Sunday, November 22, 2009
Forest Princess Prologue and Chapter 1
Disclaimer: "I am not grammatically talented and often my brain speeds ahead of fingers so there maybe a few words missing every now and again, but I believe in the strength and quality of the characters and story."
Also, Anna I will change the names eventually. I started using them as place holders till I got a feel for the characters and they kinda stuck. I'm thinking Bastian and Gemma....
Prologue:
Night was settling softly upon the forest kingdom of Birimi’d. From atop his ancient stone fortress, King Thaodin watched as the soft purples of twilight intermingled with the wispy mountain mists that gently swirled around the trees of the forest. Far off in the distance he could see tiny dots of light shimmering through lavender mists. From this distance they looked almost like the tiny starbugs that danced in the meadows during the summer months.
Thaodin sighed deeply and roughly scrubbed his hands over his face. He turned away from the parapet and fought the intense anger that threatened to envelope him. The beauty of the night might be undeniable, but he found no joy, comfort, or peace in its beauty. Neither this night nor any after it would bring him peace for a long time. Those lights in the distance were not starbugs and the mists only hid the ravages of war that lay beneath them.
Thaodin wondered how it could have come to this after so many years of being able to remain peacefully separate from the High Kingdoms and their High Council. It still seemed almost unbelievable that after so long the seemingly stable peace between the lands had broken. Thaodin sighed again, for the first time in his fifty years he was feeling his age. The war had had that effect on him as well as many others. Maybe, Thaodin thought bitterly, the war between the two lands had been inevitable and perhaps it was a miracle that peace had lasted at long as it had.
The war had snuck up on Thaodin, the attacks had started out as small raids against defenseless villages. Thugs and soldiers who wore no armor or coat of arms had crept in and caused havoc using the neighboring country of Kalimindyr as a home base and staging area. Thaodin had been content to call in the local militia and keep to the business of holding the border. He had not wanted war with his neighbor because to attack one of the High Kingdoms was to attack them all. Even though the Birimi’d people called to a darker, fiercer magik then the High Kingdoms citizens did, the sheer number of forces that were at the High Lord’s disposal rendered any conflict with them futile.
Then the raids escalated into full blown ravagings of towns where the men were all killed, the women all raped to death and everything of value taken. Even then Thaodin had stayed his hand, only deploying his army into his own lands for its defense. The final straw had fallen when they had attacked the holy temple of Mother Forest and tortured and killed every last priestess, acolyte, and initiate. Not a soul had survived because the temple was a holy place and had kept no guards. In a rage, Thaodin had attacked Kalimindyr full out, slaying half the army of the neighboring land and laying siege to the capital. Forest magik and the warriors who welded it had burnt through the land like a wild fire leaving destruction in their wake. If it had been kingdom against kingdom, Thaodin knew with certainty that the outcome would have been different. However it had not been kingdom against kingdom and eight months ago the High Army had arrived lead by the High Lord himself. Thaodin was forced to retreat and from that moment on, had been fighting a losing war. He had tried to explain to the High Council about the attacks on his people that had provoked him, but the council thought the Forest country to be a land of savages and liars and had not believed him. So here he was after the shortest war in the history of Birimi’d surrendering his kingdom and watching as that which was most precious to him in all the world disappeared into the forest.
The caravan that was now disappearing into the border hills contained his heir and only daughter, Celesticea Surreal JinThaodina. He had trained her to the ways of the Forest People; she could ride, hunt, fence, and shoot a bow and arrow better then most of his warriors. Her magikal skills were formidable as well. Surreal had surpassed both her mother and him in her magikal training, she was a natural queen and a natural gifted healer. Thaodin was proud of her. She would have made a great Forest Queen one day. Now though, all her training was for naught, and Thaodin doubted whether or not he’d ever see his daughter again. Today she began a journey that was the first part of the Birimi’d treaty with the High Council. Surreal was going to the Maiden House in the capital where she would be trained to be a ‘civilized’ wife for a Council King or a Council Heir.
What would become of his daughter? He was not a man who was easily frightened, but he feared for his lovely daughter once she was beyond his borders and his help. She was entering into a world that was not her own and one that would ridicule her and look down upon her even though her bloodlines were older then some of the countries that made up the High Kingdoms. Then, after six months of fools trying to shove her into a mold that she would never be able to fit, she would be paraded like a horse before a room full of Council Kings and Heirs to be judged acceptable or wanting for a Council Queen and she would be given to a man as wife with no say in the matter. All of this terrified him.
What frightened him the most was the fact that he knew which man would claim his darling daughter. Lord Valyn of Kalimindyr had made bids for her hand since she was fifteen and he lusted after the girl with an unnatural desire. He had even tried to claim her as a war prize, but the High Lord had forbidden it as she was now a Council King’s daughter. Valyn had been in a rage when he had been denied Surreal until another King had reminded him that he could claim her from the Maiden House under the border right and no one could dispute that except the High Lord. Thaodin sincerely doubted that the High Lord would be inclined to take Surreal to wife. Not that there was a problem with her, she was certainly beautiful to look upon. Blessed with the exotic red-golden hair and the shapely frame of her mother, he couldn’t imagine any man finding fault with her looks. Also, since she was his only child, whoever married her would get the Forest Country when he passed on. However her spirit, outspokenness and skill with weapons and magik would no doubt make her a most undesirable mate for the rest of the Council Kings and Heirs, especially their ruler.
