The Hunchback's Fairy King Problem ✔

20 WHERETO?

King's Hern's horse came to a stop before the troll marker. It took a moment to steady due to its rider's readied bow and arrow.

Sorem meant to let Vadde go, but instead, he clutched her tighter.

But that wasn't his only concern. Till now, he'd imagined something in the forest watching him. He wasn't aware of what but now he could see it. Eyes. Glowing red eyes peering out of the trees and grass.

Vadde swallowed hard. "Ogres."

Sorem looked from left to the right of the road to find equal numbers. When his eyes settled on the troll marker, he swallowed hard.

"They were following this thing; just like we were."

Letting out a gasp, Vadde declared, "We must warn the king."

A whistle zipped through the air and landed at Vadde's feet.

Sorem looked up from the arrow to meet Vadde's gaze. Her eyes looked haunted.

"I told you," she cried, "I'm not welcome in Rowil! I cannot return there."

Sorem tried to look back to the highway but there was nothing and no one behind them. Rescue was a long way off.

This time when Sorem let Vadde go, it was to hide his trembling hands at his sides rather than allow her to feel his fear.

"He's misunderstood us," Sorem attested. "We need only explain ourselves."

Vadde looked from the right then left before staring ahead. "It's an ambush. Once the king's men step forward into this territory, the ogres will kill him. And then they'll claim his kingdom." She whipped around and slapped Sorem in the shoulder. "This is all your fault. You fool!"

"What? I'm the fool? What king leaves his home to head an army!"

"The kind that has no choice!" Vadde darted towards her father, but another arrow sailed by. An entire row landed before her, stopping her dead. "This won't do. They'll waste their arrows." She turned back to Sorem and begged, "Listen to me. You must reach the king. I cannot. Please. Please go and warn him."

Sorem didn't dare step forward or back. "What?" Instead of listening to her strange plan, he raised his hands in surrender. "I have no lands," he found himself saying. From where did these words come from? "I am ruler of nothing. You ogres eating me will do you no good!"

Vadde's jaw dropped. "You bastard!"

Despite her insistence of standing in mortal danger, she ran forward. The arrows came but she cast one hand before her, catching all in her path.

A rumble from both sides of the road sounded and Sorem shot after her.

"Halt!" the king bellowed.

They were close enough to hear him as Vadde came to a stop. Arrow trained on her, King Hern swallowed hard.

"Yesterday, after I received a message about my daughter, I had but one thought. Was she well? That was all," he shouted. "I did not crave your presence. I did not wish for your return. I only wanted to know you were well. That you were happy. Within minutes my two sons took to fever."

Vadde's shoulders drooped. The silence after that gave her ample time to give her father all the warning in the world and yet, she did not speak.

"You have two brothers now instead of one," he said, "and the doctors say your mother's current pregnancy will yield twins and it'll be our absolute last time having children. I am an old man now, and I've done terrible things for which I am not proud. But if saving one child must bring the death of four more, what father could justify that!"