Archer of the Heathland: Intrigue

Archer of the Heathland: Intrigue (Part 3)

Rosland paused at the river while Weyland cut a barge loose to ferry them across. Once on the other side, he kicked it out into the current and let it drift downstream. With any luck, the men following might think they were floating downstream on the barge. Then he turned to confront Rosland.

"I'm not running on foot all night," Weyland said.

Rosland smiled. "You don't have to. Just a few more miles."

"Care to introduce me to our package?" Weyland asked. "I'd like to know why you tried to get us killed."

The girl's hood had fallen back as they galloped to the river. She was a slight child with dark eyes and blonde hair. He thought the child looked unwell. It could have been the terror of the night or simple exhaustion, but her face had a pallor to it.

"Let me introduce you to Princess Eryann," Rosland said.

Weyland smirked, and he shook his head in disbelief. "Of course," he said. "You waylaid me into helping you kidnap the Princess? I don't suppose we can just take her back and all will be forgiven?"

"I am the Princess," the girl said. She had that tone nobles liked to use on subordinates.

Weyland bowed. "I'm sorry, My Lady," he said. "I had no idea you were being kidnapped, or I wouldn't have helped."

"Then you would be no servant of the Crown."

Weyland stared up at her in confusion. Rosland laughed.

"My father spirited me away to protect me from the coup," the girl said.

"Coup?" Weyland said. "You've got to be kidding me. The Duke has got me messed up in a coup?"

This was exactly the kind of thing he had feared. A kidnapped Princess and a coup? It didn't matter what happened after tonight, some powerful group in Coll was going to see him as an enemy.

Rosland nudged the horse into a walk. "We shouldn't waste time," she said.

"I demand an explanation," Weyland said.

"Can you run while I explain?"

"If you can talk while you ride," Weyland said.

Rosland kicked the horse into a slow trot heading south away from the city. Weyland jogged alongside her.

"The Queen rescued me from a very difficult situation several years ago," Rosland said. "When she asked me to save her only child, I couldn't say no."

"I thought there was another child," Weyland said.

"The Queen is pregnant," Rosland said. "But she's not due for several more months. By rescuing the Princess now, we can ensure the royal line will continue."

"Would Geric have anything to do with the coup?" Weyland asked. He hadn't forgotten that the Duke's agent had warned him to beware of Geric.

Rosland scowled down at him. "I just killed Geric's uncle," she said. "He was leading the coup."

Things just kept getting worse. This woman was nothing but trouble. So why did he like her?

"The short fellow you killed at the livery wouldn't happen to be a noble, too, would he?"

"I didn't kill him," Rosland insisted. Weyland believed her now because that man had been killed by a professional. Rosland had killed in a clumsy burst of savage desperation.

"I have a feeling you won't be going back to Brechin," Weyland said. Rosland was quiet for a long time.

"I have no home now," she said.