Thaodin turned from the parapet and told himself that everything would be alright some how. Surreal was on her own now and he had given her every gift and skill he could to ensure her survival. He would pray for her and worry after her, but he knew she would have to find her own way to prevent Valyn from laying claim to her. He had sent Lani, her oath sworn protector and a castle handmaiden with her and the three of them were a clever bunch. He hoped they would find their way. Feeling tears prick his eyes, Thaodin started down the tower steps and headed to the temple of Mother Forest to pray that his clever, beautiful, only child would find the strength to stay out of a marriage to a man she hated without starting a bloodbath.
Chapter 1:
High Lord Lucivar DeLaney waited patiently for the scout to return and give his report. The caravan that contained the princess from the Forest Kingdom was coming and as High Lord it was his duty to greet and welcome the new Princess as she crossed into his kingdom. Then he would convey her to the Keep for the customary audience with his Mother, High Queen Thelise, before she went on to the Maiden house. Normally this was a tedious and dull task, but after meeting her father, King Thaodin, and dealing with Valyn’s constant demands and complaints over Princess Celesticea, he was most curious about this newest Daughter of the Realm.
The sound of thundering hooves broke Lucivar from his thoughts and the scout burst into the clearing, shouting that the caravan was under attack! Cursing loudly, Lucivar ordered the small High Guard detail he had brought with him to mount up and aid the caravan, hoping that they would get there in time to protect the princess. If she were to be hurt King Thaodin would, in all likelihood, revolt. Or perhaps even more dire, if she were taken she could be raped and then the Forest Kingdom line would fall to chaos because no man would have her.
Approaching the besieged caravan, the High Guard leapt into action while Luciver took a moment to get a feel for what was taking place. The Forest People were fighting with a fierceness that was commendable against so many. He had always heard that the Foresters commanded a magik similar to the craft of his own race, but he had been told that it was a wild, uncontrolled gift. What he saw belied that. Burst of extremely controlled magik were aiding the formidable fighting skills of the Foresters, and most of them seemed to have enough craft to shield themselves. The main attack seemed to be focused on a fine coach that bore the coat of arms of the Birimi’d people, and was heavily shielded with magik. He was sure that was where the princess was and where he would be most needed.
Lucivar saw the shield around the coach shimmer and weaken under the constant attack of the bandits, and cursed again. If those shields didn’t hold until he got there then disaster would ensue.
“Let prisoners be taken for questioning!” Lucivar roared while urging his horse toward the carriage. He’d find out who would dare threaten the peace between the High Kingdoms and the Forest Kingdom after this was over and the princess was safe.
Lucivar’s blade darted in and out; deflecting the attacks of multiple opponents while attempting to get to aid of the guards around the carriage. The craft shield he had erected tightly around him was holding strong, but the one around the carriage had shattered. He cursed as a bandit broke through the carriage defense and yanked the door open. Lucivar broke free of the fighting and headed toward the carriage only to be shocked as the bandit came flying out of the carriage with a dagger lodged firmly in his chest. Then, equally shocking, the three women exploded out of the coach. Two of the women were wearing forest green britches and white tunics; one brandishing a short sword and a dagger, while the other had a small bow strung and a quiver on her back. The third woman carried a wooden staff raised at the defensive. Lucivar assumed she was the princess since she wore a blue travel dress of good quality.
Lucivar was unsure what to make of the women; he had never heard that the Forest People trained their ladies, especially their noble ones, to arms. Then again, there was quite a bit he did not know of the mysterious Foresters. He was also surprised to see that each of them women possessed enough craft to shield themselves from melee attacks. The two warrior women’s shield were very strong, he was confident that they would hold. The Princess however, her shield was already weakening. A shooting pain shot through his side and he cursed himself twice the fool for allowing the women to distract him. Turning back to his own battle he quickly dispatched the attacker who had sliced through his shield and opened up his side. As Lucivar turned to his next opponent, two of his own guard came to engage the nearest attackers and protect his back, permitting him the freedom to aid the forest women.
Lucivar turned his mount around to face the coach to see how the women fared. The red haired one with the bow was on top of the carriage shooting with a deft aim at the attackers who were armed with crossbows, while the taller, dark haired woman with the sword and dagger was aiding three of his men and was more then holding her own. But where was the princess? Lucivar saw her then, a cross bow bolt was sticking out of her chest and she lay unmoving on the ground. Lucivar’s blood ran cold in his veins and he prayed she was not dead.
