17 October, 1345.
The sleepy town of Solen,
Along the border between Tyrene and Rothwell,
Wine center of Myknos.
Lady Odeya Katarina Black
Riding into the small town that had sheltered her mother the past two weeks, Odeya couldn't help but think back to their escape. She had never thought her mother capable of the feat she demonstrated but then again she hadn't seen her mother for a long time.
The wet mud on the narrow street sucked at Zara's feet making squelching sounds that interrupted the silence that bathed this small town.
The sun had barely begun to ascend from where it hid beneath the clouds but she had already travelled three towns. Leading an army was huge work especially when said army was a company of sell swords and cut throats.
Nearing her mothers hut, the maneuver she performed on the horse with the bow replayed in her head and she blinked off the image of the gracious Lady Dionea rumpling her skirts to end the life of three soldiers.
The hut loomed closer and the nervousness she had felt disappear after leaving her mother here resurfaced.
She had a lot of questions plaguing her, the most prominent of which was why she had waited until Odeya had come to escape? She seemed perfectly capable of doing that on her own. Almost too perfect. And from what she could remember hearing Roman say, her Lord Father paid her numerous visits over the years.
She still couldn't fully trust the woman to not be in par with her Lord Father and until she was fully sure she wasn't, Odeya would maintain her distance.
"Katarina my darling child. It is a rather lovely morning isn't it? Its a shame you wouldn't stop for tea before we leave. But you have a war to plan and little time for your own mother." The woman said coming into view donning a rather bright gown that was not at all suitable for a stealth mission.
Odeya could feel her eyes twitch with restrained anger as she had hoped to avoid speaking in general but it seemed the lady was wiser.
From the victorious smile on her face, she was doing everything to force her daughter to speak and she knew this time she'd won.
"Mother." Odeya said with a calm voice even though she was anything but calm. She didn't have the time for these meaningless squabbles, "Where is your riding habit?"
"What you mean those rags you got me?" Lady Dionea exclaimed in disgust, her nose rising in the air like that of a perfect lady, "I would sooner shave my head than be caught dead in those ghastly garments. When we get to a much more dignified town I'll purchase a new one."
"Mother!" Odeya called sharply like she was talking to a petulant child, "There's no money to finance your extravagant lifestyle. We barely have enough to pay off all these men."
She felt like she had been singing this same bloody song for a long time time.
It was always the same argument with them and it seemed the woman still lived in her delusions of grandeur.
"Surely you can spare a few coins for your mother."
"Your definitions of few and mine are quite different mother."
"You cannot still be talking about..."
"I surely am."
"Oh..." "You never..."
"Excuse me..." A soldier interrupted.
"What?!" They yelled simultaneously.
Everyone knew better than to interrupt when the Ladies were arguing.
"Pardon me general but..." He said with down cast eyes.
"Out with it man." Odeya commanded.
"Its better if you read the message yourself, my Lady." He said handing her the small piece of parchment.
She quickly unrolled the small parchment and perused its contents. It was from one of the spies she had in Stormhold. There was an attempt to break out Prince Nicolas by an unknown person but they failed. Although some knights and soldiers managed to escape. About a hundred strong.
She closed her eyes and attempted to calm herself by taking a deep breath like she always did when she thought of Nicolas.
'Who had attempted to break him out?' She wondered.
'He's alive.' Hee subconscious said gleefully.
'Who would attempt to...'
'He's alive.'
She understood why her heart rejoiced at the news because up until that moment, she hadn't heard any news about his whereabouts.
But knowledge of him being in the dungeons had changed everything. In fact it had made it a whole lot easier for her.
They needed him in the dungeon for her new plan to work and the news of an attempt to break him out set her on red alert.
Khasi would not take this lightly and she might move to make a rash decision. They needed to hasten their march to Rothwell being as inconspicuous as possible. But how soon?
She needed to meet up with the other self appointed generals and discuss this new plan. And she needed to discuss especially with Tamhas. She had given him an important task after they had separated in Amersham. A task she hoped he would have completed by now.
She needed to find out what had happened to sweet Princess Alyn. Khasi had been merciless in her coup and she hoped to God that the darling lady had been spared.
Guilt weighed heavily on Odeya's shoulders as she remembered how kind Alyn had been to her and she knew she would have never been put in such a position and neither would Nicolas if she had just chosen to ignore her task.
But what could she have done really? The war was inevitable. But still a part of her felt as if she could have prevented it.
It seemed Lord Felfar had a lot of tricks up his dirty sleeve. Tricks that were well guarded and only shared with his most trusted generals. Tricks she wished she could predict.
She wondered what game he was playing with Khasi because from all she had heard him say during her younger years, he hated all the royals. So for her to find out he was working with Princess Khasi, she had indeed been rather worried.
There were one too many games being played and somehow she had placed herself in the middle of it all by trying to save Myknos.
'Save Myknos or Nicolas?' Her subconscious questioned.
Nicolas.
Her heart constricted every time she thought back to his handsome features.
She had to get her army to Rothwell as soon as possible. She knew Khasi. This attempt to release Nicolas would cause her to send for more soldiers from Shiv'ra and it would take some time for them to get to Myknos.
Time she'd be sure not to waste. Taking a glance at the sleepy town all around her, she heaved a sigh.
Everything was going to change now. She mounted Zara and looked over the rest of the men and her mother.
"Mount up." She commanded, "We ride for Rothwell."
Another chapter done.
I hope you enjoyed it.
I haven't edited it so please leave a comment beside a typo you notice.
Thank you for sticking with me on this journey.
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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...
