The Prince's Sacrifice

Chapter 6: The Sergeant's sacrifice

The ride from the Humans was lonely for Ryder, he had gotten used to Anisa's small noises. She didn't talk much, but then again Roland was quite strict especially when it came to noise. Maybe his parenting style was similar. Ryder shrugged to himself; it was none of his concern. Breely galloped faster than she had with the princess. They would reach Victor's castle in half the time, though they weren't headed to the castle. Riven had arranged a meeting place for him and Katheryn to meet Ryder. It would be halfway from the safe house and the castle, meaning it would only be a couple of days until he reached the cave that they were meeting. A feeling of foreboding came over Ryder, Breely sensed it too and started looking around for the danger. "Sorry friend," Ryder said calming Breely.

***

Riven hurried with his wife, half dragging her as they flew in the shadows of the forest. Both breathing heavily from the effort of fleeing. Men from the Brotherhood of Fire were behind them, but the cave in front of them held the promise of safety. "Hurry, Love, we are almost there," Riven breathed. Katheryn nodded too winded to reply. She was large with child so things weren't as easy for her, if not for her wings she would have been captured long ago in their efforts.

Riven spoke the ancient language creating a protective barrier around him and his pregnant wife. They flew into the cave that was to be the meeting place that Ryder was to rendezvous. Unaware of the danger that hid in the cave, they found out too late. The roar was deafening, shackles held the beast at bay, barely. There stood before Riven and Kathryn was a dragon, not fully grown but still powerful and dangerous. No fairy spell would help against this creature's magic, making the protection spell void. "How do you like my pet," a voice that was all too familiar to them asked. Despite their efforts they were caught and Victor did not look pleased with them. Glee showed in his features as he showed off his pet. He always was a collector of exotic things, a dragon was nothing but a new thing to show off and to use in the torture of others, specifically fairies.

Fear showed on Riven's face, but he stood resolutely. He would protect his family even if he died in the process. "I will take from you what you took from me," Victor said menacingly. Kathryn cuddled into Riven's chest, holding her belly protectively. "Shackle them," Victor ordered. His men surrounded Riven and Kathryn, shackling them to the cave floor. The metal burned their skin but they knew this would be nothing compared to the horrors that awaited them.

***

The air was charged with magic and smelled like Dragon Fire, a putrid smell of acid and burning flesh. The rancid smell alerted Ryder that something was very wrong, the smell was familiar because of his torture at the Brotherhood of Fire's lair, but there was a small difference. His scars itched and tingled thinking about it. This time he didn't feel the pain, only the memory of it. He looked around to find the source of the smell. There at the entrance of the cave lay two bodies, burned beyond recognition. However, he knew who they were. He didn't even care about a possible attack, he dismounted quickly before running to the charred remains of his twin and sister-in-law.

Breely stamped the ground nervously, this place held evil. She whinnied her discontent, but Ryder didn't move from his spot. Grief stricken, he held his brother's corpse in his arms, tears ran down his cheeks. He heard a moan. Turning towards the sound he realized that Kathryn was still alive, just barely. "We have to get you to a safer place," he muttered. Assessing the situation, he came to the conclusion that moving her might make things worse, since he didn't know all that had happened. The swell of her belly did not escape him, dread filled his heart, not another child that would need care.

Ryder looked around for a safer place to put his family. Finding with his magic sight, an alcove not far from the cave that held a deeper, safer system of tunnels than the current cave held. As gently as possible he lifted the charred body of his sister-in-law causing her to scream in pain. "Sorry Kathryn, I need to move you and the baby somewhere safer before I can begin to heal you," Ryder said gently. He understood her pain. Sitting her down as gently as he could on a slab of rock shaped like a makeshift bed, she moaned in pain once again. She was bloody, and in pain, but for now she was alive and he planned to keep her that way. She was barely hanging on and he didn't know if a child would keep her with them or send her to the Other World.

The makeshift funeral pyre crackled and roared the flames reaching for the tops of the trees. He had finally gotten Kathryn as comfortable as he could, now he was on a mission to send his brother to the Other World where all that died went. His brother was a hero and had died a heroic death. "Goodbye my dearest friend. My other half in all things. My twin. Goodbye Alyx Riven Grey," Ryder said through his tears. It was customary to utter the full name of the dead in a sendoff. He spoke the ancient language into the fire, releasing the spirit of his brother to the Other World. The fire crackled blue momentarily, a signal that his brother was truly gone. It was soon after that he done the same for Kathryn as well. Holding a newborn fairyling in his arms. He promised that he'd keep them both safe.