October 23, 1345.
Cassidy's Fort,
The Queen's Mound,
Imras.
Princess Alyn Midika Tutton
Alyn looked around at the fully armed foot soldiers marching through the mountains to the Western pass. They had set off before dawn with her and her entourage; a retinue of maids assigned to take care of her every need and female soldiers, at the very middle of the battalion. Trust Hayden to trust his men with his life and not with hers.
Their's was a safe position because they would be far from battle if they were to encounter any resistance and at the same it was the most dreadful. They were pelted constantly with mud and horse dung and were on the receiving end of their smells.
The roads leading to the mountain pass hadn't been charted by a force this large in a long time so the roads had washed away and a carriage would have been unnecessary load. At least they had given her a comfortable riding habit and a well trained gelding that navigated the rocky roads with ease.
Not too long after, she felt slightly irritated at being treated as a little princess. It was her kingdom they were going to save so why would they leave her out of the plans. Besides she had crossed the border from Myknos into Imras on her own so she didn't see the need for this segregation.
Sighing pitifully, she resumed staring blankly ahead wishing to be anywhere but where she was at the moment. Hayden was riding at the far front with the generals and captains so she was left with women she hardly knew tasked currently with entertaining her even though all they did was complain about riding for so long and pestered her by asking if she needed anything. Yes they were only doing their duty but she was suddenly feeling like a prisoner again just as she had in Leithill.
They tried to entertain her by telling her stories about the land marks they passed seeming to forget her mother was Imraian so she knew all the stories they had to tell.
Resuming her vigil of the horizon, she signalled for a drink of water from one of the maids riding at her side who hastily passed her a wine skin smiling brightly at the thought of finally being useful.
Vanessa. That was her name. A pretty young maid around her age with long chocolate locks and small brown eyes. Her father was a groomsman at Cassidy's Fort and he hadn't been to happy letting his daughter ride of with some brutish soldiers. He had only agreed, reluctantly, when he heard they were to be accompanied by female soldiers.
She on the other hand had been more than excited to march with the army and was the only one of the four ladies with Alyn that hadn't complained once about being outdoors.
The rest had been in the employ of some noble ladies and were none too pleased about their new mission as they'd complained incessantly much to her annoyance.
Vanessa resumed chatting about how happy she was to be out of the castle with the other maids when sudden silence settled over the forest.
Her guards drew closer to her and forced her into a tight circle; her in the middle with her maids and guards all around.
An uneasy stillness hung in the air and Alyn suddenly felt like she was being watched by a thousand eyes. Noting the tense atmosphere, her gelding ears moved around fitfully, eyes darting about in fear as he anticipated what was about to happen.
Alyn noticed that the other horses around her became skittish, fear evident by their darting eyes.
She too felt fear sinking into her bones and her breath came in short reps that turned white in the cold mountain air. Nobody made any sudden moves but she noticed the soldiers had their arms wrapped tightly around their weapons and shields.
YOU ARE READING
A Kings Surrender
Historical Fiction"Oh really. I'd say you really enjoyed my visit." He said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He walked closer to her until she had to use her hand to stop him from crushing her against the wall. He bent his head and nipped a small line from her n...
