Valiant (*On Hold*)

7 Princess Again - Tyne

I saw the shock on my men's faces as I hung my head and sighed. The princess of Vyndoli was supposed to be dead, killed with the rest of her family. And yet she was here, a captive of Etel Albo, locked in a fortress where no one would ever search for her. Now that I knew of it, I had to admit it was a calculated move. The former princess could serve many purposes when it came to negotiations with Etzera or appeasing the people.

"Please," she said suddenly, fervently, her hand grasping my forearm and shaking to get my attention. "You must help me. If you are Vyndolian then I am your princess and I am in need of your service."

"You are the princess of nothing," I told her but I could not help but soften at the terror in her brown eyes.

"If you can get me to King Acton of Etzera, I will see to it that you are rewarded."

"King Acton?" Hawk asked, stepping forward, arms crossed. "Why would you run to him?"

She glanced up at Hawk as if she had forgotten him and explained. "I was promised to the heir of Etzera. Of course, it was originally supposed to be his brother. Alder. But the name was never written on the contract. Just the heir of Etzera. We have an arrangement. He will protect me. I'm to be his bride."

I looked up to find Hawk watching me. Calder and Wells were still staring, open mouthed, at the girl. I extricated myself from her, pulling gently from her grip, and walked to Hawk, leading him as far away as possible. The other two joined us soon after.

"I think we should do this," I said. Hawk scoffed.

"You can't be serious," he answered.

"She is the princess of Vyndoli. We are Vyndolians. It is our duty."

"We're patriots now?"

"We've always been patriots. She may be a captive now but there is no telling who she may become. We fight the Rirdans to save the Vyndoli. How can we leave an innocent behind?"

"It will sacrifice the mission," Calder interjected. "We won't be able to go to Etel Albo and bring the girl along."

I looked back at the princess, young and innocent, pleading in her eyes, and sighed. "Plans change."

"This is your chance, Tyne," Hawk reminded me, eyes narrowed and stern. "You may not get another."

"I will. Hawk. She needs us."

The men all exchanged glances and, finally, all nodded. We were suddenly in motion. At my orders and the information from the princess, Calder and Wells snuck across the hall to the room of a girl, a niece of Etel Albo's, who had travelled to the border for the battle, and returned with a set of Rirdan armor. We all turned away as the princess went behind the screen and changed into it. If we were to have any chance of escaping this fortress undetected, the princess could not look like a princess.

Once she was ready, we slid back into the quiet hall and made our way back to the servant's stairs. Silently, we made our way down to the first floor where I felt along the wall until I identified the doors to the dungeon and then located the entry to the trade room. We scurried inside and headed for the gate. I heard Wells breathe a sigh of relief but, just as he did, I saw shadows outside the gate and threw out an arm to still them. They all stopped and stared at the moonlighted entry. I could hear the voices just beyond.

"-don't know what happened to them," the first voice spoke.

"They would not have just abandoned their post," came the second.

I turned to look at Hawk who pursed his lips and reached for his sword. I did the same. The princess covered her mouth with her hands and stepped behind us. Hawk and I moved forward slowly, Calder and Wells falling behind to surround the princess, their weapons drawn as well. The gate began to rise slowly as the investigation of the men for their fallen guards continued. Hawk and I slid on either side of the gate, hidden behind the wall from the outside, and waited.

Once it was opened, they stepped hesitantly inside. We waited until they were a few steps in and then I nodded and lunged. My knife plunged into the neck of the first man and he fell to the floor in a thud but Hawk was a second too late and the other man had seen him. He swung his sword up to meet Hawk's and Hawk slashed at it hard so that it went flying out into the night beyond the gate. I stabbed the man through the back from behind and he fell to the pavement, groaning in agony. Hawk dealt a merciful blow to end his life and looked up to me for instruction. I took a step forward toward the gate but then heard the gasp.

A third man whom we had been so far unaware of must have seen the sword of his fallen friend and, before we could do anything about it, was shouting. "Intruders! Intruders in the fortress!"

I leapt from the traders' hall and slit the man's throat. His cry died with him but the alarm had already been raised. I could hear the sounds of footsteps as men ran toward us. I turned to my men. "To the forest! Quickly!"

They did not hesitate to obey, pulling the princess along as we fled for the trees. I held up the rear, defending them for as long as I could. The moment we reached the treeline, I felt the arrow fly past my left ear. Cursing, I ran ahead, leading the way to the rest of our party. They were waiting in the clearing precisely where we had told them. They understood the situation well enough by the way we came running through the trees. I called for my horse and it was brought to me. I lifted the princess onto the saddle and swung myself up in front of her. As the rest of my men mounted their steeds, I turned to face them.

"Which way is Etzera?" I asked to no one in particular.

"That way!" Wells shouted back. I whipped the reins and we were off.