The Sanctuary

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

The next morning, the troupe shuffled on. Edward had purposely ensured I had no role to play in their cleanup in the morning of their resting spot, also demanding that Samson accompany me in my apparent duty to protect the back of the travelling troupe. Samson gave me an apologetic look as he trekked beside me, shuffling along as quietly as they could through the Briarwood Forest.

I paid no mind to Edward. Even if he did feel as if I was not worthy enough to join the Riders, I would prove it to him eventually. I just had to deal with his snarkiness until then.

As of right now, my eyes kept on the prisoners blindfolded self. Edward was less than kind with the prisoner, yanking him through the pathways which essentially caused more than one tumble and fall. The only sounds that seemed to echo through the forest was Edward’s snarling commands. 

As I attempted to burn holes into Edward, Samson spoke quietly, “Did the prisoner tell you anything?”

 I looked over at the bearded man, questioningly. Despite the oddness of his silver eyes that they all had, he seemed a bit more normal looking than the rest of them. The ridged grooves on his face were hidden by the hair on his jawline, and his long dark hair hung to cover his face.

 “Sort of,” I said quietly. “He warned me not to trust the King.”

 Samson let out a quiet chortle. “That is well-known knowledge.”

I stared at my boots as they moved, one foot at a time. “Really, Samson? Is that something we know?  I feel like we’re walking into a trap.”

 “We know that.”

 “What do you mean, you know? Why are we returning the prisoner?”

 “It’s a chance we have to take,” Samson shrugged. “We cannot, in any good conscience, leave Saiyaran children in the hands of the Farsarian Kingdom. They will end up in the same decapitated form the other two were in. If they want their crown prince back, they’ll get him back. And even if he spills our secrets, it’ll take them at least a few months to find our hideout. We’ll be ready for them.”

 I could not help but feel a seedling of doubt spread across my chest. “We aren’t ready, Samson.”

 Samson gave me a toothy smile. “You don’t know that,” he grinned. “There were twenty of us who rode out to attack the recent Farsarian attack. We took down more than sixty Farsarian soldiers. We have the power, and we have the Briarwood Forest at our advantage.”

 I clenched my fingers into my palms. “But they have thousands of soldiers at their expense,” I said quietly. “In sheer numbers, they –“

 Samson put a hand on my shoulder. “We have a plan, Alaya,” He smirked at me. “You’d be surprised at how powerful a rebellion can be.”

 I was surprised at Samson’s kindness. With the rest of the Rider troupe treating me with a cold aloofness or even with the outward nastiness Edward displayed towards me, Samson’s light smile was a light in the darkness. I smiled back.

 Samson looked towards the horizon, towards the Farsay Kingdom. “I must say, I can’t wait until we battle,” Samson said lowly. “It’s been more than twenty years since I’ve seen my family.”

 I started. “They’re still alive?”

 Samson nodded, slowly. “Until I was five, I was raised in secret by my mother. In the shed, she kept me away from the rest of our family. Fed me secretly, came into play with me at times. Most times, I was alone. I got used to it.”

 “What? She left you alone in a shed? How could she-“

 Samson looked at me sharply. “She was a great mother. She was commanded to kill her own babe the minute he was birthed. On her way to bury me alive in the fields, she couldn’t do it. So she kept me alive, in a shed in the back. A shed my father never went to, the drunk that he is. Never lifted a hand in any type of labour work, so my mother knew I’d be safe.”