Chapter 22
“You can schedule another coronation.” Tashama tugged at his arm to continue the long flight with her.
The prince shook his head. “I cannot believe you can beguile me so as to make me forget about such a thing.”
They finally arrived at a Greek-like structure with marble columns and goose-down mattresses surrounded by pillows; all set amidst plants to obscure the view of the next sleeping couple. Tashama smiled at the maiden. “No, he will sleep alone tonight.”
Tashama nodded to the elf, then turned to Aleron. “She wants to know if you have angered me in some way as we lay together so compatibly early this morning. Since I do not want to lie with you, she desires to know if she could do so instead.”
“Where will you sleep?” The prince folded his arms across his chest.
“I will sleep with some of the single maidens.”
“Are you angry with me?”
Tashama smiled. “When I choose a mate, I will sleep with him. Goodnight, Prince Aleron, soon-to-be king of the Maldovians.”
She waited. Would he select one of the maidens? The elven maids giggled in anticipation. Aleron smiled wickedly at Tashama. She followed another to the end of the expansive building. Here, she found thirty ladies of various ages.
One of them motioned for Tashama to take a place on one of the mattresses. Tashama lay down. One of the maidens soon joined her. “He did not select one of the single maids to lie with, this love of yours. He has met the test. Did you want to return to his bed?”
Tashama shook her head. “He has already met a test by coming with me in the first place, but he must meet many more before he can be the one for me.”
The maid smiled as she lay down beside her. “He is very handsome and has a commanding presence. He will make a good husband and father to your offspring and will rule wisely beside you.”
“Yes, well, he will need more training before he is the right one for me.”
Early the next morning, Tashama met with the queen of the Elorians. When the prince woke, Tashama greeted him in an arbor covered in wisteria. The purple, grape-like flowers hung in bundles all across the arbor, shedding their sweet scent into the air.
“Why did you not wake me?” The prince frowned at her.
“You would not have understood the queen’s words. Your coronation is important to you, Prince Aleron. The Elorians have offered to escort you safely back to Banff.”
“And you?”
“I must continue on my way.”
“I won’t leave you.”
“I must leave here as the queen fears repercussions from Loran if he should find the Elorian has given me refuge.”
“You cannot travel alone, Tashama.”
She smiled. “A group of the Elorian will take me as far as the mountain pass.”
“You’re still attempting to return to Karthland.”
“I must get word to General Karam that I’m free and ready to lead my people.”
“Against me,” the prince said.
Tashama touched the wrinkle in his brow. “Against Prince Loran. Return to Banff. Be king of the Maldovians. When I have ousted Loran from his despotic rule, I will make peace with you.”
“I cannot let you go alone.” The prince attempted to follow her. Several elves readied arrows in his direction to dissuade him, but he persisted. “I want to go with you, Tashama. You should not be alone.”
Tashama smiled as he pleaded with her.
“All right, but General Karam and my people may not be happy to see you, Prince Aleron.” As she could see he wouldn’t be discouraged, she said, “We must change our garments again because this will put the Elorians at further risk if Loran’s men find us wearing elven clothes .”
Tashama was led to a tent to change, where one of the maidens said, “He has passed another test.”
“Yes, he has.” Tashama pulled the sparkling, emerald-green gowns over her head.
“You will blend into the emerald-blanketed walls of the mines, should Loran and his men discover your route. The dwarven miners will not bother you.”
“As long as they don’t feel we’re there to steal from them.”
“Prince Aleron pays them well to excavate gems for him. He can aid you somewhat until you clear the mountain ring. The journey for you will be more dangerous when you return to your homeland.”
Tashama and Aleron entered the valley with their elf escort, but soon after, the leader of the elves pointed at the sky.
A hawk soaring high above caught her eye, and she nodded.
Before the prince could ask about the matter, five of the elves had pulled arrows from their quivers and centered them on the string of their bows.
The five feather-guided arrows flew, and the hawk vanished back into the forest.
“What was that all about?” the prince asked as the party continued on a path to the mountains.
“Valmor can see through the eyes of his familiar–the hawk, apparently. The Elorians couldn’t hope to hit the bird because he soared so high above us, but he would shy away if they attempted to shoot him with their arrows.”
“He knows, then, where we’re headed.”
Tashama nodded. “The Elorians have a diversionary plan, however.”
The party rode deeper into the mountain pass.
The leader of the party waved at a couple who hid in one of the folds of the jagged moss-covered rocks.