His soldiers made short work of the few thugs left that were not focusing on the carriage and then made their move to flank the princess’s guard. The bandits were already starting to flee back to the cover of the trees. Lucivar moved his mount through the fallen bodies towards the still princess; he had to know if she was dead or not. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of steel, and then something flew just past his ear. Lucivar turned just in time to see a war axe fall an inch short of him as his would be killer clutched a throwing dagger that was sticking out of his neck, his eyes wide with disbelief. Impressed at the skill with which the dagger had been thrown, Lucivar turned to see who his savior was. To his surprise, he realized that the only person who could have thrown the dagger was the tiny, red haired forest woman. And either she was much stronger then she looked, or her magik reserves went very deep indeed because the dagger was embedded to hilt. Lucivar wasn’t even sure he could have made that throw even with the aid of craft. He looked up at her and her stunning emerald eyes met his, and for a moment he forgot how to breathe. Lucivar heard someone cry out a warning, and in less then a seconds time span, he watched in horror as those emerald eyes grew wide with shock and pain and his beautiful savior collapsed with an crossbow dart lodged deep in her left shoulder.
Enraged, Lucivar caught the falling girl before she could tumble off the carriage top and hoisted her into his saddle, wrapping one arm around her. He needed to run someone through with his blade for injuring the woman who saved his life. However looking around, he saw that the bandits were all either fleeing or engaged by his guard. The fight was over, but the damage was done. The princess was dead as was most of her entourage. What would Thaodin say and do now? How would the peace hold with his daughter dead and his people murdered on Lucivar‘s watch?
The woman in his arms stirred, moaning softly. He looked down at her worriedly. The quarrel protruded from her shoulder and a bloody stain was spreading quickly across her white tunic. She was seriously injured, but nowhere near dead yet. Gently, he brushed her dark red hair out of her face so he could get a better look at her. His strange savior was pale from pain and blood loss, but her skin was smooth and soft. Her face was young and beautiful, perfectly formed with a pert little nose, full pink lips, delicate brows, and dusky long lashes that cast a shadow on her ivory checks. He was enthralled, she was gorgeous and she had saved his life, now she lay in his arms light as a feather and fighting for her life. He would see to it that she saw his own personal healer and received only the best medical care possible.
Lucivar looked up startled to see the taller, dark haired warrioress standing in front of him looking intently at him with a hawk’s gaze. She still held her bloody sword in her hand, and although she wasn’t exactly threatening him, the tip was slightly raised and she looked poised to attack.
“Well?” The woman demanded.
“Well what?” Lucivar responded somewhat startled, had she asked him a question?
The woman sighed, “Well are you going to sit there staring at her while she bleeds out all over you and dies, which incidentally would mean I would have to kill you, or are you going to help her?”
Lucivar bristled at the threat, but let it go. The woman may not have known who he was. Lucivar was a warrior not a healer, but he did know some basic healing craft that all soldiers get, and it was enough to at least slow the bleeding and start the healing. Gently, he placed his hand near the wound and with a flash of silver, tied his craft into her body to keep her alive. Until he could get her to the Keep’s healers. By the time he had done what he could for her, his guard was tethering the three prisoners together and one of his men, knelt beside the princess.
“Is she dead?” Lucivar asked the man.
Nodding, the guard covered the body with his cloak. “I am afraid so, Sire.”
Lucivar cursed. He turned back to the other woman. “If I leave half the unit with you to see you safely to the Keep will you be able to convince your people to finish the journey with the princess fallen?”
The woman raised a dark eyebrow. “Aye, they will continue on. But I go with her.” She said pointing to the woman in his arms. “If you mean to ride ahead with her then I am coming with you.”
Lucivar was surprised that she would rather accompany her fallen comrade then attend to her princess but he kept the thought to himself. “Fine, secure a mount and see to it that the Lady,” He pointed to the princess. “is brought to the Keep. We will give her all the honors that are her due and preserve her body for the journey back to her kingdom where she can be buried as befits her station.”
Nodding, the woman turned to face the anxious remaining members of the caravan and barked orders in the native tongue of the Forest People and immediately, a shaggy mountain horse was brought for her and she mounted up.
Turning to Lucivar she said, “I am ready when you are, the caravan will continue on to the Keep as instructed.”
Returning her nod, he gave the order to move out. The Forest woman stayed by his side as they rode. Looking down once again at the woman in his arms he wondered who she was and where she had learned to shoot a bow with such proficiency. Glancing at the tall, proud figure of the Forest woman next to him, he decided to use this opportunity to gain some incite into the Foresters since there was so little known about them.
Clearing his throat he said, “I don’t believe I caught your name back there.”
“That’s because I didn’t give it.” Came her reply, a slight smile touching her lips.
“I am High Lord Lucivar DeLaney of Corsaire, I have now given you my name, will you return the favor?” He asked through gritted teeth.
“I am Lani Shaekin of the Birimi’d, Oath sworn protector of the Princess Celesticea.”
