"Hurry SandStorm! Hurry!" The cloaked sorceresses urged her stallion. The horse didn't falter a single step as he pounded down the great road in almost total darkness. Corus could be seen glowing in the distance; a large beacon in the night. She winced in pain. Her wounds had reopened.
*If I move any faster you will not make it little one.* Was the horse's breathlessly reply. He didn't show it, but Arie knew her friend was afraid for her. His sharp nose would smell the blood that was sliding down her flanks and he would feel the wetness of it on his own. She hadn't even bothered to stop and remove the arrow which was being shifted around with each step he took. There was no uncertainty that stallion could actually feel her pain, something Arie would not have allowed if she wasn't so drained. What little she had used to close the wound was falling apart under the weight of her exhaustion. She'd have to steal strength from elsewhere.
"Just go! We must make it to the king." Arie hunkered down so she was almost even with SandStorm's face. "Let nothing stand in your way my friend."
Arie knew her friend felt some of her Gift slide into him. Just as she knew he would have protested if the situation hadn't been so extreme. He would have words with her later. SandStorm knew her, he knew the pain each step caused, jolting the still bleeding wound. She grit her teeth against the pain. Blue green fire of her Gift wrapped the arrow shaft. That would prevent the arrow from shifting and causing more damage, and hopefully numb the flesh. It was a temporary solution at best. Already she was starting to feel dizzy, but that could also be from the blood loss, which wasn't helping either. Finally, the city spread out before them.
SandStorm didn't so much a slow down when he hit the tighter city streets. Nor did he slow when the few people who were out in the streets at this time of night yelled and shouted as they dived out the way of the horse's thundering hooves. Curses followed them through the Market and Temple districts, and up the hill to the palace gates. As the gates loomed open before them the guards came into view. They urged for Arie to stop or halt in the name of the king. What utter nonsense both rider and horse thought as they bolted past the guards.
SandStorm whinnied a warning to his rider. Someone Gifted was going to try and stop them. Arie summoned her Gift again and aimed it behind her in a wide sweeping arch. The spell that the person behind her was about to cast fizzled out and the crossbows the soldiers carried broke apart and rusted away. It took them all a moment to realize what had just happened, but all too soon they gave chase. Arie focused on the palace doors, collecting Gift around her and SandStorm. Her vision started to darken like ink spilled across a fresh page. Cold came seeping through her limbs. A clear sign she was overreaching her limit.
SandStorm bolted up the palace steps, which were mercifully large so he didn't trip. Already he could feel Arie's mind fading from his own. They made it to the door before Arie went limp in the saddle. The stallion turned and kicked the giant oak door, thrusting them open, and rushing inside. A footman was startled awake and scrambled out of the room. Then Arie slid to the marble floor in a dead faint. SandStorm pranced back so he wouldn't trample his human friend. But the horse reared and whinnied as loud as he could. Slamming his metal shod hooves down on the marble flooring. The booming and neighing soon brought other servants who had either woken up or stopped their work to see what all the ruckus was about.
The guards finally managed to get up the hill. They saw the crazed horse thrashing and rearing with the limp cloaked figure just lying there under the horse. A few tried desperately to pull the cloaked person away from the flailing hooves. SandStorm bit and stomped close to anyone who tried to touch Arie. They were forced to back away.
A hostler pulled a maid aside, "Get the wild mage."
The maid nodded and scurried off. SandStorm stood protectively over Arie all too aware that their enemies could have beaten them here. He had to protect her until she could deliver her message. A practically brave hostler reached for SandStorm's reigns but the horse tossed his head and thrashed his hooves at the man. The man cursed, but backed off slightly. A stable boy came through the broken door and passed a long pipe to one of the old hostlers. A small thing also changed hands between the humans, something that smelt funny to SandStorm. He loaded it into the long pole and aimed it at SandStorm's rump. A dart flew at SandStorm only to be consumed by the blue green fire of Arie's Gift. The horse turned on the man and snapped his teeth on the pole, it snapped under the force of the bite and the man was knocked backwards on his butt with a simple headbutt from the stallion. He landed with a painful smack to the tailbone.
The maid led Daine to the entrance hall of the palace where all the commotion seemed to be coming from. Daine leaned over the railing to see the scene below. A beautiful sand colored stallion with white mane and tail thrashed in the center of the entrance hall. He was making a whole lot of noise, something about staying away from his friend. That was when Daine noticed the cloaked figure laying almost under the horse. It was a miracle they seemed unhurt by the horse, but there was blood on the saddle and on the cloak. The horse was well trained if it was keeping everyone back. But then what was the point, she wondered. The horse sniffed and looked up at Daine. In that moment she knew this animal was as intelligent as her own horse, Cloud. Quickly she made her way down and held up her hands so the horse could see them and know she wasn't armed.
"Peace," she told the servants and guards. "I will handle this. Go back to your business."
The guards exchanged worried looks but reluctantly they went. The palace servants melted away through different doors and the hostlers left grudgingly, except the older one who had been knocked on his butt.
"You alright?"
"Been watching horses all my life, but this one is like yours." He did not even bother to hide the 'too smart' that his tone implied.
Daine nodded in understanding.
"Serves me right for getting careless."
Daine laughed lightly then addressed the stallion. "What brings you and your rider here?" She gestured to the hall around them. The stallion stomped a hoof and eyed the man beside her. She quickly reassured him, "He will not hurt you."
*We wish to see your herd master, no king. I shall not be silent until he is brought out to see Arie.*
"Arie? Is that your rider?"
The horse pawed the now chipped and cracked marble flooring. *Yes.* His voice grew more desperate. *Now call your king! I shall not be silenced until he is brought out.* As if to demonstrate the point he reared and waved his hooves dangerously close to Daine's face and whinnied as loud as he could.
"I will, but it won't help if Arie dies before he reaches us, may I heal her?" At her words the horse subsided and allowed the mage to approach, though he remained protectively close. Daine winced at the sight of the arrow. Carefully she removed the cloak to see the strange woman underneath. She had long black hair that was tipped in the same blue green color as her Gift. Her skin was incredibly tan from working out in the sun. Small knives were strapped to the inside of her wrists. A spell on them would allow her to slide the knives out to stab or slash at someone or would release the knives entirely and with deadly accuracy. Other knives were secured to her waist, beside her breasts, on her thighs, and one even stuck out from her boot. Daine suspected more weapons were hidden under her clothes and in her saddle bag.
Daine swiftly removed the arrow from reluctant flesh. A gasp of pain came from Arie's lips. Then Daine quickly laid a healing spell, her copper magic holding the wound closed. She almost jumped back when the strange girl's hand snaked out and grabbed her wrist. Daine stared into the girl's blue grey eyes.
She whispered, "Cousin."
Daine was so startled she mumbled back, "You are mistaken, I have no cousins." Daine was surprised when the girl gave a weak laugh in response to her comment.
"Are you certain," she asked. Daine looked into the young woman's eyes. They were mirror of her own, but she was positive her father had not had any other children. But then again, the girl had addressed her as cousin not sister.
"Who-?"
Arie coughed and spat blood on the once pristine floor. "No time. Summon your king, I have urgent news that I will take to only him. Please, lives are at stake."
Daine nodded and stood to go when a voice stopped her.
"Don't bother I'm already here." King Jonathon and Queen Thayet swept into the hall.
