Chapter Seven #2
There was a restless movement, but no one spoke.
“Prince Pelun and I will be going up the mountain. You had better all stay here and do your jobs. Because if things go awry in those mountains, you will be the first line of defense. You will patrol, and you will defend Tond from here, on this side of the mountain. Is that understood?”
There was a chorus of, “Yes, Your Highness.”
Tor’s voice was crisp and cold. “Very good.”
They went to saddle their horses, and Beluna followed them to the picket line. Two more guards loped after her, one huge and blond, the other seeming especially slight by comparison, with dark hair and tan skin. Beluna eyed the big one like he was a surprise.
“Why are all the horses still here?” Tor asked.
It was true. There were far too many of them given the small number of guards that were left.
“Denil, where are they going?” Beluna demanded.
“They’re heading towards the pass to Filon,” the slight man answered. “One of the others overheard the scout report that’s where the exiles were headed.”
“How reliable is the information?” Tor asked.
Denil pointed at the blond giant. “They thought Cavun was going to crush them, Your Highness.”
Cavun shrugged his huge shoulder. “They were being rude. I just reminded them of the importance of politeness.”
Pel liked him already.
Cavun continued, “And they’re not taking horses because the path’s too unstable to the pass, what with all the rain.
It’s muddy and slippery at the bottom, then there’ll be parts flooded out.
Horses are too heavy. We’ve had to be extremely careful with any trips to Filon for weeks. Carts are right out.”
“Can we get partway up the path with horses?” Tor asked. “We need to catch up.”
Making a face, Cavun said, “Maybe? I suppose there might be places we can tie up the horses. I mean, all the guards couldn’t, there’s not enough room. But with just the five of us, I think so. It’ll be dangerous.”
“Five of us?” Tor said.
Beluna gave him an unimpressed look. “Oh, are you planning to take on most of the guards yourself, Your Highness?”
Tor grinned, bright and disarming. “That was pretty much the plan, yes.”
Beluna rolled her eyes. “We’re definitely coming.”
“You’re aware that King Forex may view this as treason?”
She eyed him. “I think you can take him in a fight.”
This surprised a laugh out of Tor. “Well, the Fealty is nothing to laugh at, but I’d sure try. You’re also welcome to come with me back to Alossa. I may be better able to protect you there.”
“We’ll keep that in mind, Your Highness. Thank you.”
The other two murmured thanks as well, and that seemed to be the best they were going to get at the moment.
Tor Mantled all their shields, wrapping them in magic. It made them stronger, and the glow of the magic gave them just enough light to see by.
“It makes us targets,” Tor said with a shrug, “but we can’t get up the mountain if we can’t see.”
There didn’t seem to be anything to say to that.
The magic was more reliable than lanterns or torches in the weather they were likely to encounter.
They mounted their horses and made directly for the mountain, trotting while they could.
As the ground rose, they slowed down and began to pick their way forward.
Cavun had insisted on riding ahead since he was the one most familiar with the area.
Pel was pretty sure he also didn’t like the idea of two princes going first into unknown danger.
Beluna and Denil were bringing up the rear.
Pel realized almost immediately what Cavun had meant about the path. In the light of Tor’s magic, they could see where rivulets of water had eaten into the ground, and then where hundreds of booted feet had churned it up.
Every part of this seemed like a terrible idea, but if this was where the guards had gone, they had no choice but to follow.
When the horses began to slip, Tor flung out more bits of magic until all the horses had… little magic grips on their hooves?
Pel’s mare shook her sodden mane and picked up the pace noticeably, not seeming to be bothered by her faintly glowing hooves.
“I didn’t know you could do that,” Pel said, stunned.
“It takes some concentration,” Tor said, sounding faintly distracted. “Magic is usually smooth, so making it spiky takes effort. But it should help.”
Everyone looked very impressed.
They climbed higher and reached the rain, which was sheeting down unrelentingly.
It made it harder to see, even with the glow of Tor’s magic.
The trees began to thin out, and the ground turned stonier.
There were spots where they passed between two tall walls of rock.
Pel imagined this was not pleasant for Tor, but he looked like he was concentrating fiercely, and Pel hoped that meant he wasn’t noticing his surroundings too much.
Pel’s hair was plastered to his skull now, his well-oiled cloak unable to keep up with the deluge. He was wet through. It was summer, at least, but between the mountains, the wind, and it being the middle of the night, it was chillier than Pel had expected.
Water was rushing past them down the path now, bouncing off the ground and sending small rocks skittering and making everything slick and treacherous.