Lucivar tried to hide a smile. He could only imagine how the Dowayne of the Maiden House would have reacted to Lani Shaekin. The rules of the house stated that each princess may bring with them one bodyguard and one handmaiden. However never in the history of the Maiden House had someone brought a female bodyguard, so no one had thought to make a rule against it. He would have liked to see the look on the Dowayne’s face when she realized that Lani was there to stay. Too bad the princess had perished. He would have liked to meet the woman who could command such a fierce bodyguard as Lani.
Once again, the woman in his arms stirred. Moaning she turned her face and nuzzled into his chest. Feeling her move against him was a shock. She was so slight he had barely remembered she was there. He gently shifted her weight against him and eased his arms around her so that he could better accommodate her rest. He could only imagine what would happen if word of this got back to Colessa. She would throw a fit if she could see him with a beautiful woman nestled against him.
Lucivar sighed at the thought of Colessa. Everyone expected him to choose her in six months time when the maiden’s were to be offered. It made sense. He had known her since they were young, her father was the second most powerful man in the High Kingdoms, and he had passed over all the other maiden’s for the last five years. Maybe he had been waiting for Colessa to come of age. However, in the back of his mind he knew that he had declined to choose simply because no one yet had been able to make his heart, or his groin, leap. Colessa was certainly the most beautiful girl in the realm, but as she had grown she had become very possessive and jealous and those were not traits that Lucivar found particularly attractive.
Lani’s voice brought him back to the present, but he had missed what she had said. As embarrassing as it was, he had to ask her to repeat herself yet again. So he replied, “What was that? My mind was elsewhere.”
“I said, watch where you put your hands on her.” Lani repeated with a touch of ice in her voice.
Startled, Lucivar blushed. He quickly repositioned his arms so that they were in a more awkward, but less familiar position. “I was just trying to help her get comfortable.” He mumbled.
Lani gave a little hrmpf of disbelieving displeasure and Lucivar blushed deeper. He needed to change the subject quickly, he didn‘t like being made to feel like an errant school boy. Looking down again at the girl in his arms he asked, “What is this little one called?”
“Most call her Surreal. However she has other names,” Lani replied after a moment’s hesitation.
Raising an eyebrow at the hesitation, but letting it pass he made an effort to continue the conversation. “Are all Forest women trained to arms? I have never seen or heard of women who fight as you both did.”
“Then you are not well read or educated High Lord,” she replied, this time with a distinct hrmpf. “For thousands of years all the realms trained their women to arms. However, Birimi’d and our sister kingdoms to the east and north has always had the best. Have you not ever heard of the Shaekani clan? For centuries my clan have been the protectors of the royal children and the Queen of Birimi‘d. All long before your ancestors formed their High Council and erased what they did not like from the history books.”
Lucivar just stared at the woman. He could not believe that she would dare speak to him like that. “That is a very low opinion you have of an alliance you are now oath bound to serve. And what nonsense are you talking about concerning my ancestors and the history books? We have the finest education system in the world.”
“Thaodin may have made a pact with you, but I am only oath sworn to the Princess High Lord. And what I say is not nonsense. It is common knowledge outside of your kingdoms that the education system you are so quick to brag about is incomplete and deficient. When the High Kingdoms were formed High Lord, there was a systematic elimination of all the things they did not like in religion, history, politics and even magik. Have you ever bothered to learn about the cultures you deem savage and uncivilized, or do you simply enlighten them with your civilized but inaccurate knowledge and destroy any and all indicators that you cultured and learned men may not, in fact, know everything?”
“Well Lani Shaekin of the Birimi’d, you certainly give your opinion freely, “Lucivar replied through clenched teeth while trying to keep his temper in check. “However now is not the time for such debates, your princess is dead and this little one lies dying so if you will excuse me, I will ride ahead and send a scout to alert the Keep healer’s that she is coming.”
Lani let him go, she was weary of conversation. She was getting too old for this sort of thing and she needed some time alone to think about their situation. He thought that Thayet was the princess. Lani snorted to herself at the very thought. She had never liked that frail, helpless girl, but in the end she had stood up and defended Surreal. Her death had been a good and honorable one. However, how anyone could possibly mistake her for the Princess was a shock. That was an interesting turn in their fortunes, but what to do about it? She knew that Surreal did not want to go to the Maiden House, if she could keep the secret of Surreal’s birth, perhaps she would be permitted to leave once she was healed? After all if the High Council thought that the princess had died on the road there would be no repercussions for Thaodin. Perhaps they had found a way out of having to marry Valyn that didn‘t include killing him. The only hitch would be the High Lord himself. Lani did not like the way he had held Surreal. She knew nothing of the honor of the people who formed the High Kingdoms. If Lucivar thought her lady a common servant would he seek to take advantage of her?
Shaking her head Lani tried to clear the fog of sleep, she had been injured in the fight, a mace had grazed her rib cage and she was hurting more then she had any intention of letting on. Looking up she saw the white fortress that was the High Keep through the thinning trees. It was too late to do anything now. She would keep her own council about the identity of the princess. As the Birimi’d saying went; you need never unsay something never said.
Also, Anna I will change the names eventually. I started using them as place holders till I got a feel for the characters and they kinda stuck. I'm thinking Bastian and Gemma....
