Sleeping Roses

Return to Rose Castle

 Kilan lay against the neck of his horse, half-in-half-out of sleep, his mind fogged and aching. He was watching trees slowly pass by; early summer sunlight trickling down on him as evening light bathed the forest.

He no longer had any concept of where he was – he wasn't even entirely sure he was awake. He could have drifted into unconsciousness again and this was another of those dreams that had plagued him for the last few days. Least this one had no demons and wolves leering out at him from the darkness.

He was almost surprised at his coherent thoughts, he certainly hadn't managed those last night, he was sure he'd terrified his horse with his incessant ramblings.

Eventually he would have to stop.

He had ridden nonstop for three days now. He had no food or money. His water was dwindling. He didn't know where he was... things hadn't been his grim in a very long time.

If only he had executed a smoother escape, but it had been vital to... remove that man from the situation. He couldn't have let that man return to Daily and inform him of where Kilan was in the country. It had taken such effort to lose Daily all those months ago and it had been by sheer luck one of his men had found him again. He couldn't have let Daily's man leave and tell Daily where he could be found, he wasn't willing to be chased again, at least not until he was more secure in himself and his possessions.

But he shouldn't have let himself be hurt in the progress, he was in no position to be hurt... and yet here he lay now, feverish, with a possible broken arm and probably broken ribs, without security or friendship.

And he was lost.

He had just let his horse wander and barely checked to see where he travelled. The animal seemed surprisingly sure in himself, contented to walk continually, not stopping for more than a quick drink when he could find it, pausing every now and then if he felt Kilan slipping, allowing Kilan to adjust himself with his one good arm.

At least until, some hours on, at the very end of twilight, Kilan's consciousness failed him, his muscles gave out, and he slipped from the saddle, slamming to the ground on his broken side and rolling onto his back, staring dazedly up at the sky, thinking the violet star-studded blanket above most pretty.

In a distant part of his mind, he registered a shout from some way off. Someone calling others' attention to him.

He vaguely made out the shapes of people on horseback, surrounding him, quick confusing words being passed back and forth.

His brow furrowed as he tried to focus on them but he was tired.

Someone dropped from his horse and sped to Kilan's side, crouching beside him.

"Mr. Denny, is that you?"

Kilan just started up into the hooded face. Did he know that voice?

"Mr. Denny, can you hear me? He's suffering a fever; we need to get him back as soon as possible."

Why did this man know his name?

The man looked down at him again and pulled his hood back. Kilan almost laughed at his own delusions as the stunning face of Beldon looked down on him. He barely looked any different from that short meeting all that time ago.

But he knew it wasn't Beldon, Beldon had made it very clear at their last meeting that he would not suffer his company again.

"Mr. Denny, can you hear me?" the man with Beldon's face asked again, "You're safe now, we're taking you back."

Kilan's eyes started to roll back in his head, exhaustion and pain giving him reason to escape.

"Kilan," Beldon said, right before he fainted.