Author Note: Glad folks are enjoying this story! I should note, these parts were written a bit ago, and I'm tickled at how well some of you have guessed what might be happening in future parts…hope this little bit was worth the wait…and in my defense, all I can say is: "I'm a Yostie, what did you expect?"
PART NINE
"Do you see any guards?" Jason asked in a tense whisper from where he stood behind Tomas, who was peering around the corner of a building at the castle entrance.
"Two, and they don't look particularly sleepy," Tomas grumbled in reply, turning with Jason to rejoin the other three. "We're going to need a way to distract them, they have an alarm button right there. If we try a straight out attack they'll have reinforcements there before we can do anything."
Kymberly's eyes lit up with a mischievous glee. "I have an idea of how we could do that. Come on, Trini, and let's show these big lugs how it's done!"
Giving the three boys a saucy grin, she pulled the smiling Trini down the street a ways, obviously planning to cut over to the street that went by the castle. The young men all chuckled a little at her antics, even as they wondered what her big plan was. The hours of sleep they gotten earlier had helped restore the group's morale, and they were confident of their ability to retrieve Will and make good their escape.
"Oh, my...that's some plan," Zackary chuckled as he caught sight of the girls approaching the two guards from up the street. Tomas and Jason followed his gaze and couldn't help low exclamations of appreciation for their companions' appearance.
Somehow, in a way that was certainly a mystery to the young men who were observing them, the girls had turned their simple outfits of pants and loose blouses into outfits more suitable for ladies of loose virtue.
Kym had opened the top half of her blouse, and pulled the shoulders down so it was somehow balanced on her upper arms, while the lower part was loosely tucked into the snug pants showing off her tiny waist and shapely legs. Her chestnut hair was loose and tumbled, giving her an almost rakish air; an adventurous young lady who wasn't afraid to play.
Trini's blouse was still modestly buttoned, and tucked tightly into her pants, resulting in a look that was a sleek as Kym's was voluptuous. Her ebony hair fell like silk over her shoulders, partially obscuring her face, giving her an alluring air of mystery. She moved with a cat-like grace that contrasted nicely with Kym's energetic bounce.
"Hi, boys. How come you're stuck out her all by yourselves?" Kymberly asked, swaying a bit as if she'd been drinking.
"Well well...look what we have here," the younger guard said, putting an appreciative arm around Kymberly's tiny waist. "Are you our reward for being good boys?" he asked teasingly.
"Oh, I don't want a GOOD boy," the princess mock pouted, glancing furtively at Trini as she ran a hand teasingly up the guard's chest. He was standing with his back against the wall, completely relaxed.
Trini had glided up to the older guard, who wasn't quite as unsuspecting as his comrade. "What are you...ahem...ladies doing out here?"
The warrior priestess shrugged and gave him a coy look. "We were invited to a party, but I guess we got lost."
"Guess that's our good fortune, huh?" the younger guard said, leering. His older compatriot had relaxed, seeing the two girls seemed pretty harmless, and put a hand on Trini's shoulder.
"Oh, yeah, definitely our good fortune. Yours too, if you know what I mean," he grinned, missing the wink Trini gave Kym.
It was over in a heartbeat. The diminutive Kymberly simply took the hand she'd been rubbing over the guard's chest and rammed upward, snapping his chin up and smashing his head into the stone wall behind him. Trini whirled away from her target and lashed out a perfect spin kick, dropping the man like a sack of grain.
The two guards had scarcely hit the ground with Jason, Tomas and Zackary arrived on the scene.
"Whew, remind me NOT to get you girls angry at me, okay?" Zackary said with a mock terror that did nothing to hide the admiration in his gaze.
"Great job, girls," Jason told them, ignoring Zackary's tomfoolery. They quickly bound and gagged the unconscious guards and dragged them into a nearby alley.
"Okay, Tomas and I are going in. If we don't come out in a reasonable amount of time, get out of here; don't try a rescue. Because, the truth is, if we don't come out on our own power, we won't be coming out at all. Got it?" Jason told them sternly.
"Got it. Now, hurry up before someone comes looking for those guards," Kymberly shot back, hiding her concern under a cover of impatience.
