The Prince and The Prowess

Chapter Three

The sun was nearly overhead when we returned.

                “Ness, where’d you go?” Dorian called out for his sister. The land was quiet as we waited for a response. We heard none.

                “Nessie?” he called again, his voice slightly unsteady. This time, I was on edge too.

                “Dory!” I heard her call. Fear was etched into her voice. She came around from the front of the house and ran straight to her brother. “They found us!”

                “Who, Ness?” Dorian asked, confused.

                “The soldiers! They know we were hunting!” she started crying into the fabric of his pants. Dorian looked at me and I looked at him. Within seconds, we were inside the house.

                Dorian set Nessie down and began calming her. I pulled the tattered curtains aside to look out the window. Sure enough, I could make out four figures walking towards the house. One of them was obviously a higher rank – his armor was green and silver with a tint of gold. Another two of them were clad in the general green and silver armor of regular soldiers, and they dragged a man between them. I squinted, trying to look at his face, but I automatically recognized his clothes from this morning.

                Marlock.

                Surely he didn’t know I was the Prowess? He couldn’t have ratted me out anyways, he was the Marlock. The soldiers didn’t bother him – he had so much money.

                I looked at Dorian, who was trying to pry himself away from Nessie.  If the soldiers got here, they would question Dorian, not me. They would ask him questions, maybe assume that he was the Prowess if Marlock hadn’t mentioned I was female. If they didn’t take him for being the Prowess, they would still take him for being a man. Years ago he had gotten out of the draft because he had just lost his eye, but now he was used to it. He could get around without it, and the soldiers would know. They would take him, just like they did my father.

                And he was really the only one I had left.

Dorian ran towards the window and pressed his face against it.

Just then it clicked. I knew what had to be done. Dorian had to hide, but I knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t agree with it.

I couldn’t see his expression because he was to my right and his patch was on the left side of his face. Still, I didn’t waver my eyes and as soon as he turned to meet them,  I could tell he already knew my thoughts.

His eyes widened. “Azria-.”

I grabbed the hunting knife that was strapped to his belt and held it to his throat, twisting his arms behind him. I would never hurt him, ever. But this was a matter of life and death for him – he could live with an injury.

He was much stronger than me and twisted away, but I kicked him behind the knees and he toppled forward. I jumped on him, grabbed some leather strips that hung from my belt, and began tying his wrists.

“Azria, please don’t do this!” he shouted, throwing in a couple swears as I violently yanked at his arms. He was bulkier then me, but I was swifter. I got his wrists tied just as he bucked and sent me flying off him.

“Your family needs you more then they need me.” I said, sitting up

“Again-! They’re your family –too!” he shouted. He kicked me in the stomach and I doubled over. I could see in his face he automatically regretted it. He tried to say something, but I jumped on him with a gag in my hands just as Nessie came running in. “What are you doing?” she partially screamed, looking dazed and afraid.