In This Life And The Next

Aurora woke to soft voices in her room. When she sat up, she saw Ben leaning over Faye’s bed, a knife to her throat.

“Please don’t kill the woman who saved you and rode you into safety.” Aurora requested.

“She worked for Roman.” Ben hissed.

“I’m aware.” Aurora replied and sat up. She reached for her blades, slide them into place and reached for her boots. “But don’t you think she would have tried something already, when I was asleep?”

“If I were an assassin or kidnapper, my best opportunity would have been when Aurora was asleep.” Faye agreed. “Or any of a half dozen times. Especially when you were unconscious at my feet and Aurora was trapped underneath a man twice her size and defenseless.” Her words had their desired effect and she pushed Ben away. The sun was barely pink over the horizon.

“Any word?” Aurora asked Ben and went for the bowl in the corner of the room to splash water on her face. Chloe came in, coffee in hand. She took a cup from her hand.

“None.” Ben muttered.

“Not true. Darcie and Tara have returned from Luke’s keep. Or rather, Aurora’s.” Chloe said. “Everyone has arrived, in various states, but alive.”

“Hazel?” Aurora asked.

“Untouched, though not for trying. Come downstairs, both women wait to speak to you.” Chloe instructed.

The three did as she asked, trailing after her.

A blonde and brunette sat at the bar, bread in hand, coffee nearby.

“Darcie,” Chloe pointed out and the blonde waved her coffee in their direction. “And Tara.” Tara tipped her head in their direction. “As soon as you arrived, I sent them to the keep. They spoke to Laura and Hazel.”

Hazel was the first to arrive with Marc who had a crossbow bolt through his shoulder. He lost blood but not enough to be concerned of. Luke’s physician patched him together and they waited only on Aurora and Ben to arrive. According to Hazel, they fought their way through more groups of men than she cared to count. According to Luke, when they arrived, she was so soaked in so much blood that he was sure she was dying and a redhead.

Laura was the next to arrive with Earl. Possibly because Marc and Hazel had killed everyone, they arrived without any trouble. Luke immediately handed over control of the keep to Laura. She had armed everyone and left only scant volunteers in the nearby villages. Everyone else was armed and pulled into the keep. The villagers were instructed to help Aurora and whoever she arrived with, by royal decree. Now that they had arrived, they were to make for the keep. Word was spreading through the villages and those few that remained in the other villages had started for the keep the night previous.

Ben and Aurora shared a look after Darcie and Tara finished telling them what they knew.

“We need to go.” Ben said.

“Now.” Aurora agreed.

Claire, Hannah, and Lisa met them at the stables and they mounted their horses. They were only a short ride from the keep. Ben took point and the others surrounded Aurora as they made for their destination.

When they broke the treeline, the keep rose in the distance. The bridge was drawn but there was plenty of time-

“Faster!” Faye yelled from behind her.

Aurora turned and saw a group of men break from the treeline as well, flanking them. Their cloaks were the deep purple of Roman’s men.

Aurora urged the horse beneath her faster. Darcie drew up next to her and urged her on. Claire was clinging to her. She ducked when she heard an arrow fly by her head.

“Go! Go!” Aurora yelled. Darcie leaned in close to her horse and urged it faster. Tara fell into place by her, then Hannah and Lisa.

Aurora could hear the men behind her, the snap of their cloaks, their voices urging their horses on. Hannah and Lisa glanced behind, with Hannah’s hands on the reins. Lisa had a sword in one hand and swung at any man who came too close.

And they were very close.

Aurora could feel her horse growing weary beneath her. She didn’t blame him. It had been a very long few days. She urged him on anyway when she looked down and realized that there was a bolt through her horse’s left flank. She looked up in time to see Faye pass her, her eyes wide on her.

Then another bolt brought her horse down and threw Aurora into the air.

***

Liam and Alec were seated and eating when Neil arrived, Cole and Harry close behind, but not too close. Alec gestured to the seat across from him and Neil sat. He plucked a piece of roasted meat and poured himself a cup of wine without asking and began to eat with the princes. Cole and Harry sat at Corbett’s table and each only took a cup of water.

After a moment, Alec sat back, wiped his mouth and finished his wine.

Neil did the same but reached for a piece of bread.

