Chapter 17: Retrieval from Nockmaar

Airk awoke with a jolt. He didn't realize that he was unconscious. He must have blacked out from the battle. When he came to, he found himself in the infirmary. The sisters were dressing his shoulder wound. Airk looked up and saw Ronan at his side.

"Bout time you woke up," he jested.

As soon as Airk woke, there was only one thing on his mind. "Get my horse ready."

Airk tried to raise himeslf, but Ronan pushed him back down. "Are you crazy? Look at the state of yourself! Your horse would tell you you're crazy."

"They took Raina!" Airk cried.

"I'm sure she's strong. We will find her," Ronan reassured him.

Airk tried once more to raise himself. "No, you don't understand. I have to save her."

"You're not saving anyone after the beating you just took," Ronan argued.

Airk had enough. "Raina's pregnant!"

Ronan stopped dead in his tracks. "Come again?"

"Raina is carrying my child," Airk replied.

Ronan was speechless. He knew how much Raina meant to Airk, and now having a child made the situation more precarious. "Airk, I'm sorry. How long have you known?"

"Since before we set out to Land's End," Airk replied. "I don't know if our child is the one, but I fear what Bavmorda will do to her when our child is born or if our child is the one. Either way, I have to go find her."

Airk tried to push himself forward, but Ronan pushed him back down to his bed. "You are not going anywhere. You got your a** kicked, and you need to rest."

Airk was in no mood to argue. Every second he lay in bed was moments lost and more danger to Raina and their child. "You still don't get it. I made a promise to her the day we met that I would never leave her. I swore it in my wedding vows. She would fight for me if I were in her position so the hell I'm gonna stay in bed while my wife and child are in Nockmaar's d*** hands!"

"You're staying here and that's an order. Don't be stupid. You go out there, you won't do anyone good, let alone you or your baby," Ronan said firmly.

"You can't give me orders when I'm the general," Airk argued. "Now let me out or I swear I will have you wish you were flogged."

Ronan held up his hands in surrender. "Fine. You are the general."

Ronan poured a goblet and offered it to Airk. "Drink this."

"What is it?" Airk asked suspciously.

"Just wine. It'll bring up your spirits," Ronan said innocently.

Airk sipped the wine.

"How do you feel?" Ronan asked.

"Spirited," Airk replied.

Airk could not focus his vision and his head began swimming. "What was in that wine?"

"Just a little something special. By the way, sleep tight," Ronan snickered.

"You son of a…"

Airk's collapsed on his bed and darkness overtook him.

Daylight had crept over the valley and Raina groaned as she was shoved into a wagon, her hands bound in front of her.

"Aren't you going to make my journey more comfortable for me?" Raina snarked to her captors. "Carrying a baby in your belly isn't the easiest thing but you're welcome to try."

"Shut your mouth before I cut out your tongue, Galladoorn rat!" her captor snapped.

"Oh, that's no way to speak to a lady carrying a baby who can kill your queen," Raina jested, having fun with her situation. "If my baby is the chosen one, you might wanna treat me nicer, don't you think?"

Her captor held his sword to her throat. "If your brat is the one, Queen Bavmorda will obliterate it and you...will be dead."

"Enough!"

A tall, female soldier with flaming red hair stepped between Raina and her captor. "We have a long way to Nockmaar. Throw her in the wagon and keep her under guard."

"Yes, Princess Sorsha," the soldier replied obediently.

Raina smirked defiantly. "So your Mummy is the reason I'm here. I'd watch my back if I were you, b****."

"Keep this one quiet for our journey," Sorsha commanded.

"I hate you," Raina said flatly before a gag was shoved into a her mouth and tied behind her head. Raina caught sight of a knife on Sorsha's waist and she saw her chance. Seizing her moment, she feigned defiance and slammed her head into Sorsha's nose, dazing the princess. With Sorsha distracted, she grabbed the knife and hid it down her bodice. She was then shoved into the wagon with two guards. As soon as she was in the wagon, Raina got to work. As her captors prepared the wagon, Raina took the knife from her bodice and her hands busily cut at the ropes binding her hands. In a few short seconds, her hands were free. Raina made two loops and secured them together, feiging her hands being bound. As the journey continued on, Raina smiled slyly at her captors through her gag. She continued to smile as she pulled out the knife, revealing her free hands. Before her guards could react, she sliced the throat of one and stabbed the other in the neck. Raina crept behind the driver and stabbed him repeatedly in the back. Sorsha turned her horse to find Raina standing outside the wagon with a bloodied knife.

"Give me your horse, b****," Raina demanded.

"You cannot stop Nockmaar. We will find the baby! We will never stop hunting you," Sorsha said.

Raina rolled her eyes and punched her, sending her to the ground. "I tried to ask nicely."

Airk did not know how long he had been sleeping, but when he awoke he was furious. His pale skin turned red with fury as he jumped from his bed and stormed down the hall.

"Ronan, you b******!" he bellowed.

Ronan stood outside the infirmary and instantly knew what awaited him. "Oh, good you're awake. You can kill me now."

"How long have I been asleep?" Airk demanded.

"Two days," Ronan replied.

"You drugged me and let me sleep for two days?!" Airk shouted, getting angrier every second.

"What did you expect me to do?" Ronan asked. "You would've done no one any favors the state you were in."

"Well, tell that to Raina and my child now that they're in Nockmaar!" Airk replied, furious. "We ride. We ride out to find her now!"

In moments, Airk and Ronan were armored and headed for the stables. Just then, Airk was approached by his footsoldier.

"General, we have a rider approching," he said.

"Nockmaar?" Airk asked warily.

"No, General, it appears to be a woman," replied the solider.

Raina,Airk thought, his hope rising.

Airk raced up the the gates, his heart beating in his ears where he could make out the figure of a rider with long dark hair.

"Open the gates!" Airk cried.

Airk ran forward and embraced his wife.

Raina smacked him hard across the face.

"Ow! What was that for?" Airk cried.

"Where were you?" Raina demanded.

"I was...detained," Airk replied.

"It's not easy to fight with a baby in your belly, you know that right?" Raina asked.

Airk burst out into relieved and merry laughter. "I had almost forgotten how fearsome you are, my love. You are the woman least in need of rescue in this realm."

Raina blushed slightly. "Just so you know, flattery doesn't make up for it."

"Just shut up and kiss me, d*** it!" Airk sighed.

Airk filled Raina into his arms and kissed her with more passion that he'd have never kissed her enough.

"Airk! We've got trouble!" Ronan cried.

Airk and Raina rushed up to the walls where they found thousands of Nockmaar soldiers and catapults marching to their walls.