Prince of Dragons

Chapter 19 - On the run

As Bedreigh and Vaciana crawled out from under the canvas, suddenly, a guard hurried towards them. He pointed a spear at them.

"Now get up very carefully and put your hands in the air," the guard said.

Bedreigh and Vaciana looked at each other. They obeyed.

"Look out!" Vaciana called out. "That eagle is going to attack you!"

The guard looked at her. "You didn't actually think that was going to work, did you?" he asked, laughing.

Bedreigh smiled. The guard's attention was now focused on Vaciana and he took advantage of the opportunity to trip him. The guard grunted as his back hit the ground. In surprise, he lost grip on his spear and it fell on the ground.

Bedreigh quickly bent over to pick up the weapon and said to the guard, "We didn't. But in the end, you did get distracted, didn't you?"

He grabbed Vaciana by the arm and they ran into the forest, disappearing behind the trees. They heard the noise of guards coming after them, but they were already out of sight.

———————————————————————-

"What's happening outside?" Enorwin wondered aloud. Earlier, he had heard a rumbling, thundering noise, and now all he heard were panicked people and Servants barking orders at others.

"Chaos," Carlard said. "I don't know what caused it and I don't like to speculate."

"I hope one of the others will manage to escape," Enorwin said. "Bedreigh, perhaps. At least he's loyal."

"You have an interesting definition of loyalty, Sir Enorwin," Carlard said. "The boy betrayed me."

"Because you forced him to do things he couldn't do," Enorwin said accusingly. "His conscience told him not to kill us, and he rightfully held his conscience before you."

"Lord Darfith has little need for consciences," Carlard said. "He requires obedience."

"The same obedience you were in the end unable to provide him with," Enorwin said. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be imprisoned now."

"That was because someone else failed to complete the assignment I'd given them," Carlard said.

"Oh?" Enorwin asked, suddenly curious. "What kind of assignment?"

"That's none of your business," Carlard said.

At that moment, Enorwin heard a rustling sound as someone crawled into the tent from behind. He tried to look over his shoulder past the pole, but it did not go as well as he had hoped. He caught sight of a hint of dark blonde hair.

"Sir Enorwin?" Bedreigh's voice asked.

"Bedreigh!" Enorwin said, surprised. "How did you escape?"

"Vaciana and I made the tent collapse," Bedreigh said. "We reached this tent using the forest as a cover. We took a pretty large detour." He knelt down beside the pole and began to untie the ropes with which Enorwin had been tied up.

In the meantime, someone else – probably Vaciana – had entered. And it was then that Carlard said, "I see that you have also thrown in your lot with prince Enorwin, Vaciana?"

"I was never loyal to you in the first place, Carlard," Vaciana said.

"Loyal?" Enorwin asked, and repeated, more angrily this time, "Loyal?"

"Did she not tell you she was originally asked by me to track you down?" Carlard asked. "Vaciana, Vaciana, why the secrecy?"

"I did not intend to go through with it," Vaciana defended herself.