The General and the Princess

Chapter 27 || Kiva

"Just one more time, and don't scream. No one will ever hear you. You won't tell, will you? They won't believe you. You won't whisper a word except my name."

Kiva awoke with a blood curdling scream. He was so real, looming before her in her dream. Eyes dark. Ravenous. He's still here. I can feel it. He never left. He's been here the whole time. The image of his eyes watching her even now from the darkness of the night forced her to the edge of the tree home where she vomited unscrupulously over the side. She fell to her side, clutching her stomach. It took her a few moments to realize he wasn't there, that the dream was over, that she was safe. But she could still feel him; she could feel his hands holding her tightly and the repeated slaps when she struggled. She remembered the bruises on her arms from where he'd pinned her against the wall; they had been the only physical evidence of his abuse but the easiest to heal. He always seemed nearer when the darkness blanketed her.

She also realized that torches were being lit all across Mevyl and people were rushing about frantically. Are we being attacked? Justyn had been sleeping on the floor above and now lowered himself down the rope ladder, scabbard in hand.

"What's going on?" Kiva whispered, trying to ignore her rolling stomach.

"Are you alright?"

She didn't want to tell him the truth. She wasn't alright. Her dreams were haunted. She could barely sleep. She was afraid, all the time.

"Just a bad dream, sorry if I woke you."

"It wasn't that, Inver's conducting a drill...you didn't hear the bugle?" He eyed her although Kiva tried to disguise her expression in the darkness.

"No," she murmured, casting her eyes to the wooden floorboards below her.

"Kiv-" Justyn reached out to grasp her arm.

"I don't want to talk about it. We need to follow Inver's drill plan, this is the first we've had at night. I'm sure there are many who need our assistance."

Kiva was tired of talking about the past and it was easier to lie, to pretend she was fine. She pulled on clothes, but before she could strap on her sword and grab her bow, Justyn was gone.

Kiva spun in a circle, trying to surmise where he had gone; she looked to the ground in time to see him jumping off of the rope ladder, "Justyn! Where are you going?"

He turned to look at her, expression stricken. "I'm going after Wyn, there's no one to take her to safety."

Kiva felt an unwanted pang of jealousy but pushed it aside. Being alone is easier. Kiva finished her final preparations and then scrambled down the rope ladder. Her station was with the regiment of archers that faced east, one of four regiments posted in each direction to defend against the attack. Once all of the Lavri Resistance had found their places, Inver would inspect them and he and several council members would adjust the evacuation plan. If Vinrys attacked by surprise, these drills would ensure that they were prepared to defend his attack.

By the time Kiva reached her post, most of the archers were already there. Between her screams, vomiting, and abandonment, Kiva was nearly late; luckily, the archers under her command said nothing. Kiva counted her ranks as the stragglers wandered in. Only two had forgotten their bows in the madness, and Kiva had thought ahead to store a few in case. After reminding them to do better next time, her regimen was prepared. Were Vinrys to attack from this side of Mevyl, they would greet him with a bevy of arrows.

While waiting, Kiva huddled against a nearby tree. It was some time in the late hours of the night; the sky was still black and not even a yellow tinge hinted at the coming of morning. The wind was eerie in the darkness, howling through the trees like an angry warlock. As Kiva leaned against the tree, exhaustion from too many insomnia-haunted nights wrapped her in a cocoon, and she closed her eyes. He was there. His name was on the wind.