The Sentinel of Cassendar: Resquarian

Galen threw his hand out causing a large block of snow to fall on several of the Navalian soldiers in front of him. He turned and moved his sword to meet another solider who was coming at him. Blocking the man’s thrust, Galen moved his sword down and found his opening, plunging the sword into the man before he turned to meet another. In the dark night, lit only by the half moon and the fires that burned around him, Galen kept moving finding his enemies, only sometimes aware of his friends that fought around him.

Galen threw a harsh wind at three soldiers sending them flying into the trees. He turned and found himself face to face with both Bax and Bolton. They grinned at him as they raised their swords. Galen thew out his hand, sending a blast of fire, but they both crossed their arms, blocking the flames and sending them to their sides. Bax moved forward and struck out with his sword, Galen blocking it before having got turn swiftly to block Bolton’s sword as it came towards him.

Galen fought both of them, his sword meeting each of theirs in quick successions as he moved some snow to stop two other soldiers who came towards him. He moved wrong once, and Bolton managed to scrape his arm, causing a line of blood to form and drip down. Galen managed to push them both away as they struck at him at the same time and he blocked them. He retreated a few steps back, swiping at his arm, wiping the blood away.

Both, Bolton and Bax moved towards him, their swords ready. Galen gathered himself, ready to fight when he saw Tomas move behind Bolton. Tomas grabbed Bolton and with hesitation, slit his throat, throwing him down and turning to face Bax. Bax looked down at his friend horrified as Bolton lay on the ground twitching with blood pouring out of the gash on his throat. Tomas moved forward to attack Bax when a strong wind hit them both, sending them flying towards Galen. Galen reach out his arm and caught Tomas, both of them falling into the snow as Bax flew past them into the trees beyond.

Tomas stood up and helped Galen to his feet. They both looked to see more Navalian soldiers coming their way, probably much more than their small group could handle. Lord Ethen came running over to them, his sword red with blood.

“We have to find a way out of here, Galen,” said Lord Ethen. “We can never beat them all.”

“No, you cannot,” said Valian as he hobbled over, his leg seeming to have been hurt somehow. “You need to take the young ones and go find the High Captain and Roderick. Let me and my fellow Elites cover you.”

Galen looked over to see Cian and Justin fighting as the new group of soldiers came closer. Darron who had hovered at the back of the first group, joined the new line coming forward.

“If we leave you, you will not make it,” said Lord Ethen.

“If you stay with us, we will not make it, but with my plan, you at least get out of here alive with the future of the Sentinel,” said Valian as he looked at Galen and Tomas. “Grab Cara on your way, get out of here.”

“It doesn’t feel right,” said Lord Ethen.

“It is right. It is what I and my fellow Elites signed up for, to give our lives for our kingdom, our High Captain, and the Cassendars. Our queen will need Siccaria on her side, my lord. She will need you. Now go, I can guarantee I speak for those two Elites out there.”

Ethen looked over at Justin and Cian who had done away with the soldiers in front of them, ready to move on to the next fighters coming their way. Valian nodded to Lord Ethen and then hobbled over quickly to join his fellow Elites, his sword raised and ready.

“The Sentinel stands true,” said Valian as he looked at the two men.

They both looked back at Lord Ethen, Galen, and Tomas before they nodded at Valian and shouted, “Because the High Captain is strong and just.”

They moved to meet the coming soldiers as Lord Ethen pushed Galen and Tomas forward towards their horses. On the way there, Tomas grabbed Cara who had just taken down two men with her sword. She hesitated for one moment, looking towards were Valian and the Elites were fighting before she ran beside Tomas towards the horses. They all mounted and Galen watched as Lord Ethen took one more look at Valian, Cian, and Justin as they fought bravely and fiercely surrounded by Navalian soldiers and disgraced Elites.

He shook his head and then turned his horse. “Come on Galen, we cannot dishonor their sacrifice by being caught,” said Lord Ethen as he kicked his horse and took off. Galen, Tomas, and Cara both did the same and rode after Lord Ethen.

The rode through the night, not daring to look behind them or stop for a long while, making sure they had enough space between them and the palace, to make coming after them and finding them practically impossible. Ethen led them on the same path they came in, moving through trees and leaping small frozen streams. They stopped once after two hours of riding to let the horses rest, and catch their own breaths. Galen hopped off his horse after giving it a grateful pat. He had not gotten a chance to have a horse choose him even though he was an Elites. The one with him had served him since he first came to Navalia, and he wasn’t sure he could find a better animal even if he was allowed to let one find him in the Sentinel paddock.

