Chapter 37 From A Distance
Chapter thirty-seven
From A Distance
Sam
Some hours earlier…
I am sitting against one of the large trees lining the clearing watching the little warrior's fire flit across the grass when I see it.
A boot, then a figure darting away to my left.
I stand ready to go after whoever dare lurk in the woods while the little warrior trains, when I see her fall.
I flash over to her, but Sorin has caught her before I can make it. Good man.
We run back to Sylvie's cottage where I collect a bit of meat for Alaceandra. The pest who calls himself a prince follows behind us until we reach mine and Sorin’s cottage.
There, we wait. I do not mind the pest's company nearly as much as I did when I encountered him.
In fact, he has grown on me quite a bit, not that I would let him know that.
His ego is much too large as it is and I will not help in inflating it.
Still, he did help me get to safety when he thought my life was on the line, and for that he has earned a modicum of my respect.
Although the injury would not have proved fatal- seldom do for those of my kind- the true fear the man showed on my behalf was one I will remember.
I sit with him now on this tiny sectional, waiting for my little warrior to awaken.
I know she will and yet I find I am stressed at the reasoning behind her fall.
It is unnatural that such a small task would exhaust her so much.
Moving a bit of her magick around should have been child's play once she figured out how to do it, and yet…
and yet it was not. My mind flashes back to that figure in the woods.
I must find them and figure out why they were watching Alaceandra.
Maybe they can provide me some information.
Wood creaks and I stand with the pest. My little warrior looks exhausted as she is carried into the room and placed on the sectional. My brow knits in concern.
"How are you doing?" I ask.
"I am okay, just tired."
"She almost passed out when she stood from the bed."
That is definitely worrisome. She should be recovered it has been three hours.
I must catch the lurker. "Seems like more than a little, Lace.
Here eat this." I hand her the bit of meat that I procured and watch her take a bite.
"You should rest today and we will continue your training tomorrow.
There has to be a better way to train you without exhausting you.
" I start to pace. She must be recovered by tomorrow.
We will need to ramp up her training especially if she is being watched.
She is improving in her dagger skills but not fast enough.
We are far too close to the solstice; we cannot be delayed.
"Is it not normal to be tired after training a new skill?" she asks through a mouthful of food. My racing thoughts pause at how adorable she looks when she eats.
The pest's snort jars me from those thoughts. "Nope," he says dryly and I glare at him until he meets my eyes. He raises his brows at me, his gaze challenging and I hold back a snarl.
Taking a breath, I answer Alaceandra's question "Tired, yes, but not like this.
Think about how you feel after our trainings in the morning.
Your muscles are sore and your body weary but you are still able to function.
It should be much the same when training your abilities.
You should be mentally maybe a little drained, but not so much so that you lose consciousness for three hours.
Unless, of course, something interf-" A thought hits me and I stop pacing.
What if they are the reason she cannot control her powers yet.
It would only mean war if they did, but I have to ask. "Did you… dream at all?"
"Dream?" She is understandably confused, but I need her to answer.
"Yes, dream. Try to remember. Was it all darkness or did you see anything?" I press.
She concentrates on something. "I- I do not remember. Maybe… there was a voice, I think?" I suck in a quiet breath, ice filling my veins. "No, I am sorry. Nothing is coming to mind." She lays down, but I have enough to go on. I must find that lurker. Now.
Looking back to my old friend I say, "I need to go. Sorin, can you watch, Lace?"
The pest rolls his eyes. "I can watch the princess." I have no time for his childish antics. I need to go.
"I will need you at the north wall today, I have something I must attend to." Luckily he too knows the dangers that this place holds, so he takes his watch seriously whenever I ask him to take a shift.
"And that is?" He narrows his eyes at me, and I have to take a deep breath as to not deck the man.
The room darkens marginally as I say, "Something we will speak of later." I glance at Alaceandra to see if she noticed my loss of temper but she appears to be none the wiser.
"Fine," the prince says through gritted teeth before storming over to the floorboard that holds the exit. He whispers something to Alaceandra before jumping down the hatch.
The fear that flashes across Alaceandra's face at his dramatic departure has me balling my hands into fists.
"How far down is that drop? Is he okay?" She strains to look but Sorin quickly shifts her back into him as she sways.
I give him a nod and make my way over to the hatch to follow after the fool.
"He is fine," I growl. "The asshole is just being dramatic. We will be back soon." I then quickly climb down the ladder and flash to catch up to the prince.
"What was that?" I ask pulling the prince to a stop.
He turns on me, eyes flashing with anger. "What do you mean 'what was that?' Alaceandra is injured and you have me on border patrol for the evening? What is that about?"
I walk ahead of him and he reluctantly follows. "I need to check the woods, I saw something or someone right before Alaceandra passed out, which will leave the north wall empty for the evening. I need you to make sure it is secure while I investigate the threat."
"Why me? Although it seems you have some sway with that Credour man, I am not under any charge of yours. I do not take kindly to being ordered around."
It is my turn to roll my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. You are a big tough prince, but when it comes to the matters of Alaceandra's safety I need someone I can trust watching out for her while this is taken care of."
"And you don't trust me, so you have Credour watching the dove?"
"We have been over this, of course I don't trust you I can see your agenda written all over your face. You care more about getting back at daddy then you do anything else. Alaceandra is just your tool to getting there, why she wants to go after you is a mystery to me."
"And yet you would allow it."
"I cannot nor will not control Alaceandra's actions. She alone decides her future." Whether I like it or not.
"Ah now it is you that speaks in riddles.
" We share a look of mutual understanding as we reach the ladder to Sylvie's cottage.
"Fine, I will check out the border, but I will only be out there for two hours.
Only two hours. After I will switch out with someone else.
I do not want to leave the Dove for too long.
" Worry flashes over the pest’s face, and I nod at him.
"Fine. I will finish my business swiftly and meet you back at Sylvie's in two hours." He nods at me.
The pest climbs the ladder, and I follow after him.
We round the corner finding Sylvie in the kitchen finishing up dinner.
I grimace. "Sylvie, I think with Lace's incident earlier, it might be best if she gets some rest. I am not sure if we will be able to eat in your kitchen tonight.
" Lyza sits at the table playing with a small wooden doll, and I smile at her warmly.
Sylvie spins around beaming at me. "Oh, I figured as much!
" She says, amicably. "I am making your dishes in little portable containers, feel free to carry them to her room when you are both done with business tonight.
" She bustles over and gives us both a kiss on the cheek before resuming her cooking. "Be safe out there!"
"Thank you, Sylvie. You are far too kind," the prince drawls.
"Oh hush." She turns a little pink.
I push the prince out the door.
"Two hours?" I ask
"Two hours," he repeats.