Tales From The Emerald Isles: Hope Chest

11

Ash stood amongst a sea of Hylaen soldiers, his sword raised and at Marric's throat; the man who was once his best friend; who had also enlisted the army of the Hylaen kingdom to murder his father, their father. This very same man was now agreeing with Euan, a boy who was by his calculations at least two hundred years old, and yet didn't look a day over fifteen; who had taught him to use magic, and revealed to him Marric's deceptions. They were both now speaking about him as if he wasn't there. As if his sword was not still at Marric's throat. They were both agreeing upon his potential to be a true king. Whatever that meant. I can't be distracted by this right now. I need to find Farrah. I need to deal with these soldiers. Then, I need to deal with Marric. Or, I need to deal with him first, then the soldiers, Ash thought to himself.

A scream broke the tension in the air and shook him free from his thoughts. Ash knew that scream. He had heard it before. He ran towards it without a second thought. He was able to see Farrah being dragged by her hair by two Hylaen soldiers. Ash released Marric as be broke into a sprint towards Farrah and the two soldiers.

"I've had it with this," Pike exclaimed as Farrah struggled in tow.

"This guy is soft. He thinks the prince is a true king. Caelen is the only true king. We came here to take the kingdom of Larutte, not give it up to the prince," Pike said as he jerked Farrah across the dirt.

"Fuck this" said the other solider, "Princess Farrah is supposed to be long gone. I've never had a royal lady before."

Ash's blade bit into the other solider's right shoulder, quickly finding his left hip,

"And you never will," Ash said as he kicked the other one in the chest, sending him backward several feet. Ash swept her up into his arms.

"Hi."

He smiled a big smile before answering in kind, "Hi."

"Are you okay?" Ash asked as he set her to her feet,

She kissed him, "I am now."

He felt a boot at his back as his head slammed into hers.

"Doesn't feel so good, does it lover boy?" Pike said as he planted his foot back onto the ground in stride towards Ash and Farrah.

Ash pressed his palm to Farrah's forehand. She nodded. He then turned to face the solider, "No, you're right, it doesn't .

You know what feels worse than that?" Ash asked as he readied his sword.

Pike smiled in return, "Fighting an army, maybe?"

One by one, more and more of the Hylaen soldiers began to surround Ash and Farrah. The jangle of armor in motion and that of their weapons being drawn could be heard as clearly as his own racing heartbeat.

"Farrah put your back to mine." Ash said as he scanned the area and the soldiers beginning to surround them.

She did as she was told, knowing that heir best chance was to stay close to one another.

"Odin, ready your halls for us." Farrah said just loud enough for Ash to hear.

"Let's not go and get Odin too excited just yet," Ash said just loud enough for Farrah to hear him.

You don't have a weapon?" He asked ,already knowing the answer, "Take my sword. I'll be okay with out it for now."

Farrah turned slightly to protest as Ash handed her his sword and sent a small burst of fire towards two of the men moving in on them.

"That's useful." Farrah said as she grabbed the sword from his hand.

"Where was that trick when we were making a fire that night?" she asked as she lowered her body just enough to center herself against the weight of the sword in preparation for the inevitable onslaught. Ash let slip the tiniest breath of a laugh as he attempted to focus and conjure the essence of fire in both of his hands simultaneously,

"I hadn't learned it yet. An unlikely friend taught me." Ash said as he threw one of the fireballs towards a group of the Hylaen soldiers, tossing them back a few feet wrapped in a blanket of flames.

"I cannot open the chest." Euan said, "But..." Began Marric as his attention shifted from Euan to the many soldiers gathering around at the other end of the camp. "You, solider, where are you going?" Marric asked as he grabbed a passing solider by the arm.

"Sir." Replied the man reflexively, "The prince sir. He's fighting with a squadron of men, sir, maybe more."

Marric glared deeply into the solider's eyes as he asked, "On whose orders? I gave no such orders."

The solider shifting in place, his feet wanting to join the others, while his sense of duty kept him at least somewhat at attention, and yet unsure how to respond to the man to whom he and his other brothers at arms were on loan,

"I. Sir... I don't rightly think any of those men care sir." The solider replied jerking his head towards the action.

Marric's eyes grew wide with anger, "Do you solider? Do you care whether or not I gave the order? Be honest solider."

The solider hesitated briefly before responding, "Honestly, sir? No. I don't." The solider responded as he ripped his arm away from Marric's grasp and hurried toward the fight. Marric released a ball of fire from his hand that raged and roiled before engulfing the solider. He fell flat to the dirt. He tried to roll the fire out, but it burned too hot and too quickly for that. All he was able to do was scream a painful scream until he was nothing more than a charred remnant of a solider.

Euan cringed at Marric's response to the soldier's words, "Let's go save the foolish prince, so that he might live long enough to one day be a true king."

"Aye" Marric responded with a nod he ran towards Ash alone, a gentle breeze blowing against his neck.