Kingdoms of Lies and Intrigues (Return of Vesna book 2)

Chapter 1o The Ever Changing Forest

Havah and Jutu shook by the embankment as the men recovered from their recent ordeal crossing the river.
Both women searched with their eyes while Erica put a salve on Estelle's smarting jaw, the blow from Xion evident.
"Any sign of them?" Cem asked worriedly, he had felt guilty for continuing to paddle the boat.  He only followed orders coupled with his fear to reach safety made him leave them behind.  At that moment he felt like a selfish coward.
"No." Havah replied coldly.
"Their alive, I can still fell Evaline" Jutu replied eyeing the young soldier with compassion.
"What of Xion?" Caspian asked his mother.
"She wouldn't let him be taken by the selkie, I suspect they are together my son," she nodded turning away to gather her things.
"Let's go search for them." Rufus suggested as he rubbed a palm against his face.
"We can't. We have entered the domain of the ever changing mountains, that includes this embankment. Our trail will be shifting soon.  It's best we continue into the forest up the mountain and follow the trail that will lead to the citadel."
"We can't just leave them out there" Rufus protested strongly.
"Once we reach the citadel, it will be easier for me to locate them with some help."Havah replied.
"I'm sworn to protect Lord Fenwick." Rufus argued, standing to his full height.
Havah cocked her head to one side, eyeing the stubborn soldier.  She understood loyalty and admired him for it but it was a foolish choice to take. "We won't find them and we will miss our trail.  Besides I gave Evaline an alternate route in case we got lost, I can sense her but they are far away, presumably on another course. I will need a portal to get them and we can only find one in the citadel.  I hope that satisfies you enough to realise you are not on safe ground."
Rufus lifted his chin slightly and glared turning to the others for support but they looked away. They all knew their mission and they had to fulfill it. Stomping away he went for his satchel and remained quiet as they all prepared for the next part of their journey.
Jutu approached Havah, "You can't just expect them to follow orders when you are not their commander."  "I understand you are agitated, just as I!"
"I have faith Evaline." Havah remarked with conviction.
"As have I, but does she have faith in herself?"Jutu left the question hanging between them as she followed closely beside Havah.
"If she doesn't then it's about time she did. Evaline is no simpering fool, her body will accustom to her magic eventually I witnessed her capability all she has to do is believe in it."
"Having her magic is one things but the rest of her is still raw, the life of Lord Fenwick is in her hands. "
"She won't abandon him, that isn't what she's about and we both know it. What bothers you?" Havah sensed a growing discontent in her friend.
"You,"Jutu sliced her a glanced as they entered the forest, following a trail of dirt road filled with fallen trees.
"Explain" Havah sighed reaching for the trail that would guide them into the citadel.
"You haven't been completely honest." Jutu continued.
"About?"
"Why your so eager to be in a place filled with danger, you know these people will be vulnerable."
It had crossed Havah's mind but she was undeterred. "These people swore an oath to their king to recover the abducted royals, those same royals may be in the citadel. It's our only chance to find out if my hunch is a fact."
"I sense that they are scattered." Jutu admitted.
"That too crossed my mind. The only way we can find out for sure is if we face whatever adversary we have head on."
"They are stronger than these mortals"
Havah paused and turned to her friend "You have me, don't doubt for a second........again."
"Oh I don't doubt you, I only question those you have placed your faith in to lead us through this journey. Things have changed since you left them and they have been betrayed by your kind," remarked sadly.
A queer energy passed within Havah, she understood what her friend was saying "Your right, I have no reason to expect anything from those I have left behind here but there is one I do know who has given me the strength to believe in the unexpected. If anything I do have faith in that."
Jutu grabbed Havah's arm, making the latter pause "Be careful."
Havah sliced her a mischievous grin. "Have a little faith in me will you?"
Jutu released her arm and nodded.
They continued following the trail in silence, they could hear whispers of various animals, unfamiliar sounds that made them look about.
"I wonder if she's leading us to our death?" Estelle whispered to Erica who walked beside her.
"That's a given, but we've managed to come this far, I doubt we are to sacrificial lambs," Erica replied casually but her heart beat told another tale. She couldn't reveal that to her sister for it would be placing them both in danger.
"Still, I don't trust her." Estelle continued.
"Neither do I but what else have we got. This place is unfamiliar, only she knows what to do here." Erica looked at the trees, they may seem like ordinary trees but she couldn't help thinking that they were watching her for some reason. The incident with the selkies was enough to sent a shiver of fear down her spine. She had heard of them but never actually saw one until that moment. They looked unbelievably beautiful yet they had a sinister intent that was so familiar. Knut was probably the only creature she seemed to trust in this forsaken land.
"This mountain we walk on seems so ordinary and yet she says it changes. I don't get how?" Estelle said.
Erica turned around, the trail was as it was so she shrugged. "We may not understand what she knows, but it's clear, she knows something about this place, it's best we follow her lead."
"I can help thinking about Xion. I hope he's okay."
"So do I " Erica replied grimly when suddenly the trees started to shiver, letting loose a flutter of leaves that fell to the ground. One of them caught in her hair but she ignored it, brushing it away when the ground beneath them shook slightly. Surprised she stopped, looking about her when Havah ordered them to run.
They ran following her lead when they were made to stop abruptly. They watched as Havah reached out and touched the bark of a thick tree.
Erica took that moment to look behind her and was surprised to find the trail had disappeared behind them, instead of trees there were corpses of bushes. Her eyes widened as she saw little animals dart everywhere before they disappeared into a corpse.
"Did you see that?" Estelle was panting holding on to her knees.
Erica could only nod her head.
"The mountain has shifted, the trail has changed," gesturing to the right she motioned for them to follow.
