Chapter Twenty-Five
Kim woke slowly and found herself lying in a heap, on the cold, damp ground, her arm aching and her head was throbbing. She was about to call out when she heard voices... Male voices.
“Why did you bring the other one?” The first one said.
“She’s Auyangian.” Said the second. “Do you know how much the pleasure houses will pay for her? Especially an untouched one.”
“And is she going to be untouched?”
“Not by us.” The snide smile could be heard in his voice. “Auyangian females are known for their ability to take two males at the same time. I think we should demonstrate this talent for the Empress then she’ll understand exactly what we are going to do to her, especially after what happened in the cave.”
Kim felt herself go cold as she realized it was Fala and Gyula she was hearing and suddenly it all came back to her. She'd been walking in the garden with Caitir... Caitir... they were talking about raping Caitir.
“Empress my ass. " Gyula spat out. "There is no way I will ever allow that bitch to become my Empress.”
“Agreed.” Fala replied. “But first we need to find a spot to cross the river. Last night's storm in the mountains has made the original spot too deep and dangerous. Then we'll take them to the ship that's waiting and once we take off, we can have some fun.” Kim could hear the lust in Fala’s voice. “You go scout the river and I’ll go back and make sure our trail is covered, not that anyone will come looking for them, not yet.”
As the voices faded away , Kim forced herself to remain perfectly still. When she was sure they were gone, she opened her eyes.
She was somewhere in the forest. She could hear water rushing in the distance but had no clue where she was. Moving to sit up, she found her hands and feet bound, rolling over she found Caitir beside her, awake, her eyes filled with terror.
“It will be alright Caitir.” Kim whispered and hoped she was telling the truth.
“We are lost.” Caitir whispered back, her eyes filling with tears. “No one will come in time. We are too far away from the guards.”
“ Then we have to give them the time.” Kim refused to give into her fear. She has come too far, survived too much to give up now. “Can you sit up?”
“ Yes, but what good will that do?”
“Just do it Caitir.” Kim ordered as she struggled up herself. “Quietly.”
Caitir did as she was ordered.
“Now reach up under my sleeve.”
“What?” Caitir gave her a confused look.
“I have a knife Caitir.” Kim whispered impatiently. “It’s tied to my lower arm. Grab it.”
Caitir couldn’t believe it. A female carrying a knife?
“Hurry. Before they come back.”
Kim’ s words jolted Caitir into moving. As she grabbed the knife, a twig snapped and she dropped it barely missing the Empress’ bare foot. Both women froze and listened intently. Hearing nothing else, Kim grabbed the knife and began to saw through the ropes that bound Caitir’s ankles.
“ What are you doing?” Caitir looked at her in shock.
“Listen to me Caitir.” Kim sa id as she continued to work on the bindings. “Do you know where we are?”
Caitir looked around, getting her bearings. “Y…yes.” She whispered.
“And you know the way back to House Reeve, back to Wray.”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Having freed Caitir’s ankles Kim started on the ropes around her wrists. “Now, once I get you free, I want you to run for help.”
“What?” Caitir barely remembered to keep her voice down.
“I don’t know where we are Caitir.” Kim told her impatiently. “I don’t know where help is. You do.” Kim’s eyes bored into Caitir. “ You have to go find Wray and tell him what happened. Where I am. It’s the only way.”
“No! They will kill you.”
“ Not right away, they won’t.” Kim said, refusing to show Caitir how scared she was. “Fala and Gyula are going to want to have their fun first. That gives us time, time for you to escape and get help.”
“No, I won’t let you sacrifice yourself.”
“I have no plans on ‘sacrificing’ myself.” Kim said to her as she finally freed Caitir’s hands and started on her own ankles. “I plan on running. Now which way are the guards?”
"That … that way.” Caitir stuttered, gesturing behind her.
“ Then I’m going to run that way.” Kim gestured to her left, not in the opposite direction, but angled away from the path Caitir would need. “I’m going to scream like bloody murder so Fala and Gyula follow me . I want you to wait until you know it is safe then run for help.”
“ But…”
“ No buts Caitir. If they catch you, we’re both dead. You know that.”
“But if they catch you…. ”
“They won’t.” Kim hoped she was speaking the truth. Freeing her feet Kim stood and was about to hand the knife back to Caitir to free her hands when the unmistakable sounds of heavy footsteps could be heard moving towards them.
“Go.” Kim ordered and gripping the knife took off running , making as much noise as she could as she screamed.
“WRAY !!!!!!”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Fala froze at the female's scream, his eyes catching a flash of purple moving fast through the woods to his right. No! It wasn’t possible! How had the little bitch gotten free!
He immediately changed direction s and went crashing through the overgrowth after her.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Caitir stayed crouched down and watched the large warrior charging after the Empress. What was she going to do…
All her life she had to be hidden, had been afraid, of her father and other males. Only her uncle had ever treated her with kindness, as if she mattered, but she knew that was only because of her mother.
Until the Empress. She looked at Caitir and saw someone who mattered, someone who had value, for herself. She saw Caitir as an equal, even someone to risk her life for. Was hiding how she was going to repay her?
No! She would do as her Empress and friend had told her and find the Emperor. Lifting her skirt Caitir ran.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Tora froze at the female’s scream, his head jerking towards the sound, his eyes narrowing as they scanned the area. Where was it coming from? Zeroing in on the last of the sound, he moved quickly but silently through the brush. The sound of someone crashing through the brush towards him had him raising his sword ready to strike.
