39. Old Wounds
39
OLD WOUNDS
*Kieran*
It’s late in the evening when I finally reach my father’s soldiers. The sun is low in the sky, threatening to set at any moment, and my body is weary after so many days of traveling. I’m grateful to see the men have already set up their camp for the evening. They’ve all shifted into their human forms, with one man still in his wolf form as the lookout.
He growls at me as I approach, but I tell him who I am and he bows low.
“Is that Prince Kieran?” a man asks, and I nod, disappearing behind a tree so I can shift and dress. When I reemerge, the men bow to me as well.
“At ease,” I tell them, and they relax. “Until we’re back at the castle, I’m just another one of you.”
It’s a small group, only half a dozen or so, and I can tell that at least two of the men are apprehensive of me. Is it something I’ve done? More likely, it’s something they dislike about my father.
“I’ll take the midnight watch, if no one’s claimed it,” I offer, hoping to win their favor. If they don’t like my father, they are exactly who I need to get on my side.
“You wouldn’t rather get your beauty sleep?” one man teases, causing several to laugh. I laugh along with them, showing them how good-natured I can be.
“I’m so good-looking, I don’t need it,” I shoot back. “But you look like you could use a few hours.
Now the other men are laughing with me rather than at me, and the man who teased me claps me on the shoulder in a gesture of acceptance.
“You’re all right, kid,” he says, and I can’t help but beam. Winning their approval might be easier than I thought.
We work together to make a fire, and a couple men shift back into wolves to grab us something for dinner. My mind is drawn back to Raven, and I know she’d probably have a hard time eating freshly caught game. Of course, with her powers, she could probably convince a wild rabbit to hop onto an open flame. Not that she would, she’s too kind.
I sigh loudly, missing my wife.
“Uh-oh,” one of the soldiers says, coming to sit next to me. “I know a man in love when I see one. What’s her name?”
I have to be careful here. Even as my neck burns and my heart is desperate to tell him everything about Raven, I know I can’t. Even if these men have been away from the kingdom for a while, they’ll soon know about Nessa and our engagement. I swallow down the bile rising in my throat and try to be as truthful as I can without betraying the actual truth.
“Nessa,” I say, hiding my disdain.
“My wife’s name is Pearl,” he sighs. “It’s been six months since I’ve seen her.”
“So what, pretty boy?” another soldier grunts. “I haven’t been back home in two years.”
“Why is that?” I ask, curious. Surely, father doesn’t need them out in the field so long when there are no active wars being fought.
Clearly, though, I’m mistaken because the two men eye me warily. Any camaraderie has been zapped out of the atmosphere.
“Tell you what,” I say, turning up my charm as much as I know how. “I’ll tell you one thing I hate about my father if you’ll tell me one thing you hate about being a soldier.”
“Bullshit,” the gruffer soldier says. “You’ll just listen to us run our mouths, then run to your daddy to get us fired.”
I raise my left hand and place my right hand over my heart.
“I swear to the Moon Goddess herself that if I tell a single lie about my father, or repeat to him anything you say, I shall be separated from my mate forever.”
A furtive glance passes between the two men. This is a solemn vow to make, even in jest. No one would ever make such a swear to the Goddess if they didn’t mean it. Separation from one’s mate is a horrible fate. The stinging in my chest is a sharp reminder of that.
The gruffer one still looks unsure, and he leans in close to me. “How do we even know you’ve mated?” he asks, pointing a dirty finger in my face.
I lower my collar and show him my mark, the only proof anyone needs.
“I’m mated,” I tell him. “And I miss her terribly, so the sooner I can get home, the better. In fact, it’s my father’s fault that we’re apart right now, and I’m pissed at him for that.” There, none of that was a lie. I mentally high-five myself.
“Come on, Eric,” the first soldier shrugs. “He’ll be the king one day anyway. He might as well hear our concerns.”
The gruff soldier, Eric, sizes me up again, but he must decide that I’m good for my word, because he finally opens his mouth to speak. “I haven’t been home in two years because I can’t afford to take the time off,” he says slowly. “My wife and son need the money, and this is the best work you can get in Dun’s Crossing.”
“That’s not true,” the other soldier pipes in. “It’s much better being a soldier in the palace, but you have to kiss a lot of ass to get that gig.”
Eric spits on the ground, clearly disgusted by the palace soldiers. That’s interesting. I can’t help but watch with rapt excitement. I wonder if the other soldiers feel this way too.
“Well, you don’t have to kiss my ass,” I tell them. “I could put in a good word for you.”
“Wouldn’t matter,” Eric says sharply. “Your daddy only picks the youngest, strongest soldiers to protect the palace. I’ve aged out of consideration.”
“At least you’ve seen real action,” the other soldier says. “My dad used to tell me about the glory days of the army. About the wars we used to fight. I joined up because I thought I could be something. All we do now is patrol the border and make sure no rogues get in.”
“We shootin’ the shit?” another soldier asks, carrying the carcass of a wild boar.
Eric and the other soldier, whose name I’ve yet to learn, get up excitedly and help assemble a makeshift roasting spit.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had a meal this good,” the newcomer exclaims. “You must be lucky for us, Prince.”
I shrug, and we relax by the fire while the boar cooks. My stomach aches with hunger, but I’ll let these men eat first. They’ve had it much harder than I have, and I want to continue to appeal to their good nature.
I learn the other two men in my party are Aldritch and Ifan. Phinneas has taken the first night watch shift, and the men set aside a large portion of meat for him to enjoy. Graeme and Rege are also members of this band of soldiers, and they join us a little later with fresh water.
“Rege,” Eric calls once the boar is ready to eat and we’ve tucked in. “Ifan was asking about the war earlier. His father told them those were the glory days.”
Rege, an older man with a large scar across his face spits on the ground, much the way Eric had earlier.
“No offense to yer papa, son,” Rege says to me. “But that was no war. It was a massacre. Those poor people didn’t stand a chance. Well, you’ve seen Escuro, you know.”
“He burned it to the ground,” I say quietly.
“Easiest way to deal with all the bodies,” Eric murmurs, a faraway look in his eyes. He’s only with us physically, his mind is clearly back in Escuro, witnessing those horrors over again. “And to make sure no one ever rebuilt there.”
“It was hell,” Rege nods. “And I’d still go back to that than patrol the border for a threat that doesn’t exist.”
“What do you mean?” I ask him, curious.
“The Escurians are dead,” Eric says loudly. “Your sister is dead too. Wasn’t she trying to find Escuro? Maybe the very land is cursed.”
I shudder as I remember the image of the dead wolf at the bottom of the cliff, and I try to swallow the lump in my throat. As far as they know, I hated her. I absentmindedly scratch at my aching mark and remember that she is safe and sound with her mother.
“Maybe it is,” I agree quietly. “Or maybe it’s full of ghosts.”
The men laugh at this, and we turn the conversation to more pleasant matters. By the time we all settle down to sleep, I can barely keep my eyes open, but building these relationships is vital if I’m going to take a stand against my father. There will clearly be no love lost once he’s gone. Then I can go back to my wife, to hold her in my arms again.