Chapter 20
“Carissian!” Aleron called out. There was no further sound than the snorting of his horse and no other sight than the fog mixed with his horse’s breath. “Carissian!”
“Shh,” a feminine voice hushed him, and as he peered into the low-hanging cloud, he saw not a soul stirring.
“Carissian!”
“You’ll get us both killed,” the voice whispered. “Bestill your heart and come seek shelter with me.”
The prince pulled his sword from his sheath. “Show yourself.”
“So you may slash at me with the razor-sharp edge of your blade? Find your own way then.”
The prince nudged his horse into the cool, wet air toward the whispery voice, but still not seeing the creature who had spoken to him, he sheathed his sword. “All right. Show yourself.”
“I stand before you, oh prince. Do you not see me in the mist?”
The prince stared at the fog in front of him, where he could barely see the twitching ears of his very own steed. “I cannot.” He leaned forward in his saddle.
“The woodland sprites warn me they come for us.”
“Who?”
“Why, my enemy and yours.”
The prince kneed his horse to step closer to the voice. “Are you not afraid of me?”
“I am Tashama, and I am not afraid.”
“Tashama.”
“Lower your voice, Prince, or they will find us.”
“Tashama.” Aleron’s heart surged. He urged his steed forward. “Where is your escort?”
“We’ve become separated in the mist, and the woodland sprites have led me to you.”
A hand touched his leg, and he looked down at Tashama, clothed in white lace. “Where is your horse?”
“He knocked me from my saddle,” she whispered. “He was not supposed to have done such a thing.”
Aleron reached for her arm, but she stepped back. She blended with the mist, and he pleaded, “Come with me, Tashama. Ride with me.”
“No, we must escape to the mountains. There is a way, but the horse cannot follow the way we must go.”
“I won’t leave my steed.”
“He’ll return home on his own.”
“My people will think me dead.”
“You will be so, if you don’t come with me.
Do you not feel the shaking of the earth beneath your horses’ hooves?
Do you not feel the air warm with the breath of their horses as they surround us even now?
They have not freed your men yet, Prince.
Without me to use as a bargaining tool, Loran will not free them. I will not go with him willingly.”
Aleron stared at the mist. He couldn’t go with her, but he couldn’t leave her alone. She was his prisoner. No, she was the one he loved. “Tashama.”
“Goodbye, my prince.”
“Tashama, wait.” He jumped from his saddle, grabbed a pack, then slapped the horse’s rump. “Wait for me.” His voice was dark and hushed this time.
“Over here,” she urged him. He ran to her side, and she handed him a tunic and breeches of white. “Wear these. They’ll help to cloak you from their view.”
“Where did you...”
“The thieves.”
“Was Listra with you?” The prince fumbled with his ties.
Her hand reached over to help. Her fingers deftly untied the leather ties as he pulled his tunic off.
She smiled at the sight of his bare chest. Warmed inside, he fought the urge to pull her close so she could feel his smooth chest against her breast. He grabbed the white tunic.
She tucked his own into his bag while he changed into white breeches.
Once done, he grabbed her arm. “Where do we go now?”
Tashama hesitated as a woodland sprite dropped from an elm. “We follow the stream winding its way through the forest near here. Come.” Tashama hurried along the unmarked path toward the water flowing nearby as the prince still gripped her arm.
Horses’ hooves filled the air behind them as they navigated through the twisted tree branches, grabbing at her hair. One caught hold, and the prince hurried to untangle the branch. She grabbed his hand. “Boost me up!”
“What?”
“Into the tree. Boost me toward that branch.”
The prince grasped her by the waist and hoisted her toward the branch. She climbed onto the limb, and he joined her.
They rose higher into the safety of the tree, and as they drew close to the trunk, horses’ snorting filled the air.
“What do you see, Valmor?” a gruff voice said.
“She has been here, Prince Loran, but I’ve lost track of her.”
“Continue the search!”
The horses rode south, while Tashama took a deep breath. “Pudgy still from the overindulgence of being of the second royal house.”