They started walking faster until they reached a fork. Havah stared at the crossroads looking about her in silence before pointing to the left and they followed her again when there was a tremor once more. They ran following her lead and once again they reached a fork of three roads.
"I don't understand it" Havah shook her head.
"What's wrong?" Caspian asked behind her.
"I've never encountered this fork before," she muttered before turning to the group. "The mountain is shifting from its center."
"Why?" Captain Jacob asked.
"I don't know, it could be a trick, they know we are here and close but something is making us stay longer." she revealed. "The shortcut I thought to take isn't there anymore."
"What now?" It was Erica that asked looking back at the copses.
Reaching out with her magic, she traced the symbol,of the tune on her arm closing her eyes briefly she reached out for the ley line that connected to her magic and ordered it to show her the right trail conjuring the image of the citadel in her mind. The magic pointed to the center trail, she gestured for the rest of them to follow walking swiftly before the mountain shifted.
They managed to cross into another part of the mountain before it shifted. They formed a circle around some cluster of trees looking about them in earnest.
"Are we close?" Captain Jacob asked he was starting to hate this mountain.
"It shouldn't be far if the tremors are becoming frequent." Havah replied.
Just then from behind the trees emerged several Fae dressed in armour made of bronze metal, their face were covered by bronze metal helmets with glyphs, they sat a on top of behemoth horses with the same bronze armor securely fastened around their nozzle. The mortals were surrounded each one unsheathing their swords as they faced what they thought were giant Fae.
They remained thus staring at each other for a moment, each one alert to the possibility of an attack.
"I suppose you could call that a grand entrance," Havah mocked as she stared boldly at the largest one who came forward with his horse.
"Your highness", he lowered his head, "Prince Damos awaits your return at the citadel."
"Why am I not surprised Clavius." Havah muttered
"Welcome home."
"Your highness?" Estelle whispered to Erica who only nudged her on her rib to keep silent.
Caspian turned bright unamused eyes at Havah. " Anymore surprises I have to be aware of?"
"If there were I would hate to spoil them," was Havah's only remark as they marched forward. Clavius escorted them while the rest of his men flanked the mortals on either side.
"I'm starting to get an itch at the back of my neck," Captain Jacob remarked warily beside Caspian.
"Get in line." Caspian retorted.
"Is that what she meant when she said friends?" Captain Jacob continued.
"I don't know her anymore.  It's best to keep your guard up just in case," Caspian warned as he followed silently. This did not bode well, he thought.
....................................................................
There was a rock pressing down on his head, the weight of it made him blink several times before he opened his eyes but he could not lift his head. He tried to shake it from side to side, feeling a sharp ache on the side of his neck. Lifting a hand he placed it on his neck trying to ease the pain when he felt a bitter liquid shoved into his mouth. He swallowed the vile concoction which allowed him to finally crack his lids open.
Groaning he turned to the side, feeling the throbbing ache on his head subside, managing to sit up he stared at the darkness before becoming accustomed to the shaft of light in front of him. Rolling his shoulders to ease the tension from them he looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings before his gaze settled on the woman that sat against the tree. She was doing something but that didn't catch his attention, it was her hair that spilled down passed her waist in mess.
"Where are we?" He mumbled rubbing the back of his neck.
"I don't know, but we managed to survive the selkies," she replied with annoyance.
Selkies.
Now he remembered, they were crossing a river that would lead to the other side of the forgotten forest. He looked about him sharply noting that they were alone.
"Where are the others?"
"I don't know. It seems we lost them."
Sitt
He raked a hand down his hair, he had to remain calm if he was to make any sense of where they were.
"How did we loose them?"
She looked up from what she was doing and glared at him. "You fell into the river, the selkies almost had you except I was dragged along. I managed to, " gesturing with her hands, "escape them, by the time we reached the surface, the boats had disappeared. I swam us to shore and waited until you could recover."
Frowning he pinched the bridge of his nose "There gone then," he stated
"I think we are at the base of the ever changing mountains. Havah mentioned that if we got lost we were to walk around the river and find the never ending falls or some such thing. That they would find us eventually."
Alarmed he looked at her once more. "That can't be good!"
"In that we agree," she stood, taking something from her satchel and handing it to him "Here, its some dried fruit. You need to eat something"
"How long have I been incapacitated" he took the dried fruit and bit into it. It didn't taste as bad as it looked.
"I lost count, perhaps several hours"was he perfunctory reply.
As far as he was concerned, he was stuck here in this godforsaken land with a seelie who looked at him as if she wished he could wither away. Something hooted in the air making him pause. If they remained in this area, they would be prey to just about anything.
He stood slowly, feeling every muscle on his body protest but he had to move, something told him they couldn't stay where they way any longer than they already had. His shirt was dry, tucked out from his trouser, he was missing his armor. Searching around he spotted his gear just beside her, against the tree. He took the steps forward, feeling the tension ease from his body.
"I suggest we start our journey then."
She turned to him incredulous. "In this darkness?!"
"I'm used to it. In battle we don't have the luxury of choosing when to make our move. We happen to rely on instinct and my instinct tells me we move. Now. Perhaps we can catch up with them at some point." He donned his armor and retrieved his satchel waiting patiently as she stood up.
Xion had come to terms with this nightmare the minute they reached Knut's camp but every time he thought it was getting closer to being immune, new levels of horror awaited him. He wasn't about to be beaten by them not anymore.
Evaline retrieved a map and spread it on the dirt floor she pointed to a few scribbles  and a long line.  "This is the river, we have to follow its trail and get to this point."
He turned to look behind him, seeing the moon shine it's light on the elusive body of water that spread before him.