"Yes, ma'am," Tomas grinned at her, not fooled in the least.
They stepped into the dim corridor cautiously, moving with soundless speed and confidence born of experience toward the place where access to the dungeons should be located. Finding the entrance, they eased the door open, gliding into the deeper gloom silent as shadows. There were two guards in the open area between the dank cells, but no sign of Will. Still concealed by shadow, Tomas pantomimed throwing something to distract the guards, waiting until he saw Jason's nod of approval. He pulled out of his pocket a small stone he'd brought for just this purpose and lobbed it over the guards' heads toward the far wall. The two men instinctively turned toward the sound, giving Jason and Tomas all the opening they needed to soundlessly fell the guards with hard blows to the back of their necks.
Quickly binding and gagging the erstwhile jailers, the two heroes took opposite sides of the room, peering into each cell looking for their missing comrade.
"Here," Tomas hissed, bringing Jason to his side with the keys he'd removed from the guard. Opening the door and stepping inside, Jason gasped in anguish when he saw what they'd done to his childhood friend.
"Ah, damn," Tomas muttered, moving beside Jason.
"Help me get him down," Jason ordered softly, moving to untie Will's hands, which were tied to a low ceiling beam, holding the young man so tightly upright his feet barely touched the floor. He had been stripped to the waist and beaten viciously, his back a solid mass of bruised and torn flesh, and even in the dim light they could see the places he'd been burned.
"Got it," Tomas gasped, stepping back as Will's limp body fell into Jason's strong arms. "Is he alive?"
"Yeah. Can you find something to wrap him in?"
"Here, use this," Tomas said, removing his cloak and handing it to Jason without hesitation. They had both worn their dark cloaks to help them blend into the shadows.
"Thanks. Come on, let's get out of here," Jason decided, lifting Will easily in his powerful arms.
Tomas looked around the cell quickly, grabbing Will's clothing and carry pouch from the corner where they'd been tossed carelessly, then took the lead as they went back the way they'd come. Luck was with them; they didn't see anyone in the night quiet corridors, and it was with a sigh of gratitude that they opened the door and stepped out into the fresh air.
As soon as they emerged, three figures leading six horses materialized from the shadows across the street, and it was the work of a few minutes to get everyone mounted and started out of town, Jason holding Will on the saddle in front of him.
~*~
The horses had benefited from a rest as much as their riders had, and they were able to maintain a brisk pace through the long night, as the six adventurers made their way from South East Onyx and the territory of the Black Knight. They had elected to use a more angled route this time, which would take them into South Province sooner, and hopefully enable them to elude any pursuers.
They were nearly to the border when they came across a shallow river shining like a ribbon of diamonds in the mellow moonlight. Dawn is nearly upon them, and with it the chance to check their back trail for any of the Black Knight's soldiers. Stopping to rest and water their horses, they considered their options.
"We should probably keep traveling off the beaten path, just in case," Jason suggested, shifting Will a little in his grip. They'd wrapped him in a couple of blankets in addition to the cloak, cocooning him warmly in the soft folds. He'd not stirred once during the long ride or infrequent rest stops.
"Do you really think it's necessary?" Kymberly asked.
"He knows Zackary took the Portent Orb, and if he figures out we are trying to collect them all, he'll figure South Sapphire is our next destination," Tomas explained.
"They think you are all headed toward North East Garnet, to see Skullavich," came the hoarse whisper from the blanket-swaddled figure Jason supported.
"What? Why would they think that?" Tomas asked as they all turned their attention to Jason's passenger as the burly young man worked to partially unwrap his friend.
"I told them that was where you were headed," Will explained softly, looking around a bit curiously now that Jason had uncovered his head.
"And they would believe you?" Trini wondered.
"Sure they would. Why wouldn't they? After all, I'm Outcaste; incapable of loyalty, integrity, or courage. Everyone knows that." He looked at the others with an inexpressible sorrow in his light eyes.
Jason instinctively tightened his hold on his friend, forcing a cheerful tone; grateful Will's position in front of him in the saddle made it so he couldn't see his old friend. "Good thing for us they don't know YOU then, right?" He glanced around at the others, noticing their guilty expressions and realizing they would have some problems to sort out once Will was healthy again.
