow embedded. Seeing it so close made his stomach churn. He knew that he would have to pull it out preferable before throwing up. Moving his body clumsy to the bed in the room, he sat down and took a big breath before yanking on the arrow. Although coming out easily, Thom groaned painfully, falling back on the mattress.
Looking at the feathers on the arrow, Thom realised why it had gone through the defence of his magic. The feathers were of griffin. Of course, he should have remembered. Griffins could not be lied to. An arrow made of the immortals' feather would shot true whatever defences were in place.
Resting for a second, Thom forced himself off the bed and out of the room, only stopping to regain his sword from the body of Lady Harriet. He was sorry for her death and that she would not stand in the light of justice yet he was sure that the gods' reaction would be a weightier punishment than any other.
He continued his path down the long corridor. He stopped at every door and searched the rooms but found no signs of Emilie or any of Nataila. Thom was getting desperate.
What if she's not here! Where could have they taken Emilie! Please Mirthos let her be alive!
His eyes caught something at the side of his vision as he existed the last room in the barracks. He squinted closer and observed a very long crack in the wall which reached from the top of the wall to the bottom. Sceptical, Thom ran his hand down the surface, feeling his way physically as well as probing it with his Gift. And then a slight ping reached his ears.
Thom stood back amazed as the crack wall moved inwards and revealed a short, stone staircase. Without waiting or thinking, Thom stumbled down the spiral stairs which led him to another door. He realised that he was below the ground.
Knowing the door was locked and wanting a surprise attack, Thom blasted the door. He leaped inside with his sword raised and shouted "Emilie?"
"Well, it looks like Prince Charming has actually come to collect you", voiced a female at the opposite side of the small room.
"Emilie", whispered Thom as he stared at a bedraggled, badly bruised Emilie who had a knife pointed at her throat by Nataila.
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I am so sorry if you have reviewed I haven't been able to read them since the net at home doesn't allow me to sign into hotmail….I have no idea why it does this…anyone know? Anyway I hope that you liked this chapter…I feel that I am back into my groove! Have a Happy New Year and please review! I can't believe it will be 2006 so soon!