Prologue:
Night was settling softly upon the forest kingdom of Birimi’d. From atop his ancient stone fortress, King Thaodin watched as the soft purples of twilight intermingled with the wispy mountain mists that gently swirled around the trees of the forest. Far off in the distance he could see tiny dots of light shimmering through lavender mists. From this distance they looked almost like the tiny starbugs that danced in the meadows during the summer months.
Thaodin sighed deeply and roughly scrubbed his hands over his face. He turned away from the parapet and fought the intense anger that threatened to envelope him. The beauty of the night might be undeniable, but he found no joy, comfort, or peace in its beauty. Neither this night nor any after it would bring him peace for a long time. Those lights in the distance were not starbugs and the mists only hid the ravages of war that lay beneath them.
Thaodin wondered how it could have come to this after so many years of being able to remain peacefully separate from the High Kingdoms and their High Council. It still seemed almost unbelievable that after so long the seemingly stable peace between the lands had broken. Thaodin sighed again, for the first time in his fifty years he was feeling his age. The war had had that effect on him as well as many others. Maybe, Thaodin thought bitterly, the war between the two lands had been inevitable and perhaps it was a miracle that peace had lasted at long as it had.
The war had snuck up on Thaodin, the attacks had started out as small raids against defenseless villages. Thugs and soldiers who wore no armor or coat of arms had crept in and caused havoc using the neighboring country of Kalimindyr as a home base and staging area. Thaodin had been content to call in the local militia and keep to the business of holding the border. He had not wanted war with his neighbor because to attack one of the High Kingdoms was to attack them all. Even though the Birimi’d people called to a darker, fiercer magik then the High Kingdoms citizens did, the sheer number of forces that were at the High Lord’s disposal rendered any conflict with them futile.
Then the raids escalated into full blown ravagings of towns where the men were all killed, the women all raped to death and everything of value taken. Even then Thaodin had stayed his hand, only deploying his army into his own lands for its defense. The final straw had fallen when they had attacked the holy temple of Mother Forest and tortured and killed every last priestess, acolyte, and initiate. Not a soul had survived because the temple was a holy place and had kept no guards. In a rage, Thaodin had attacked Kalimindyr full out, slaying half the army of the neighboring land and laying siege to the capital. Forest magik and the warriors who welded it had burnt through the land like a wild fire leaving destruction in their wake. If it had been kingdom against kingdom, Thaodin knew with certainty that the outcome would have been different. However it had not been kingdom against kingdom and eight months ago the High Army had arrived lead by the High Lord himself. Thaodin was forced to retreat and from that moment on, had been fighting a losing war. He had tried to explain to the High Council about the attacks on his people that had provoked him, but the council thought the Forest country to be a land of savages and liars and had not believed him. So here he was after the shortest war in the history of Birimi’d surrendering his kingdom and watching as that which was most precious to him in all the world disappeared into the forest.
The caravan that was now disappearing into the border hills contained his heir and only daughter, Celesticea Surreal JinThaodina. He had trained her to the ways of the Forest People; she could ride, hunt, fence, and shoot a bow and arrow better then most of his warriors. Her magikal skills were formidable as well. Surreal had surpassed both her mother and him in her magikal training, she was a natural queen and a natural gifted healer. Thaodin was proud of her. She would have made a great Forest Queen one day. Now though, all her training was for naught, and Thaodin doubted whether or not he’d ever see his daughter again. Today she began a journey that was the first part of the Birimi’d treaty with the High Council. Surreal was going to the Maiden House in the capital where she would be trained to be a ‘civilized’ wife for a Council King or a Council Heir.
What would become of his daughter? He was not a man who was easily frightened, but he feared for his lovely daughter once she was beyond his borders and his help. She was entering into a world that was not her own and one that would ridicule her and look down upon her even though her bloodlines were older then some of the countries that made up the High Kingdoms. Then, after six months of fools trying to shove her into a mold that she would never be able to fit, she would be paraded like a horse before a room full of Council Kings and Heirs to be judged acceptable or wanting for a Council Queen and she would be given to a man as wife with no say in the matter. All of this terrified him.
What frightened him the most was the fact that he knew which man would claim his darling daughter. Lord Valyn of Kalimindyr had made bids for her hand since she was fifteen and he lusted after the girl with an unnatural desire. He had even tried to claim her as a war prize, but the High Lord had forbidden it as she was now a Council King’s daughter. Valyn had been in a rage when he had been denied Surreal until another King had reminded him that he could claim her from the Maiden House under the border right and no one could dispute that except the High Lord. Thaodin sincerely doubted that the High Lord would be inclined to take Surreal to wife. Not that there was a problem with her, she was certainly beautiful to look upon. Blessed with the exotic red-golden hair and the shapely frame of her mother, he couldn’t imagine any man finding fault with her looks. Also, since she was his only child, whoever married her would get the Forest Country when he passed on. However her spirit, outspokenness and skill with weapons and magik would no doubt make her a most undesirable mate for the rest of the Council Kings and Heirs, especially their ruler.
