The Princess's Servant

25. The Hope

The young prince had to admit it felt good to watch the princess scramble below him. He knew he was safe in the tall, lush pine — that his captor would not look for him up there. His time in his woods had taught him that people rarely looked up. 

It had been during their little tug-of-war that Holden had figured out the chain's weak point. Though the lock and the ring were both strong, the chain's attachment wasn't. Holden had simply jammed a stick through the link closest to his neck and twisted until the soft metal broke.

Of course, there was still the issue of the locked metal around his neck, but Holden figured that was a problem for a Wardian smith. All he needed to do was head home and pray his brother never found out about this embarrassing chapter of his year.

As he'd predicted, the princess and her footsteps and her calls disappeared deep into the brush. And after climbing over five trees, and waiting until dusk, Holden figured it was safe to come down.

The prince made the risky calculation to grab his pants — which had dried — and hoisted them on before starting on his way back to Ward. Though Holden was no expert navigator, he had read enough of the texts in his father's library to use the stars to head northeast towards his home.

He was not half an hour into his journey when he heard rustling up ahead. Sybil was his first thought. Marauders was his second, and so Holden shimmied his way up another tree.

He looked out ahead. He spied a lone rider with a lantern, and... He narrowed his eyes. Black and White! Wardian colors! Holden crept down a branch or two. Perhaps this person was a courier on some official business or some guard sent searching for him. Surely he would help his prince. Holden imagined riding horseback with a warm cloak draped over him while he chartered his way home. Tears came to his eyes and a wistful smile crossed his face.

Reassured by the colors, he stepped down another couple of branches. Soon the rider was close enough for Holden to make out his silky platinum hair and icey pale eyes. A chill crossed over his heart and he crept back up the pine.

Holden let the rider pass, his dreams of warmth and pony rides dashing by as quickly as the man. He tried not to think of why his brother's servant might be there, headed on his way to Lailoy, but it could only have to do with his absence. Had it been any other servant's face, Holden would have been elated to see it. But if Sebastian ever discovered why Holden had been missing, then his brother would learn of it. And if brother learned of it...

Holden shook the thought from his mind and climbed back down the tree. He watched as the light faded into the far distance and felt safer for it. Though the main road was a tempting take, the prince knew it was better to stay off the thoroughfares. Holden took note of the dirt path's direction and walked about a hundred paces to the left of it so that he could walk parallel without detection.

It became dark. Very dark. The waxing crescent moon started to set, and soon it would take the only real light in the sky with it. Holden wondered if he should set up camp; return to the main road. But he knew the princess could return with her dogs and her horses, and so he kept walking.

It was as he considered this predicament that he heard the pounding of the earth. Animal steps on soil, he knew. Had Sebastian seen him? He wondered. Had the princess returned? Holden had hardly time to face their source before he was head-to-head with a giant bear.

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