Without love no man is a king

10.

The prince stuck close to his new bride, sensing an uneasiness in the air, he watched on as they burned the body of the boy he'd killed ironically in the name of peace. Feeling Guilt at the sadness in his brides eyes that she was trying to hide. Cedmond saying it was an honourable death.

They packed up their things ready to leave, Inara appearing with her horse, her belongings in an animal skin, tied with rope.
"This is all you are bringing? We are not returning for some time." The prince offered to take it for her, she gave him an unimpressed glare, tying it to the end of a rope with a bag of food supplies, tossing it over her horse. All the royal party felt a pang of guilt and sadness for their new princess when her mother wailed and begged her husband to stop them taking her. She clung tightly to her daughter when Cedmond would not back down on his word. The prince stepped nervously forward. "I will take very good care of her for you. You will see her again. You have my word." He attempted to offer her mother some comfort. His mother spat in his face, ranting angrily. Inara stepping in, pulling her away.
"You tried son and it was a nice gesture, here, clean your face off."

"Mother..no go" Inara reappeared
"I understand she does not want you to leave. Are you alright?....Ask her please. Ask if there is anything I can do to help ease the pain for her or her mother."
"No" Inara sadly nodded in response "go now" she gestured "no safe" she shook her head.
"Tell her she is to ride next to me. Oh hello" he looked puzzled at an elderly lady hobbling over to them "for me?" He asked "oh for us. Thank you. Here allow me Inara." He tied the cape made of wolf fur around her, putting on his own
"It is a sign of great privilege" Beric nodded proudly "she is the eldest of their clan. It is a sign of approval. They have named you the wolf prince. A great honour in their culture. Wolves are feared. You killed three to save their princess. To them you Lord over the wolves and they now fear you. The wolves I mean.....ah as I say. Wolves" he smiled at two wooden carved wolves being gifted by an elderly man. "For luck, hand carved from Drecontonian wood.....this one is giving you the tooth of the wolf you killed, wear it around your neck for protection. This stone is the symbol for fertility. To give you many royal wolf pups" Beric laughed, the prince nodding away accepting his parting gifts.

They mounted the horses, Inara taking one last look around at the place she had grew up in, her home. Although her father wanted her to return, she knew better than to rely on his word or believe that it would be safe to.
"Let's go home" the prince rubbed her arm softly, the pair following the king leaving the safety of Cedmond's land. They trotted quickly without picking up too much speed, not wanting to seem too desperate to leave or fearful to stay.

They were nearly at the border when Inara trotted quickly to the front of the group.
"Inara! Tell her to stay close to me!" The prince complained "what is she ranting?"
"She is asking me to teach her a word...one moment please your highness, she is talking very fast. I am trying to keep up. ....oh! Stop. Danger." The linguist nodded smiling "wait are you telling us to...." he was cut of by an arrow hitting his chest, falling from his horse.
"Stop! Danger" Inara declared "Roland..." she rode back to him "Roland. Inara. Safe." She pointed in another direction "stop. danger" she pointed at the border "brother"
"Follow her" the prince demanded following his bride at considerable speed "keep up! She is fast!" He called back seeing men going down one by one "protect the king at all costs!"

Inara pulled at her horse , coming to a stop, gesturing with her hands at the prince. "This way? Alright" he nodded, carefully following her across a raging river, his feet disappearing in the water, looking back to make sure his father was still following. "Now which way? Through the forest? You are taking shelter in the trees, making it harder?"
"Brother...no" she shook her head pointing in the forest
"Your brother will not follow us here? He is scared?"
"Wolf"
"Alright" he nodded "go. We will follow. Let us hope this is not a trap." He looked to his right to see his father next to him "it does not feel like one."
"I agree, look, her face, It is worried, she is gesturing for you to hurry. Follow the princess!" The king ordered.

By day break they had reached a rickety looking bridge made of wood and rope, that crossed over out of Dreconton territory. One by one crossing slowly, hoping that the bridge did not give way. Once what was left of the party was across Inara dismounted, the prince following suite.
"What? What is it? My sword?" He asked drawling it "you want me to cut the bridge access off. Father look, in the distance, they have gone around and are approaching, swiftly."
"Get that bridge down now!" The king bellowed "well done Inara. retreat. Stay back. Remount."
"Inara, let's go." The prince tugged at her arm. She angrily pulled it away drawing her bow and arrow, shouting something across at her brother, he drew his bow aiming it at her "Inara! Let's go!" The prince demanded, dodging an arrow being fired at him.

"Death" she growled "no death. No peace."
"You will reignite the war we have only just started to try and stop! Tell her....darn it. We have no way of communicating with her! Father what do I do? Drag her away?"
"I think she'd fire at you instead of him...Inara. Peace. No death." The king placed a hand on her bow trying to lower it.
"He is your brother." The prince tried again "an arrogant, violent one at that, but still. You are too far away to do any real damage."
"Father" she growled not breaking her concentration "no death. No peace."
"You are sending him a message?" Beric asked
"Peace" she blew out a breath letting her arrow fly swiftly and smoothly through the air, hitting her brother in the middle of his forehead. She lowered her bow, watching his body fall forward and tumble below, drifting away with the flow of the water. She raised her head, staring angrily across at the men standing shocked, shouting something at the them, the men scrambling away. "Roland safe." She nodded at the prince walking past him mounting her horse.

"You are my wife not my protector!" Roland ranted angrily at her
"Father...brother....Roland danger!.....Roland Death Inara home.....no peace!" She argued back having no clue what he was saying only sensing his annoyance at her.
"You don't know that! Do not do that again!" He mounted his horse "let us hope this does not cause him to send his army our way again."
"Son, she appears to know something we don't. Our only way of communicating with her is gone. We have no other Linguists that speak Drecontonian. Inara? your father sent him to kill Roland? To fetch you back?" The king groaned in annoyance. "He put the stipulation in that if you died before your first child was born she would be returned to him. He never intended you to reach Erathern alive. We would still be bound by the peace treaty. Presumably he hopes you have seeded an heir on your wedding night. He was keen for us to stay longer to presumably confirm it. With you gone and an heir to Erathern in his possession he could rule both kingdoms after my death. Presumably this was his new plan, since he failed to kill you or the Quimby boy did not I should say."

"Is that it?" Roland asked "he wants you to return with my child?" He grunted frustrated, reaching for her stomach "this? he wants this?"
Inara slapped his hand away, grumbling in Drecontonian at him.
"I'm not an expert son, but I think that roughly translates to don't blooming well touch me without permission." the king kicked his heels, walking on. "We will travel a little further then stop. Let us hope he does not send more. We need to get to Erathern. You will be safer there."

"Thank you" Roland caught his bride up. "Forgive me. I know you are trying to help. However your brother...."
"Brother death king Cedmond. Brother..." she patted her stomach "Roland Inara....." she pointed obviously at her stomach
"Child"
"Child. Brother death child. Death king. No peace."
"he was planning to kill your father.....did your father know?"
"Inara Hunter. Inara strong."
"He told you to kill him didn't he. If he came after you."
"Inara Roland" she nodded at him
"Yes" he nodded offering his hand, she smiled taking it, riding along hand in hand. "We will make this work. I promise."