“We found the traitor.” Alec said.

“So you called me.” Neil remarked.

“Yes.”

“I’m honored.”

Alec rolled his eyes. Liam continued to eat.

“I want to know what he knows.” Alec ordered.

“And you will.” Neil replied. “What methods am I allowed?”

Alec looked to Liam and Liam chewed thoughtfully for a moment. “At your discretion.” Liam finally said.

“Is this immediate or might I finish?” Neil asked and gestured to the food.

“When you finish.” Alec replied. He sat back and let his eyes drift across the map that was pinned on the wall of his tent.

“Something troubling you, Your Highness?” Neil asked and poured them both some more wine.

“Only the war.” Alec replied, his mind still drifting over the fact that Roman was destroying the land he wanted to rule. He picked up his cup and took a drink. “Why would he burn everything to the ground? Destroy the crops?”

“Because he’s... mad?” Liam guessed. Neil pushed over the cheese and bread to Alec. Harry and Cole stood and drifted closer, despite the fact that they were terrified of Neil.

“That’s not reason enough. He knows that he cannot take this place by force.” Alec muttered.

“That’s why he sent so many of his best after the Princess.” Neil stated. “A sad underestimation of her character that she and her ladies will soon rectify, I hope.”

Alec hummed.

“The Prince would prefer the men not be so near our sister.” Liam said pointedly.

“He has been rising in power.” Cole interrupted suddenly. “Every word that we receive tells us that he gathers his power by on querying the lands near him and that our country is the only one large enough and organized enough to make a stand against him.”

Alec had heard the same thing.

“He would be most assured the throne, with no threat, if he married and had a child with the Princess. He could rule much the way the Queen has.” Harry interrupted.

“As regent.” Liam guessed.

“Unless-” Neil spoke up and everyone turned to him. “The child were to die and the next child of the Princess would be next in line to rule and Roman kept that power until the child came to age.” He paused and looked from Liam to Alec. “And so on and so forth. You get the picture.”

“It’s an old law.” Liam muttered.

“But Roman would have to kill all three Princes before he could have claim to the throne.” Corbett pointed out.

“I don’t believe he would have an issue with that, darling.” Neil remarked and wiped his mouth. He stood and nodded to Alec. “Will you be joining me?”

“Soon.” Alec muttered and looked around. “Harry and Cole will go with you to-”

“Supervise?” Neil asked.

“Take notes. I can only ask you to do so much.” Alec replied, a grim smile on his face. “Corbett, I need you to get Victor for me. Quickly.”

Corbett left the tent and Neil picked up a case that he had near his feet, nodded at the Princes and left. Cole and Harry exchanged a flat look and followed him out.

When Corbett returned with Victor in tow, Alec pulled him into the tent and over the table where Liam was still seated.

“Go to Caspian. Make sure that he received Liam’s message and bring him back with you personally.” Alec whispered.

Victor bowed his head. “Alone?”

“Take only a small contingent.” Alec muttered. “Only those that you know you can trust.”

“Sire.” Victor said and bowed before he left.

“You don’t think-” Liam started.

“If you had a mole in your soldiers, why couldn’t he have more, amongst my own? What if Brad got word out?” Alec wondered out loud. “I imagine your message was sent urgently enough and Caspian is not one to dawdle. Not when it comes to you, anyway.” Alec said and spun a knife in his hand. “It would be easiest to pick Caspian off first. He hasn’t been in charge of a march before. Less experience without us there.”

“Roman divided his forces?” Liam questioned. “That seems-”

“Unwise.” Alec replied. “Unless he was sure that he could get what he wanted.”

“What if-” Liam started and stood.

“What if we weren’t the bait? What if the three of us on the field didn’t matter?” Alec muttered and stood.

Liam and Alec stared at each other.

“Kill Brad.” Alec ordered. “He was merely a distraction. Order all the troops to pull back. Kill if they must, we are no longer marching north.”

Liam stood and left the tent.

Alec looked around his tent and pulled on his cloak, set his crown on his head. He gathered Raven who was grazing nearby and headed for the main part of the camp where most of the soldiers were gathered, waiting orders from the Prince.

They were turning from the main contingent of Roman’s army in the north. Alec shouted his orders to pull camp, to ready themselves for the march south.