Caitir skidded to a halt, falling on her ass , in front of the warrior’s raised sword, her heart breaking because she knew she had failed.
“Where is the Empress ?!! Tora demanded. “Who are you?!!
“I… I am Caitir. The Empress’ clothier.” Caitir stuttered. “She ran that way.” Caitir pointed a trembling finger towards the river.
“Why aren’t you with her?” Tora demanded.
“She sent me for help. She knew if they caught us both we would be finished.
“Who!” Tora demanded.
“She called them Fa … Fala and Gyula.”
Tora stiffened at the names. They were the same ones that had attacked her earlier.
“Go!” Tora ordered shoving her down the way he had come. “Find the Emperor and tell him what you have told me.”
“You are going after them?” Caitir asked hopefully.
“Yes.”
“Please! Please save the Empress!” Caitir pleaded. “She is a good female and they plan to use her as they would an Auyangian.”
Tora paled, then flushed in anger, understanding what she meant. “GO!” he ordered then ran towards the Empress.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Kim raced blindly through the woods. What had she been thinking? She asked herself, as another thorn pierced her foot. She knew nothing about trying to evade warriors. She was a city girl. All she knew was that she wanted to survive. She wanted to be with Wray.
“Where do you think you are going?” G yula demanded, stepping out from behind a tree to snag her around the waist, slamming her back against his chest.
“No!” Kim screamed the knife falling to the ground.
“Yes!” Gyula said and wrapped a large hand around her neck, squeezing. “You will pay for what you did to us.”
“What I did!” Kim squeaked out, refusing to back down, even as she clawed at his hand trying to relieve the pressure. “ I did nothing! You are the ones that attacked me!”
“You are female! Non-Tornian! We honor you by using your body!”
“Honor my ass!” Kim hissed back at him. “You are no better than the Ganglians!”
“How dare you!” Gyula roared squeezing so tightly she was close to passing out.
“Release her!” Tora ordered, charging out of the trees, his sword raised.
“One step closer and I’ ll snap her neck.” Gyula told him, making sure he kept Kim between him and Tora sword. “
“Release her now and I will grant you a quick death.” Tora ordered.
“I think not young prince.” G yula told him, then smiled.
“Tora! Behind you!” Kim cried out when she saw Fala lifting his sword.
Tora spun around, barely blocking Fala’s sword in time, the power behind the larger, stronger warrior's swing causing him to stumble backwards.
“Today is an historic day.” Fala said, swinging his sword around in his hand, making cocky circles. “A Prince and an Empress are about to die and House Vasteri will fall.” Again, Fala swung and his years of training had Tora stumbling again.
“Just do it Fala!” Gyula shouted. “Stop playing with him.”
“But I wish to play with him.” Fala said shooting Gyula an angry look. “He thinks he is more worthier than us because he is Vasteri . Fitter! Today he will discover he is no different than any other male.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Kim couldn't believe what she was seeing. Tora was defending her! At least he was trying, but Fala was a male fully mature where Tora was still growing. She couldn’t let him sacrifice himself for her. Wray would be devastated if he lost him. She had to do something… but what? Maybe????
Going lim p in Gyula's arms, Kim felt his grip loosen, thinking she had passed out. Knowing she would only get one shot at this, she let her chin fall to her chest, then flung it back with all her might and felt the satisfying crunch of Gyula's nose giving way beneath it.
“ Argggg!” Gyula cried out and dropped Kim to grab his nose.
Gyula’ s cry had Fala’s eyes moving towards his friend for a moment and that was all that Tora needed. Lifting his sword, Tora attacked the larger, stronger male letting his smaller size and quickness work to his advantage. He sliced Fala’s sword arm first, then cut across his chest, catching Fala by surprise.
Fala stumbled back , staring down at his chest in shock. How had a male that had yet to see eighteen years been able to draw his blood and lots of it? Gripping his sword more tightly Fala countered, but found his grip slipping under the slickness of his blood coating the hilt of his sword.
Tora showed the male as much mercy has he would have shown Kim , striking as his manno and uncle had taught him. Each strike from his blade cutting deeper, drawing more and more blood until Fala struggled to stay on his feet. An especially deep cut across the back of one leg had Fala falling to a knee.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Gyula ignored the blood streaming from his nose and watched in stunned fascination as Tora brought Fala down. How was it possible? Fala was a cunning warrior. No one defeated him and yet Tora did.
Gyula needed to save himself. His eyes flashed to the female that was the cause of all his problems and found her inching away from him. Her eyes riveted to the battle taking place before them.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Kim ignored the jarring impact of her butt hitting the ground and dug her heels into the ground, scooting away from Gyula the best she could with her hands still bound. Her eyes moving from Gyula to the battle between Tora and Fala.
After Fala ’s initial strikes Tora was now coming on strong, battling back the larger male and she knew she was getting a glimpse of the warrior he would one day become. The warrior, his manno currently was.
Su ddenly she felt the weight of Gyula’s gaze and realized she’d made a costly mistake. She should have run while Gyula was occupied with the fight, now his focus was back on her.
Twisting around, her fingers dug into the damp dirt as she struggled to her feet and felt they curl around her knife. Praying to the Goddess for Tora’s safety, she took off running.