Thunder boomed frequently around them, along with cracks of lightning that briefly lit up the world and then plunged it back into just the glow of their shields.
The horses were not happy, and it was all the riders could do to keep them moving.
Still, they climbed, moving as quickly as they could.
And then Cavun called out a warning and stopped. Coming closer, they realized there’d been a rockfall. Rocks obscured most of the path, though there was a narrow, rock-strewn opening that remained open or had been cleared.
It was too narrow for a horse.
Cavun swore. “We’ll need to get a patrol out here properly. Look at clearing the path.”
Needless to say, that wasn’t going to help them right now.
“Is there another way around?” Tor demanded. “Would the guards have gone this way?”
“They must have,” Cavun said, shaking his head. “I mean, in daylight, I might be able to find an alternate route, but probably not one that’s suitable for horses. And there isn’t any sign of anyone having gone elsewhere, is there?”
Not that Pel could see. Not hundreds of guards.
Tor dismounted, and the rest of them did the same. “I have to keep going.”
“I will shoot you with one of my arrows if you try to leave me behind,” Pel told him flatly.
Tor almost smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I don’t like that they’re pressing on in these conditions.”
Pel didn’t, either.
“We’re with you, Your Highness,” Beluna said firmly, and the other two nodded.
“Someone needs to stay with the horses,” Tor told them. “I don’t want to tie them up in this weather, if there’s even anywhere to tie them to. I’d prefer we have a way to get back down the mountain in a hurry if need be.”
The three guards eyed one another, and then Beluna said, “Den, you stay with the horses.”
He opened his mouth like he was about to protest, but she stared him down, and he finally said, “All right.”
He took all the reins and then said, “I think we passed a spot a bit further back where we can gather under a bit of shelter. I’ll wait there.”
Pel hadn’t noticed, but he’d been straining to see anything ahead of them.
“Thank you,” Tor told him. He hesitated for a moment. “If we’re not back by morning, please report to King Forex and then to the High King in Alossa. He’ll reimburse you for any expenses.”
Denil swallowed and then nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Tor renewed the magic grips on the horses and then tossed them onto the humans as well. They all walked a few paces. It didn’t feel like they were walking on magic, but Pel noticed that the ground didn’t feel quite as slippery, either.
“Thank you,” Pel murmured, as did the others.
“It should stay for a few hours,” Tor told Denil. “Be careful.”
“Yes, Your Highness. You, too.”
Ill at ease but knowing they had no other choice, Pel followed Cavun through the cleared section of the path. Small rocks shifted treacherously under their feet or rolled down from the mass of rocks they were trying to pass between. All of them stumbled more than once, even with the magic grips.
Finally, they emerged on the other side of the rockfall.
Pel wasn’t the only one who breathed a sigh of relief.
Tor looked paler than he had when they’d entered.
They stayed closer together now, but Cavun went a bit ahead and Beluna took up the rear, with Tor and Pel walking side by side between them.
It might almost have been pleasant if it wasn’t for the thunderstorm raging around them, the fact that they were soaking wet, and the knowledge that they might be heading for a slaughter.
“Is there an actual plan?” Pel asked as quietly as he could while still being heard by Tor over the storm.
Sighing, Tor said, “Pray we find them before they attack. It’s harder to ignore me when I’m standing right in front of them.”
Pel almost laughed. It was true; it was one thing to sneak off with, presumably, the captain of the guard ordering you to follow King Forex’s instructions. But defying the High Prince to his face? Surely, no one would think that was wise.
“Also, pray this confounded rain stops,” Tor added, sounding disgusted. “I prefer my baths to be indoors and warm.”
“And ideally not with your clothing on?” Pel suggested.
Tor slanted a smile at him. “Yes, I’d much prefer to be naked with you right now.”
And, Pel assumed, anywhere but up this mountain. But Tor was still doing it without complaint, because the alternative was worse.
What in the goddess’s name were these guards doing? Nothing but trying to prevent slaughter and a possible war were driving Pel and Tor on. Why were the guards so determined?
Pel sighed. He supposed he couldn’t blame them if these were their orders.
It wasn’t like they’d been asked for their opinions.
Deciding they didn’t want to follow orders was a good way to get thrown out.
Pel was just grumbling because he was soaked to the skin and hiking through a mountain in the middle of the night when he could be cozy in bed with Tor under any other circumstances.
And then Cavun stiffened ahead of them, and a moment later, Pel heard it, too. Amidst the sound of the rain and the thunder, there was the sound of metal striking metal.