Thaodin turned from the parapet and told himself that everything would be alright some how. Surreal was on her own now and he had given her every gift and skill he could to ensure her survival. He would pray for her and worry after her, but he knew she would have to find her own way to prevent Valyn from laying claim to her. He had sent Lani, her oath sworn protector and a castle handmaiden with her and the three of them were a clever bunch. He hoped they would find their way. Feeling tears prick his eyes, Thaodin started down the tower steps and headed to the temple of Mother Forest to pray that his clever, beautiful, only child would find the strength to stay out of a marriage to a man she hated without starting a bloodbath.
Chapter 1:
High Lord Lucivar DeLaney waited patiently for the scout to return and give his report. The caravan that contained the princess from the Forest Kingdom was coming and as High Lord it was his duty to greet and welcome the new Princess as she crossed into his kingdom. Then he would convey her to the Keep for the customary audience with his Mother, High Queen Thelise, before she went on to the Maiden house. Normally this was a tedious and dull task, but after meeting her father, King Thaodin, and dealing with Valyn’s constant demands and complaints over Princess Celesticea, he was most curious about this newest Daughter of the Realm.
The sound of thundering hooves broke Lucivar from his thoughts and the scout burst into the clearing, shouting that the caravan was under attack! Cursing loudly, Lucivar ordered the small High Guard detail he had brought with him to mount up and aid the caravan, hoping that they would get there in time to protect the princess. If she were to be hurt King Thaodin would, in all likelihood, revolt. Or perhaps even more dire, if she were taken she could be raped and then the Forest Kingdom line would fall to chaos because no man would have her.
Approaching the besieged caravan, the High Guard leapt into action while Luciver took a moment to get a feel for what was taking place. The Forest People were fighting with a fierceness that was commendable against so many. He had always heard that the Foresters commanded a magik similar to the craft of his own race, but he had been told that it was a wild, uncontrolled gift. What he saw belied that. Burst of extremely controlled magik were aiding the formidable fighting skills of the Foresters, and most of them seemed to have enough craft to shield themselves. The main attack seemed to be focused on a fine coach that bore the coat of arms of the Birimi’d people, and was heavily shielded with magik. He was sure that was where the princess was and where he would be most needed.
Lucivar saw the shield around the coach shimmer and weaken under the constant attack of the bandits, and cursed again. If those shields didn’t hold until he got there then disaster would ensue.
“Let prisoners be taken for questioning!” Lucivar roared while urging his horse toward the carriage. He’d find out who would dare threaten the peace between the High Kingdoms and the Forest Kingdom after this was over and the princess was safe.
Lucivar’s blade darted in and out; deflecting the attacks of multiple opponents while attempting to get to aid of the guards around the carriage. The craft shield he had erected tightly around him was holding strong, but the one around the carriage had shattered. He cursed as a bandit broke through the carriage defense and yanked the door open. Lucivar broke free of the fighting and headed toward the carriage only to be shocked as the bandit came flying out of the carriage with a dagger lodged firmly in his chest. Then, equally shocking, the three women exploded out of the coach. Two of the women were wearing forest green britches and white tunics; one brandishing a short sword and a dagger, while the other had a small bow strung and a quiver on her back. The third woman carried a wooden staff raised at the defensive. Lucivar assumed she was the princess since she wore a blue travel dress of good quality.
Lucivar was unsure what to make of the women; he had never heard that the Forest People trained their ladies, especially their noble ones, to arms. Then again, there was quite a bit he did not know of the mysterious Foresters. He was also surprised to see that each of them women possessed enough craft to shield themselves from melee attacks. The two warrior women’s shield were very strong, he was confident that they would hold. The Princess however, her shield was already weakening. A shooting pain shot through his side and he cursed himself twice the fool for allowing the women to distract him. Turning back to his own battle he quickly dispatched the attacker who had sliced through his shield and opened up his side. As Lucivar turned to his next opponent, two of his own guard came to engage the nearest attackers and protect his back, permitting him the freedom to aid the forest women.
Lucivar turned his mount around to face the coach to see how the women fared. The red haired one with the bow was on top of the carriage shooting with a deft aim at the attackers who were armed with crossbows, while the taller, dark haired woman with the sword and dagger was aiding three of his men and was more then holding her own. But where was the princess? Lucivar saw her then, a cross bow bolt was sticking out of her chest and she lay unmoving on the ground. Lucivar’s blood ran cold in his veins and he prayed she was not dead.
