The Hibernian Runaway

Chapter 15

Lilly watched, suffocating on her tears as she watched the farm house burn in the darkness. They had found a small farm on the way to Redmont and ransacked it, taking the farmers in the fields by surprise. But in the heat of the fight, someone had lit the farm house on fire and the fire blazed hungrily from there.

Lilly didn't expect there to be any survivors, and they would have to sleep in the barn, which they had managed to save from the greedy flames. She finally had a chance to let all her emotions of the past months out. She cried for the people who had died because of her, she wept for the families that had been ripped apart, and she sobbed for the long chain of hardship that would soon follow her own death.

She looked at the flames and saw eight stumbling silhouettes, slowly making their way towards her. As they drew nearer, she could see that five of the Hibernian guards were escorting three prisoners to their wagon. Lilly, was deeply intrigued, knowing that they had to be very important hostages for them to be kept alive.

They tossed them into the back of the wagon and chained them together. One was a young, pregnant, blonde haired woman, hair streaked with ash. She lounged back, relieving the pressure on the baby in her womb. Another was an older blonde haired woman. She was tired, but Lilly could tell that she was very intelligent. Then she turned to the only boy in the group. He looked familiar, hair black and eyes  bright blue.

Then she noticed that his hair was stained black with the ash of the farm house and choked back a sob. "Nial!"

He perked up, seemingly drawing to the same conclusion. She hugged him, tears streaking the ash in his hair and his staining her shirt. "Lilly." he whispered in her ear. He trailed off, at a loss for words.

Then someone coughed and Lilly and Nial quickly detached themselves from one another, the soot hiding their blushes. The older woman was watching the younger with caution as the pregnant woman coughed again.

"I'm sorry, Lilly. These are two Couriers, Lady Pauline and Lady Alyss. We were on our way to Araluen to... but then we had to stop." Nial explained.

"It's okay, Nial. I asked you to do the impossible. I could never have asked for a better friend." Lilly said. "I figured that you would tell someone eventually."

"Nial," Lady Pauline asked. "Who is this?"

"Lady Pauline." Nial said. "This is Princess Lilly of Hibernia. "

Lady Pauline looked shocked, but the Courier in her quickly recovered. "If you're the princess of Hibernia, then why are you sitting here, chained with us?"

"They are not loyal to me or my father, King Sean of Clonmel. They're loyal to his treacherous wife, Josephine. They organized a coup, and they executed it early because I found out about it. And since they were early, they made mistakes that allowed me to warn my father. But he sacrificed himself to the coup so I would be able to get away." Lilly explained.

Alyss coughed again, and Lady Pauline stopped to make sure that she was okay. "Why didn't you come straight to King Duncan. He would've helped you."

"Would you have helped a murderer that killed a knight? And almost killed the king?" Lilly asked. Lady Pauline understood. "The Queen had a backup plan. She sent word ahead of me to Araluen, wanting my capture and I found that I could not do anything without risking the Hibernians silencing me before I could get to the King."

She paused and in the silence, she started to laugh cynically. Nial looked at her with concern. "Lilly...?"

"I realized how stupid I have been, and how right Josephine is. I didn't risk anything to save my father or my kingdom. I let them take it without resistance. I'm a coward, the daughter of a deposed king." She laughed, her words as light as the black smoke that blotted out the stars in the night.

Lady Pauline, Lady Alyss and Nial stared at her with terror. Everyone knew that there was a breaking point to everyone, and they hoped to god that Lilly didn't go past it.

"Lilly," Nial whispered, "I believed you from the beginning. And now these Couriers do too. They have considerable influence in this kingdom. We will try to help in any way we can."

"Thank you," she said, calming down. "I just hate them, but I hate myself. Because of me, too many innocent lives have been lost."

Alyss started coughing again, and Lilly looked down at her. When she could breathe clearly again, she said this. "If I know my husband. He already knows that we're gone and will be searching for us. And your husband too, Pauline."

Lilly looked at them in confusion. "Who are your husbands?"

They looked at each other and then started to laugh. Lady Pauline explained first. "Both of our husbands are Rangers, Lilly. And you've already met them."

Lilly paled and then blushed, embarrassed. "You're the wives of Ranger Will and Ranger Halt?"

Alyss nodded through another bought of coughing. ”And if they know that, our captors should be fearing for their own lives."

Will thanked the dock manager again and slipped him a silver piece for his troubles. Once Baron Arald had heard Will's explanation, he woke his best riders and told them to ride out to the nearest ports and tell them to not let anyone leave. Will also went, having one of the fastest horses in the country.

He had ridden hard through the night to reach Selsey, one of the biggest ports in Redmont. He had woken the dock master, and he was none too pleased about it. He only put up with Will because he was a Ranger and had instructions from Baron Arald. If he had been any other person, he would've ignored him.

Will sighed and patted Tug on the nose. He led him to the tavern stables and rubbed him down with straw. The little barrel chested horse was trembling from his long run and Will gave him an extra apple for his hard work. Tug nickered his thanks and butted his head against Will's stomach. Will laughed and scratched his horse behind the ears.

"Thank you, Tug." He said, the horse shaking his mane.

Tug looked up at him. "Happy to oblige. Can I have another apple?"

Will laughed and gave him a third apple, knowing that the little horse deserved it.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Will said with a yawn. He walked out of the stables and went into the inn.

He walked up to the caretaker and asked for a room, sliding over a gold piece. The man muttered something and slid a key over to Will. Without thinking of food, he walked up to the second floor of the inn and fell asleep almost immediately in the bed, thinking of Alyss.