The Misplaced Prince[COMPLETE]

The Blazing Truth

"No one follows." Shrader looked around at his soldiers commandingly, then flicked his head towards the prospects that were lined up, "Take all the humans to the castle. Safely. I don't want anyone to be harmed...Understood?"

The soldiers stiffened and emitted joint shout of assent, before they marched towards the docks.

Tony and Dick waited until the Earl was out of his chains, before breaking apart from the rest of the group and making to follow Shrader, tugging a unwilling Earl along. Shrader paused to raise his brows at them.

"He's Joshua's brother!" Dick was quick to explain, "He's worried about what you plan to do with him. Aren't you, Rochester?"

Rochester opened his mouth to protest--Tony cuffed him--and he grimaced. "Of course." he said stiffly, barely moving his lips.

"I think he deserves to be there, Father." Tony said with exaggerated innocence.

Shrader regarded the brothers thoughtfully for a long moment, which ended on a short nod. He then shifted his gaze to Joshua, watching as the captain approached to open his chains. Joshua studied him openly  over the head of the shorter captain, wondering what was going on in his mind, and how he could protect Kasey from it. Shrader returned his gaze without blinking an eye.

It seemed that Kasey didn't consider herself in danger--the moment he was freed she tugged at him, marching purposefully towards the horses that had been provided for them. Joshua watched her, trying to detect any signs of fear, but there were none. So she trusted these people.

He shot a quick look around at the soldiers milling at the docks, and had to concede that an attempt at escape would be idiocy. He might have attempted it alone, but he couldn't do it with her welfare tied to his, after her attempt to add him to the prospects.

He fluidly mounted the horse, then reached down to offer a hand to Kasey. She had started to turn away to the second horse, and blinked up at him in surprise. "I am accomplished rider."

"Ride with me." his tone was simple, but broached no argument. He didn't trust any of them, and he didn't want her to be without his protection--whatever meager protection it would be. He wasn't an idiot to not realize he was outnumbered, but if there was a fight, he wanted to fight in front of her for as long as he could.

He didn't know what she read of his intent, but she nodded, taking his hand. He didn't have to exert much pressure before she was seated expertly in front of him, and he took the reins, turning to Shrader. The knight had been studying them quietly the entire time.

He didn't offer any comment, but instead turned, snapping the reins and setting his horse into a bruising sprint the rest of the horses followed.

With the pace they set, there was barely any time to study the village flying by around them, except that it could have been any ordinary village, were it not for flashes of the absurd here and there. Joshua saw a snouted woman preparing drinks at a stall, but a blink and she was a beautiful woman sending him a sly wink. There was a pub with floating mugs out front that the patrons were snatching before entering, calm as you please. And there were so many people who walked with a fluidity not quite human--and bloody beautiful people on top of that--that there was nothing he could pinpoint except that to say they didn't seem...entirely normal.

Soon they were entering into a more modern city, with cobblestoned pathways and stone and brick buildings, and a cleaner pine tree scent... and emerging in front of them, a tall castle. It seemed to appear suddenly, but was a massive structure nestled in mountains and valleys and seemed to be carved partway from stone of the very mountains that housed it. The countless turrets rose high up into the sky, the highest seeming to reach into clouds. From far, it seemed almost unreal in its beauty.