His soldiers made short work of the few thugs left that were not focusing on the carriage and then made their move to flank the princess’s guard. The bandits were already starting to flee back to the cover of the trees. Lucivar moved his mount through the fallen bodies towards the still princess; he had to know if she was dead or not. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of steel, and then something flew just past his ear. Lucivar turned just in time to see a war axe fall an inch short of him as his would be killer clutched a throwing dagger that was sticking out of his neck, his eyes wide with disbelief. Impressed at the skill with which the dagger had been thrown, Lucivar turned to see who his savior was. To his surprise, he realized that the only person who could have thrown the dagger was the tiny, red haired forest woman. And either she was much stronger then she looked, or her magik reserves went very deep indeed because the dagger was embedded to hilt. Lucivar wasn’t even sure he could have made that throw even with the aid of craft. He looked up at her and her stunning emerald eyes met his, and for a moment he forgot how to breathe. Lucivar heard someone cry out a warning, and in less then a seconds time span, he watched in horror as those emerald eyes grew wide with shock and pain and his beautiful savior collapsed with an crossbow dart lodged deep in her left shoulder.
Enraged, Lucivar caught the falling girl before she could tumble off the carriage top and hoisted her into his saddle, wrapping one arm around her. He needed to run someone through with his blade for injuring the woman who saved his life. However looking around, he saw that the bandits were all either fleeing or engaged by his guard. The fight was over, but the damage was done. The princess was dead as was most of her entourage. What would Thaodin say and do now? How would the peace hold with his daughter dead and his people murdered on Lucivar‘s watch?
The woman in his arms stirred, moaning softly. He looked down at her worriedly. The quarrel protruded from her shoulder and a bloody stain was spreading quickly across her white tunic. She was seriously injured, but nowhere near dead yet. Gently, he brushed her dark red hair out of her face so he could get a better look at her. His strange savior was pale from pain and blood loss, but her skin was smooth and soft. Her face was young and beautiful, perfectly formed with a pert little nose, full pink lips, delicate brows, and dusky long lashes that cast a shadow on her ivory checks. He was enthralled, she was gorgeous and she had saved his life, now she lay in his arms light as a feather and fighting for her life. He would see to it that she saw his own personal healer and received only the best medical care possible.
Lucivar looked up startled to see the taller, dark haired warrioress standing in front of him looking intently at him with a hawk’s gaze. She still held her bloody sword in her hand, and although she wasn’t exactly threatening him, the tip was slightly raised and she looked poised to attack.
“Well?” The woman demanded.
“Well what?” Lucivar responded somewhat startled, had she asked him a question?
The woman sighed, “Well are you going to sit there staring at her while she bleeds out all over you and dies, which incidentally would mean I would have to kill you, or are you going to help her?”
Lucivar bristled at the threat, but let it go. The woman may not have known who he was. Lucivar was a warrior not a healer, but he did know some basic healing craft that all soldiers get, and it was enough to at least slow the bleeding and start the healing. Gently, he placed his hand near the wound and with a flash of silver, tied his craft into her body to keep her alive. Until he could get her to the Keep’s healers. By the time he had done what he could for her, his guard was tethering the three prisoners together and one of his men, knelt beside the princess.
“Is she dead?” Lucivar asked the man.
Nodding, the guard covered the body with his cloak. “I am afraid so, Sire.”
Lucivar cursed. He turned back to the other woman. “If I leave half the unit with you to see you safely to the Keep will you be able to convince your people to finish the journey with the princess fallen?”
The woman raised a dark eyebrow. “Aye, they will continue on. But I go with her.” She said pointing to the woman in his arms. “If you mean to ride ahead with her then I am coming with you.”
Lucivar was surprised that she would rather accompany her fallen comrade then attend to her princess but he kept the thought to himself. “Fine, secure a mount and see to it that the Lady,” He pointed to the princess. “is brought to the Keep. We will give her all the honors that are her due and preserve her body for the journey back to her kingdom where she can be buried as befits her station.”
Nodding, the woman turned to face the anxious remaining members of the caravan and barked orders in the native tongue of the Forest People and immediately, a shaggy mountain horse was brought for her and she mounted up.
Turning to Lucivar she said, “I am ready when you are, the caravan will continue on to the Keep as instructed.”
Returning her nod, he gave the order to move out. The Forest woman stayed by his side as they rode. Looking down once again at the woman in his arms he wondered who she was and where she had learned to shoot a bow with such proficiency. Glancing at the tall, proud figure of the Forest woman next to him, he decided to use this opportunity to gain some incite into the Foresters since there was so little known about them.
Clearing his throat he said, “I don’t believe I caught your name back there.”
“That’s because I didn’t give it.” Came her reply, a slight smile touching her lips.
“I am High Lord Lucivar DeLaney of Corsaire, I have now given you my name, will you return the favor?” He asked through gritted teeth.
“I am Lani Shaekin of the Birimi’d, Oath sworn protector of the Princess Celesticea.”
Lucivar tried to hide a smile. He could only imagine how the Dowayne of the Maiden House would have reacted to Lani Shaekin. The rules of the house stated that each princess may bring with them one bodyguard and one handmaiden. However never in the history of the Maiden House had someone brought a female bodyguard, so no one had thought to make a rule against it. He would have liked to see the look on the Dowayne’s face when she realized that Lani was there to stay. Too bad the princess had perished. He would have liked to meet the woman who could command such a fierce bodyguard as Lani.
