Two Worlds

Chapter Fourteen

Pinks, blues and oranges were slowly beginning to light up the sky. Morning's first light was on the horizon, marking the beginning of a new day and that it would soon be time to move on. The embers of last night's fire were still glowing and the water they'd boiled on top was still warm. He dipped one hand into the pot, bringing it to his face and wiping the evening grime away before taking another handful and drinking it.

The forest was quiet as usual, except for the growl-like snores escaping the man still sleeping upon a pile of leaves he'd turned into a bed. Rolling his eyes, the alert man placed his wide-brimmed hat on his head and kicked at his companion's foot. A loud snort and a groan told him he was awake. "Get up, we need to move out." His head swiveled to his right as he heard the familiar sound of hooves steadily winding their way along the beaten path. This morning was starting off much better than expected.

The other man yawned loudly as he peeked out of the corner of his eye. "Aw, Joe, it's still dark. Can't we wait 'til the sun's up?" He promptly lowered his head and began drifting off again.

Kicking at the other man again, Joe sneered as he was greeted with a painful grunt as his foot came into contact with something soft. "Get your sorry behind up, Andy," he growled as he removed the pot from the fire pit and poured the remnants of the water onto the still hot, glowing embers. "No one can know we were here. Make sure it's all cleared up by the time I get back."

Yawning again, Andy cringed as he rubbed at his now sore stomach. His eyes fuzzily focused on Joe as he looked again in the opposite direction they'd been heading. "Where're ya goin'?" he asked to the other man's retreating back.

Joe's smile was sly and revealed a set of yellowing teeth as a plan formed in his crafting brain. "I think I just found us a horse."

Her head drooped as Stargazer's steady rhythm lulled her to sleep. They'd stopped for only a short rest in the middle of the night, but only long enough for a quick drink and something to eat for the both of them from the bag she'd managed to smuggle from the kitchen without Cook noticing. Sue's body was numb, exhausted and needing rest, but there was no place to stop for that long. Her father had probably discovered her empty bed by now and had every guard on alert to look for her. It would only be a matter of time before they would catch up to her.

She shook her head to clear it, but only a moment passed by before it drooped again. She couldn't push the horse any farther, either. She was just as exhausted. Patting her sweaty neck, Sue whispered her apology and offered a promise of a rest as soon as they found a safe place.

Unfortunately, she was finding it very difficult to keep that promise. She hadn't seen a single soul upon the road, let alone a village. She now feared that she'd made the wrong decision those many miles back at the fork. They were lost, tired and hungry and it would take a miracle to find salvation on this road.

She felt Stargazer become unsettled underneath her, the horse's feet shifting from side to side from the ominous sound of a twig breaking somewhere close by. It had been much too loud to have been caused by a small animal and the horse could smell another human nearby.

The animal snorted loudly and despite her fatigue, fought to pick up their pace. Her legs were tired and sore, though she tried to run a few yards, the weakness and pain only increased. Running away was out of the question.

Sue was fully alert by the time she saw the man step out of the woods. His skin was filthy, his dark hair covered with a light dust and a few leaves and twigs. A shadow of a beard graced his jaw, the scratchy, thick stubble just as dirty as the rest of him. He held a dagger in one hand as he stood in the middle of the road, a disgusting sneer curling his lips.

She pulled back on the reins, the horse giving a thankful snort for the slight rest. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. This was not the kind of soul she was hoping to come across. She had no means to defend herself against such a man and just because he stood alone in the middle of the path didn't mean there weren't others with him.

"Well," said Joe with a raspy chuckle and a hungry look of approval written on his face, "look-ee what we have here."

Autumn hummed softly to herself as she carried Lady Sue's breakfast tray in her arms. She was a tiny thing and the tray was almost as big as her, yet she was able to maneuver it around the corridors like it weighed absolutely nothing. She'd had a lot of practice with it, after all.

Knocking on the familiar door, she waited for admittance from the princess, but received only a bark from Levi. Puzzled, she knocked again, this time greeted with a more frantic bark and a howl-like whine. Curious, she set down the tray upon a table at her side and undid the door latch.

Poking her head inside, she saw Levi jump for joy at seeing her, his barks becoming even more frantic as he paced from the door to the balcony and back. "Princess?" she asked, though she knew it was futile; she wouldn't be heard. Startled as Levi yipped loudly, she jumped back. "What's gotten into you?" she asked as she knelt down to pet her furry friend. He accepted the pet and even gave a friendly lick before his toenails click-clacked across the marble floor as he rushed over to the balcony again.

She entered the room fully, now, her gaze traveling the length and breadth of the room for any sight of her Lady. Autumn looked down at Levi and hearing his whines of urgency, she rushed over to the balcony. She saw the make-shift rope dangling down the many stories to the ground and her heart plummeted. "Dear God, no," she prayed before rushing from the room, calling out to raise the guard. The princess had been kidnapped.

Quickshot panted heavily underneath him. Jack could feel the animal's heavy breathing and the sweat drenching his neck as his eyes scanned the musty darkness. He'd lost the trail sometime in the night, but as the sun slowly began to rise, he'd located it again. A colorful curse crossed his lips as he urged the horse on just a little farther.

Not only were there hoof tracks marking the road, but there were also two sets of footprints. One obviously belonged to a woman—the woman hopefully being the princess. The other was a much larger set—a man's set. He swallowed the lump that had instantly formed in his throat. What if he was too late?

His head shot up as a loud shriek filled the natural silence. He kicked at Quickshot's sides as a new vigor ran through his veins and the animal was off like a flash. If his instincts were right this time, he'd just found Lady Sue and she was in danger.