Will gave a soft derisive snort at Jason's comment, then his weight seemed to settle back into Jason's embrace, and the larger teen realized his injured friend had passed out again.
"Jason," Tomas spoke up suddenly, drawing Jason's attention even as the dark haired young man was replacing the blankets around Will. "I know of a place where Will's injuries can be treated, where he'll be safe to recover."
"Take us there," the king's son replied without hesitation, repositioning his burden so they could continue, as the first golden threads of dawn lightened the sky to the east.
~*~
For a pig farm, it was remarkably clean and tidy looking, Trini thought as they approached the small dwelling where Tomas's friend lived.
"I helped Farcus out a couple of years ago," Tomas explained as they rode slowly toward the blue trimmed cottage on the far outskirts of South Turquoise. "He'd been trained as a healer in his youth, but farming was his first love. I know he's kept his hand in the healing arts, if only to treat his animals. But," he added, seeing the others didn't seem to appreciate that comment, "he still knows a lot about treating human patients. Trust me, he's a good guy."
"We ARE trusting you, Tomas, and he'd better be," Jason declared, meeting Tomas's eyes with a grim look.
"Let me see if he's home."
Tomas dismounted and started toward the front door, only to have it open before he could even start up the front steps. The man who walked out the door was nearly as tall as Tomas, but possibly twice the girth, with a pudgy, friendly face that was presently split in a wide grin.
"Tomas!" he cried, hurrying down to grip his visitor's hand in a firm greeting. "It's great to see you! And your friends. Give me a few minutes and I'll see about making breakfast for all of you, I can tend to your horses. If you need a place to sleep, well, there's not enough room in the house, but the barn is warm and dry..."
"Farcus, stop, we can't stay." Tomas interrupted the man's flow of words with a hand on the meaty shoulder.
"Oh. Well, what can I do for you, Tomas?"
"We have an injured companion, he needs looking after," Tomas said, indicating the blanket wrapped Will.
"Of course, bring him in," the big man said quickly, turning to lead the way into his home. Tomas again reached out and grabbed his shoulder, halting him and causing him to turn to the younger man in confusion.
"Farcus, he's Outcaste," Tomas said quietly.
The hazel eyes didn't flinch. "Is he your friend?"
"Yes." The answer came without hesitation.
"Then bring him on inside," Farcus said decisively. "It's not helping him any, us standing out here and talking."
Tomas gave Jason a rueful grin and helped bundle Will into the warm dwelling, settling him on the narrow bed Farcus indicated.
With reassuring efficiency the big man unwrapped his patient, letting out a low whistle when he saw the injuries. "Who did this to him?"
"The Black Knight," Jason told him.
"Then he's lucky to even be alive," Farcus commented calmly. "I suspect it's best I don't know why you ran afoul of him, but I assure you I'll take good care of your friend, and protect him as well as I can."
"Thank you," Jason said, kneeling down by the bed and shaking Will gently. "Will? Will, come on, wake up for just a moment."
The blond groaned in protest, but the green eyes reluctantly opened, focusing blearily on Jason.
"Will, we're going to leave you here for a few days," he began, causing a look of alarm to cross the pale features of the injured teen. He reached out a gentle hand to reassure his friend. "Just a few days! I promise. Farcus will take good care of you while we go on to the next place. But I promise, we'll come back for you." He gave a sigh of relief as Will calmed down, the trust in his look both reassuring and heartbreaking. Jason stood up and turned to Farcus and Tomas.
"We WILL be back for him in two or three days," he assured the big man, glancing again at the slight figure on the bed.
"He'll be here, if I have anything to say about it. Is there anything else you need?"
"Would you mind if we left his horse here as well?"
"Of course not, just tie it to the front porch railing and I'll tend to it as soon as I have Will settled."
"Thank you, Farcus," Tomas said as he and Jason prepared to go.
"Least I can do after what you did for me. You guys be careful, don't go bringing back any more injuries," Farcus said, escorting them to the door.