Once again, the woman in his arms stirred. Moaning she turned her face and nuzzled into his chest. Feeling her move against him was a shock. She was so slight he had barely remembered she was there. He gently shifted her weight against him and eased his arms around her so that he could better accommodate her rest. He could only imagine what would happen if word of this got back to Colessa. She would throw a fit if she could see him with a beautiful woman nestled against him.
Lucivar sighed at the thought of Colessa. Everyone expected him to choose her in six months time when the maiden’s were to be offered. It made sense. He had known her since they were young, her father was the second most powerful man in the High Kingdoms, and he had passed over all the other maiden’s for the last five years. Maybe he had been waiting for Colessa to come of age. However, in the back of his mind he knew that he had declined to choose simply because no one yet had been able to make his heart, or his groin, leap. Colessa was certainly the most beautiful girl in the realm, but as she had grown she had become very possessive and jealous and those were not traits that Lucivar found particularly attractive.
Lani’s voice brought him back to the present, but he had missed what she had said. As embarrassing as it was, he had to ask her to repeat herself yet again. So he replied, “What was that? My mind was elsewhere.”
“I said, watch where you put your hands on her.” Lani repeated with a touch of ice in her voice.
Startled, Lucivar blushed. He quickly repositioned his arms so that they were in a more awkward, but less familiar position. “I was just trying to help her get comfortable.” He mumbled.
Lani gave a little hrmpf of disbelieving displeasure and Lucivar blushed deeper. He needed to change the subject quickly, he didn‘t like being made to feel like an errant school boy. Looking down again at the girl in his arms he asked, “What is this little one called?”
“Most call her Surreal. However she has other names,” Lani replied after a moment’s hesitation.
Raising an eyebrow at the hesitation, but letting it pass he made an effort to continue the conversation. “Are all Forest women trained to arms? I have never seen or heard of women who fight as you both did.”
“Then you are not well read or educated High Lord,” she replied, this time with a distinct hrmpf. “For thousands of years all the realms trained their women to arms. However, Birimi’d and our sister kingdoms to the east and north has always had the best. Have you not ever heard of the Shaekani clan? For centuries my clan have been the protectors of the royal children and the Queen of Birimi‘d. All long before your ancestors formed their High Council and erased what they did not like from the history books.”
Lucivar just stared at the woman. He could not believe that she would dare speak to him like that. “That is a very low opinion you have of an alliance you are now oath bound to serve. And what nonsense are you talking about concerning my ancestors and the history books? We have the finest education system in the world.”
“Thaodin may have made a pact with you, but I am only oath sworn to the Princess High Lord. And what I say is not nonsense. It is common knowledge outside of your kingdoms that the education system you are so quick to brag about is incomplete and deficient. When the High Kingdoms were formed High Lord, there was a systematic elimination of all the things they did not like in religion, history, politics and even magik. Have you ever bothered to learn about the cultures you deem savage and uncivilized, or do you simply enlighten them with your civilized but inaccurate knowledge and destroy any and all indicators that you cultured and learned men may not, in fact, know everything?”
“Well Lani Shaekin of the Birimi’d, you certainly give your opinion freely, “Lucivar replied through clenched teeth while trying to keep his temper in check. “However now is not the time for such debates, your princess is dead and this little one lies dying so if you will excuse me, I will ride ahead and send a scout to alert the Keep healer’s that she is coming.”
Lani let him go, she was weary of conversation. She was getting too old for this sort of thing and she needed some time alone to think about their situation. He thought that Thayet was the princess. Lani snorted to herself at the very thought. She had never liked that frail, helpless girl, but in the end she had stood up and defended Surreal. Her death had been a good and honorable one. However, how anyone could possibly mistake her for the Princess was a shock. That was an interesting turn in their fortunes, but what to do about it? She knew that Surreal did not want to go to the Maiden House, if she could keep the secret of Surreal’s birth, perhaps she would be permitted to leave once she was healed? After all if the High Council thought that the princess had died on the road there would be no repercussions for Thaodin. Perhaps they had found a way out of having to marry Valyn that didn‘t include killing him. The only hitch would be the High Lord himself. Lani did not like the way he had held Surreal. She knew nothing of the honor of the people who formed the High Kingdoms. If Lucivar thought her lady a common servant would he seek to take advantage of her?
Shaking her head Lani tried to clear the fog of sleep, she had been injured in the fight, a mace had grazed her rib cage and she was hurting more then she had any intention of letting on. Looking up she saw the white fortress that was the High Keep through the thinning trees. It was too late to do anything now. She would keep her own council about the identity of the princess. As the Birimi’d saying went; you need never unsay something never said.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Welcome!!
Welcome to Happily Ever After!! My very own FREE site where I share my stories and occasional musings with you! My name is Jodi and I have had a passion for writing ever since I was in middle school. I started out writing what I wanted to read and that is what I still do to this day. Instead of going through the heartache of trying to get published I figured that I'd just put it out there for others to enjoy. The spelling and grammar aren't perfect, but I believe the stories are strong and enjoyable! Please read and enjoy!
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