Between the Veil and Crown

Arvek 43

"Why did do you do that?!" Arvek cried. He jumped off his horse and crouched next to Selim. He was still breathing, but he was out cold, a welt on the side of his head where he had been hit that was bleeding.

Arvek looked up at the guard, who sat frozen on his horse, his mouth open in horror. Glae rode up behind him, taking a moment to assess the situation. He dismounted and knelt next to Selim, checking him over.

"Your Highness, I am so sorry!" the guard gasped. "I did not realize who he was!"

Arvek barely heard him. When Glae joined him he had turned his attention back to Selim.

"I think he will be alright, but we should get him medical care," Glae said. He straightened, getting a bearing of where they were.

"That kidnapper went that way," Arvek said sharply, pointing in the direction of where he had seen her go.

"It would not be wise to chase her here, sir," Glae informed him.

Arvek shot him a glare. Glae held up his hands defensively.

"We are in Ranger territory," he explained. "And she has been extremely helpful to the Rangers. They will not take kindly to her being chased and arrested on their territory."

"They are aiding a kidnapper," Arvek growled.

"I understand, sir," Glae said sympathetically. "But we have Prince Selim. Your Highness, please, the better option right now would be to get him to the eighth village. It is not too far from here, we should be able to meet with Prince Cor, and the village is not in tatters."

Arvek wanted to argue. He wanted that woman caught and held for her crimes. However, Selim was in need of medical attention. He looked back up at the guard, who was severely distressed for what he had done.

"Go back to the village, and bring the others to the next village," Arvek ordered him. "Make sure Rasinod knows that it is essential for him to be timely. I will go with Glae."

"Yes, sir," the guard replied. "Again sir, I am so sorry-"

"We don't have time."

The guard nodded and headed out. Glae picked up Selim and situated him on his own horse.

"Wouldn't it be better to use the one he was riding?" Arvek asked, reaching for the reins of the appaloosa Selim was on.

"Sir, I wouldn't," Glae said. "That's a Ranger horse; it'll find its way back home. They're very particular about their horses."

The horses were apparently particular themselves. Seeing Arvek's hand reaching towards it, Selim's horse flattened its ears and backed up.

Arvek pulled his hand back and went to mount his horse. Glae waited until he was secure in the saddle, then led the way to the eighth village. Glae kept up a steady pace, not going too fast so he wouldn't cause further harm to Selim. He continuously glanced around, as though he was expecting something to happen. Arvek wondered if it was perhaps the Rangers, and Glae did not want to be caught in the forest without their permission. He glanced back a couple times himself, but it was more to see if he could catch a glimpse of that woman, Amelia. He didn't truly expect to see anything, as she would be long gone, but still.

They were able to reach the final village before it was truly dark. The sky had gone gray and the suns were sinking beneath the trees, but there was light enough to make their away around the village. Glae stopped at the soldiers' encampment to inquire about Cor's whereabouts. There they had found that Cor had been taken in by the soldiers and was staying in one of their small bunkhouses, as the tavern was now overrun with evacuees. They were led to bunkhouse, being assured there was room there for all of them.