"We'll try not to," Jason assured him as they tied Will's horse to the rail and remounted their own steeds. "See you in a couple of days," he reiterated as the five of them rode away, heading toward South Sapphire and the third Portent Orb.
~*~
Jason settled back on his bedroll, staring up at the stars that shone with placid indifference in the night sky. They had ridden as far as they could before the approaching darkness forced them to halt, still almost four hours from South Sapphire. Dinner had been a quiet affair; they were all too tired to be particularly social, and frankly, they were still too upset.
It was so ironic that, as awful as what happened to Will was, it drew them together in some indefinable way, and Jason couldn't help but think it would help them in the long run as they sought out the rest of the Portent Orbs. But that sense of unity had come at a steep price, and the young man could only hope that Will would forgive them for their treatment of him, and for not getting to him before he'd been hurt so horribly. Jason knew he had a burden of blame to bear for setting Will up to be hurt by their companions, but he'd doubted they would accept Will on just his word. So he did his part in the deception, and had hoped that if Will's caste became known that by then they would have accepted him and would be able to accept his caste. He would never have done it if he'd known they would turn on him so completely, and in the process hurt him more deeply than any physical pain could reach.
Unsettled by his thoughts, Jason finally rose and slipped from the camp, leaving the others to their rest. They had found a spot near a small lake, and he made his way to the shore and sat down on a log, staring at the darkly reflective surface and thinking of his future.
"Are you okay?" The whisper soft voice startled him, and he turned to see Kymberly standing at the base of a large tree watching him solemnly.
"Yeah, I'm fine. You should be sleeping, Kym. It's going to be a long day tomorrow," he scolded gently.
"I could say the same to you," she countered, walking over to sit beside him.
"I can't seem to relax," he confessed, his gaze wandering back out over the lake.
She stared at the water herself, speaking as if he wasn't there. "Yeah, guilt will do that for you."
"You shouldn't feel bad, Kym. We should have been more up front, this shouldn't have happened," he sighed.
"You're right about that. It shouldn't have happened. I'm so disappointed in myself I could just scream. I thought I was more tolerant than that, better than the sort who judges only on social status and caste. Yet, there I was, saying hateful things to him, and for what? Because of what he was born. We all were, you were right. Only an accident of birth separates us. You and me from Trini from Zackary and Tomas. What kind of system is this? I used to go into town, to spend time among the villagers, disguising who I was so I could mingle without problem. I'm a fraud and a liar, the first time I encounter someone who is Outcaste, I shun him out of hand, even though I know he's a good person, a kind person," she sighed deeply. "How can I be a queen, with that sort of attitude?"
"Well, you know better now, so I guess all we can do is recognize the lesson and move on. Not make the same mistake again," he mused, smiling down at her when she looked up at him.
"Do you think he'll forgive us?" she asked hesitantly.
"Probably. Will's like that. He just accepts who he is, what he is. He knows," Jason replied.
"That's the saddest thing of all," Kym murmured. "That someone has learned to accept random cruelty. Gods, there has to be a better way."
"If you ever find it, I'd be interested in learning," Jason commented. "And, as a future queen, you could be the one to implement it." He smiled at her again, noticing how the lake's muted gleam shone in her eyes as she gazed over it with a faraway expression on her face. His smile hid his inner turmoil, as he felt a sharp, almost painful pang of desire for the lovely young woman. It was born, not only of her beauty, but her kindness, compassion, and genuine concern for others. He knew Tomas loved her, and that Kym was beginning to love the tall young man, but sitting here with her at his side he could all too easily imagine a lifetime of her by his side. He bit back a frustrated moan and looked back over the lake.
"Wouldn't that be something? To be part of changing such an unfair system? It's a nice dream," she said a touch sadly.
"You might be surprised how much difference just one person can make, if it's the right person."
She did smile again at that, and turned once more to her companion. "I'll keep it in mind," she promised, biting back a yawn.
"Looks like you should be in bed. And me, too, I suppose. We want to take off early. May I see you home, Your Highness?" he offered formally, standing and reaching out a warm hand.
"I would be delighted," she replied with a slight curtsey. They walked quietly back to the camp and soon settled down to sleep.
Tbc