“Could his sorcerer not see you?”
“I have no idea what powers the old fellow possesses. I only wish Balthazar were here.”
“Or Carissian.”
“I would not want him to be here.” She climbed back down through the maze of branches. Before she could drop from the tree, the prince landed on his feet then held his hands up to catch her. “Oh,” she said as she made the drop. “Thank you.”
“Thank you for saving me back there.”
“I want to make peace with your people and mine, Prince Aleron, do you not realize this?” She hastened toward the creek.
“I couldn’t have turned you over to Loran for any amount of prisoners in exchange, you know.”
“Your honor…”
“I wouldn’t have, Tashama.”
She ran as light-footed as the cheetaur as she hopped over exposed tree roots and ducked beneath low-hanging branches, all the while barely making a sound. He shook his head. You’ll be mine, Tashama. I will not give you up to any other.
The prince followed her lead. When they arrived at the creek, she stopped at the edge of the water as it tickled the tips of her ivory leather shoes. A water sprite darted out of the water. “They come for you, Tashama! Hurry! They’re headed this way. Valmor leads them!”
“What can he see?”
“He doesn’t see what we have in store for him. Quickly cross, royal cousin of the water nymphs. Cross now!”
Tashama grabbed the prince’s arm and splashed across the stream as her long skirts dragged in the water. Midway across, men shouting reverberated from the woods. They turned. Valmor, leading Prince Loran and several of his men, waved his hand at them.
“Stay, Tashama.” The nymph fluttered about her head. “Stay and welcome them.”
“He will kill me,” Tashama whispered back. “He will kill Prince Aleron.”
“Hold still,” the water nymph entreated. The river began to rise inappreciably at first, but as the water flow tugged harder at their legs, Tashama obeyed the nymph.
“We must go,” the prince pleaded as he pulled at Tashama’s arm.
“No, we will be safe here.” She placed her feet farther apart to keep her balance in the swelling stream.
“Wait, Tashama,” the nymph implored. “Wait until we say.”
Loran’s teeth peeled into a wicked grin as he observed the two waiting for him in the stream. “How were we ever so lucky to have come across the two of you like this? Prince Aleron, I see you’re handing over the princess to me after all.”
“She is not Tashama, so you have said.”
“My mistake. Unfortunately, I did not bring your men for an exchange. In fact, I do believe having you as a pawn will be a better deal. Bring them!” he shouted to his men.
“Wait, Tashama.” The nymph wavered with flapping wings just above her head.
Horses’ hooves pounded the water, as the roaring of a mighty waterfall filled the air. Everyone turned as a wall of water descended upon them.
“Cross now,” the nymph urged.
Tashama and Aleron slogged through the river and collapsed on the eastern shore. Before the mounted soldiers reached the halfway mark, the water pulled them under, carrying them without mercy to their watery grave.
“Come.” Tashama glared at Valmor, while Prince Loran pulled his horse back from the torrent overflowing the banks. “I don’t know his powers. It wouldn’t be safe for us to dally here.”
The prince grabbed her arm, then hurried her through the woods as wood nymphs fluttered about. “He looks for a way to catch you, Tashama,” one of the sprites said.
“Loran?” Tashama stopped to wring the water out of her gowns.
“Valmor.”
“What powers does he have? Do you know?”
“He studies you and now knows you have the power of the water world. He will not try again to cross your path in that manner.”
“What do they say to you?” The prince squeezed the water from his tunic.
“They warn us Valmor is trying to learn my secrets.”
The prince studied her as she pressed the water from her hair. “You’re not immortal.” The prince frowned at her.
She smiled. “No, I’ve already told you that I am not.”
“They won’t be able to gather reinforcements until tomorrow at noon. And they’ll still have to figure a way to cross the swollen river,” the nymph said. “The glade you’ll find safe for the night.”
“To the glade.” Tashama clasped her fingers around the prince’s. “The nymph said we won’t have to worry about Loran and his men for the time being.”
“What other secrets do you have, Tashama?” The prince squeezed her hand slightly as he walked with her through the woods.