The lady and the man walked forward, then Tashama said to the prince, “We must dismount. This couple will take our places. They’ll continue to the pass where the dragon lies in wait.
The Elorians have no trouble with the dragon, but Valmor will not attempt to cross his path. ”
“And he will think we’ve gone that way?” Aleron helped her off the horse.
“Yes, my prince. The pass would have led us to the western edge of Sorenson. He will seek us there.”
“But this will lead us to?”
“The elves say Napolia, where my castle lies in wait.”
Tashama slipped the gold bracelet off her wrist, then fastened it to her decoy’s arm.
They kissed each other’s cheeks in friendship, then Tashama turned and inclined her head to the leader of the men.
He answered her in the same manner, then turned his horse to lead his people back along the path they’d come.
“What did they say to you, Tashama?”
They entered the caves, and Tashama shivered. “They wished me success in my quest.”
“And me?”
“If I am successful, we all will win.”
Their footsteps crunched on green stone, and Tashama observed the crushed emeralds lining their way. “Who would have ever thought it could be just lying there for the picking?”
“Who goes there?!” a gruff voice shouted, but before either could say a word, they were surrounded by dwarven guards.
“Prince Aleron and this is Princess Tashama, royal heir to the Karthlanders’ throne.”
The one guard stared at the two, then grunted. “What would you be doing with the likes of the Karthlander woman?”
“Trying to keep her safe.” The prince frowned at the dwarf. “We must pass through here and quickly.”
“You buy our emeralds at a fair price, Prince Aleron, and you are welcome here. But the Karthlanders are forbidden to come to this place. They have stolen too many of our gems.”
“She is with me. “We must go through here. It’s most urgent.”
The dwarf shook his head. “We’ve had some difficulty in the pass leading to Karthland if that is where you’re bound. Yesterday afternoon, the walls shook, blocking the tunnel. My men are still attempting to clear the cave-in.”
“Is there another way?”
“To the west through the dragon’s lair.”
“No,” Tashama said. “The elves go that way to throw Loran off our track.”
“You’re running from Prince Loran?” The dwarf’s bushy burgundy brows furrowed as he tugged at his long beard.
“Well, there’s another way, though I don’t see how you’ll make it.
” He pointed to a cart on wheels. “Climb inside the cart, and I’ll send you as far as I can.
After that, it’ll be up to you to find your way. ”
Aleron hurried to help Tashama into the cart. He climbed in with her and said to the dwarf, “I’ll be back to make some more purchases soon.”
“Should you live, Prince Aleron.” The dwarf pulled a lever. “Should you live.”
The creaking of the metal wheels against the iron track echoed off the sparkling emerald-encrusted walls as lanterns cast fluttering lights against the glittering surface.
A slight cool, damp breeze stirred up by the motion of the cart surrounded them.
Aleron drew close to Tashama and wrapped his arms around her.
“Do you trust them?” Tashama looked up at him.
“I’ve had no problems with the dwarves in the past.”
“Would they sell us out?”
“You said Valmor would follow the elves to the dragon’s lair.”
“But if he does not? Sorcerers are a tricky lot. Sometimes—not often, but sometimes, they can trick me up.”
“Like Carissian?”
“And Balthazar!”
Aleron shook his head. “The dwarves do not like the Karthlanders.”
“When my dad ruled, we had no problems with them. It must be Loran’s doing.”
“You shiver. Are you afraid?”
“Yes,” Tashama said softly.
“Of Valmor?”
“Of closed-in spaces. It’s like a tomb down here in the bowels of the earth. I cannot leave this place any too soon.”
He kissed her forehead, then rested her head against his chest. “Close your eyes then. What you cannot see, cannot harm you.”
They rode in silence for some time as the cart chugged up steep inclines, then dropped sharply down into deep chasms while the air grew laden with the smell of seeping groundwater and freshly-stirred earth.
For several minutes, the cart twisted right, then suddenly turned left and stopped.
Tashama opened her eyes and frowned. “It dead ends.”
“There is a narrow passage over there,” the prince said.
“But no more ride, I’m afraid.”
After jumping out of the cart, Aleron lifted Tashama out.
Then he hurried to a lantern hanging from a wall. Tashama rubbed her arms as she stared at the dark passage. He hurried to her side. Terror filled her eyes, and he pulled her close and embraced her warmly. “Come, Tashama.” He took her arm and led her through the single-file passageway.