No Land for Princes(s) (ONC2024 Entry)

Chapter Nine: Fugitives and Rebels

"She was chestnut brown with a shock of white running down her side and a trot like no other," Taeyang moaned.

"Can you give it a rest!" Rocio snapped. "We get it. You left your beloved horse behind. We all did."

"But she was my special girl."

"Well she's gone, but we still have Strider." Rocio patted the rump of the swigong walking beside her.

The black-winged bird snapped at her with its massive broad beak and she jumped back to avoid losing fingers.

"I spent six months and two bags of gold training her to count and to prance."

"We know!" Rocio hurried past Strider to catch up with Taeyang. "Old Liang will take care of her until you come back."

"Unless he sells her," Candle-Eyes added as he returned. He'd gone back to see if they were being followed.

Taeyang cried out and resumed recounting all of the wonderful things his beloved horse could do. Chaleek and Jieun closed in on Candle-Eyes.

"What'd you see back there?" Chaleek asked.

"No signs of pursuit yet." The man with the strange eyes rubbed the black stubble of his chin. "Once it's dark we leave the main road. They'll be hard-pressed to find our trail... assuming they haven't already."

The order to close the city gates had arrived just as they'd slipped through. The guards stopped the people behind them and forced them to wait as the massive metal portals had been slammed shut. If they'd gone to the stables to retrieve their horses, they would have been trapped inside Black Fox. If Candle-Eyes hadn't guided them through the city's side streets with such expertise, they couldn't have beat the messengers to the wall.

No one had galloped out of the city to capture them so they were likely believed still within.

"It will take your pursuers a few days to be sure you've left Black Fox."

Just after nightfall the troupe followed Candle-Eyes' suggestion and left the main road for a more scenic path. His large eyes shone like dim candles in the dark, just like the goblins in Jieun's dreams. He guided the way and, after another hour of walking, they found a serviceable clearing. This was not The Peach Forest and wild food was much harder to come by. Thankfully, Strider had been loaded with supplies and had been waiting with a groom close to the city's southern gate or they would have left the ornery bird as well.

They set up camp and a small fire. Taeyang cooked while the others tended their gear. Jieun unslung the travel pack she'd purchased after leaving Coco's and divided the contents of her bundle into two piles. The adventurers paid her little mind, but Chaleek watched with curiosity. When she was done, she slid the larger pile over to him. Curiosity turned to pleasant surprise.

When he found the strap and scabbard for his blade and the slightly used leather tunic, she saw true joy on his face. His stoic mask returned when Candle-Eyes started watching him from across the fire. Jieun returned her much smaller bundle of gear to her pack and added a second knife to the sleeves of her tunic.

"Be careful no one catches you with that," Rocio remarked without looking up from her own knives.

"I've never understood why Switang women are not allowed to own weapons," Chaleek said.

"It's because of The Charred Berry Rebellion," Taeyang said, looking up from his small cook pot.

The big brutes nodded their agreement, yet Chaleek showed no recognition. Taeyang shook his head pityingly.

"Three generations ago—"

"Four," Rocio grumbled. "If you must make a tale of it, tell it properly."