“Tell him you love him, Tashama.” The nymph flew about Tashama’s head. She flew backwards as Tashama waved her hand at the nymph as she would a pesky gnat. “Tell him, Tashama,” the nymph repeated as she flew about the prince’s head. “Or I will.”
“He will not understand you.” Tashama furrowed her brow.
“I will make him understand.”
“What is being said?” the prince asked as Tashama felt her cheeks grow hot.
“They can be annoying. That is all.”
“Tashama loves you. Tashama loves you!” The nymph darted in front of them.
Later that evening, Aleron and Tashama made their way to the glade, and as she spied a lake, she headed straight for it. The prince smiled as he hurried to catch up to her. “The water draws you as if you were a mermaid seeking the sea, Princess.”
“I’m a cousin to the water nymph. So they claim.”
“And the woodland nymphs?”
“They make no such claims.”
“But you understand them.”
“Yes, I was born with certain gifts.”
“But you are not a sorceress.”
“No. Only those of the first royal house had any such gifts. Loran has none. This is not to say he is not powerful, however. Still, I wonder what his sorcerer, Valmor, can do. Sorcerers are formidable adversaries. I’ve always feared them.”
“Like Carissian.”
Tashama sat down by the water’s edge, then pulled off her shoes.
The prince pulled off his boots and set them aside. “Carissian can shake mountains, but he says you can move men like no one else can. You are more powerful than he.”
“He says this?”
The prince nodded. “Do you think it would be safe to build a fire? We need to dry our clothes. The night air will soon grow cold.”
“Yes, Loran and his men will be no more trouble tonight.”
The two grabbed their shoes and then moved them to the location the prince determined suitable for building a fire. They built a fire ring with stones, then returned to the forest.
They entered the woods, and the prince gathered a couple of rotting logs for a fire, while Tashama grabbed branches littering the forest floor. “You shouldn’t do such work,” he said.
She smiled. “You’re taking too long. I want to be warm.”
He laughed. “I’ve never known anyone like you before.”
“And you’ll never know another like me again.” She dumped the twigs onto the growing stack of firewood.
“Of that, I’m certain,” he said under his breath.
After lighting the dry timber, they watched as the tiny flame licked at the tower of branches, then, as the fire caught hold, the prince pulled at his ties as he attempted to unfasten his tunic.
Tashama reached over to help him as the wet ties fought to be undone, then smiled as she observed his muscles tighten in his waist as he stood taller. “Do you approve?”
“What is there not to like?” She pulled the white veil off her hair. He stared at her dripping wet gowns, then, as she noticed his concern, she pointed at his pack. “You wouldn’t have something in there like a blanket or a bite to eat, would you?”
He opened the pack, then poured the contents onto the grass.
She pulled at her outer gown, but the wetness made it cling to her like a second skin.
Halfway situated over her waist with the skirt above her head, his hands touched the hem, making her gasp.
“I’ll help you.” His warm voice washed over her like bath water as he struggled to slip the garment over her head.
He smiled as her cheeks warmed. “Like peeling a butterfly from its cocoon.”
He turned to observe his pack. “A blanket.” He motioned to the items from his bag. “Only rather as wet as we are.”
“Nothing to eat.” She rubbed her bare arms and leaned over to get a better look at the objects, her sleeveless shift clinging to her body.
“I’m afraid the biscuits dissolved in the water.”
Tashama nodded, then headed back to the lake.
“Where are you going?” He jogged after her.
“I’m hungry, Prince, and if you will not feed me, I will have to feed us.”
“Oh, you will, will you?”
“Certainly.” Reaching the edge of the lake, Tashama knelt. “Water nymphs, we’re hungry. Have you anything for us to eat?”
A sprite bolted out of the water. “You love him, Tashama. Tell him so, and you will eat.”
“We are not that hungry.” Tashama sat back on her skirts.
“What do they wish from you?” the prince asked.
“Tell him, Tashama, and you will eat.”
“No.” Tashama stood.
The nymph laughed, then dove back into the water with a resounding splash.