After taking care of any basic needs, they all four moved close together, tugging on gloves and pulling cloaks tighter around themselves.

“We will never make it to the place to meet Roderick and Dracia,” said Lord Ethen. “We should ride on for another hour or so, get deeper into the trees and rest for a bit. It has been a long day, and we are all weary.”

They all nodded and moved back to their horses, Galen jumping up on the back of his black stallion and picking up the reins. They didn’t ride as hard or fast as before. It seemed Lord Ethen believed they had put enough distance between themselves and the palace to slow down the pace to a more manageable one for the horses. The rode in a diagonal direction, moving towards their goal but managing to get deeper into the cover of the trees.

“I read many stories about your Sentinel growing up,” said Lord Ethen as he rode besides Galen. “I had something like an obsession with them for a few years of my youth. I dreamed of being an Elite and riding into battle.”

“You sound like most boys and some girls of Lanoxan,” said Galen. “I spent many days hoping to be counted amongst the number of Elites in the Sentinel. When my brother earned his place, I was in awe of him.”

“You should have been in awe of him, and you should be proud of yourself,” said Lord Ethen. “The Sentinel is full of worthy men and women with more bravery than I could ever hope to possess myself. To see those three men walk into battle knowing their fate just so we could escape, I have never seen anything like it.”

“I should have stayed by their side as an Elite,” said Galen feeling the truth of this statement. “I have taken my oath to the Sentinel. I failed in that oath, and I failed those Elites.”

“No, you did not,” said Lord Ethen. “You are the future of your kingdom, Galen. No one who spends anytime around you can doubt it, and Valian knew it. He knew you would be needed by Lanoxan and the queen. We will need you to guard your High Captain on this journey, and see to her health as well as the health of the possible future heir of the throne of the High Palace. Do not feel guilt for what happened. You should feel nothing but gratitude for those men we left behind. You honor them by going on and seeing to your duties, and becoming all you can be for your kingdom.”

“Yes, my lord,” said Galen as he turned and looked behind them to see Cara and Tomas riding close together, talking to one another.

“It seems odd you still calling me my lord, Galen, after all we have been through,” said Lord Ethen with a smile. “You will one day be married to a princess and probably a lord yourself. Not to mention it seems possible your brother will be connected to my own family soon. Perhaps you should call me Ethen.”

“I am not sure I could get used to it,” said Galen. “You will one day be the leader of your great kingdom. I should like to show you the respect you deserve.”

“Then perhaps just when we are by ourselves or amongst close friends,” said Lord Ethen.

“I can try, my lord,” said Galen.

Ethen gave a quiet laugh. “You actually have to do it to try.”

“I will let you know when I am ready,” said Galen as they rode on.

They stopped again as the sun was rising, finding a place amongst some trees to light a small fire and eat. They all four sat close together, Galen wondering if Lord Ethen had ever found himself with such strange companions as he did now, two younger sons of lords, and a rich but common woman who had grown up in a non-descript village.

“I have been with stranger and lower folk than the lot of you, Galen,” said Lord Ethen with a chuckle, clearly reading Galen’s thoughts. “I am very grateful to be here with each of you now. I am not sure I would have made it through those fights without the three of you.”

“Should we have a farewell for our fallen fellow Elites?” asked Cara quietly.

“We can wait since we have no way to retrieve their bodies,” said Galen. “The Sentinel will want to honor them together. Our High Captain will want to honor them.”

After taking turns resting for a few hours, they mounted their horses to continue on their journey. Knowing they had only a few hours to go before they caught up with Roderick and the High Captain, Lord Ethen set an easy pace. Galen found himself getting more apprehensive the closer they got to the area they would meet Roderick. He hoped they had truly gotten away and not been ambushed by another group. He hoped the High Captain was not seriously injured, and that Roderick had managed to make it to the meeting place with her.

After a few brief rest, the sun was getting low in the sky as the afternoon grew old. Galen knew they were getting close to where they should meet Roderick and the High Captain. The trees were denser and greener here with the slope evening out. Lord Ethen seemed to continually be looking for something familiar that would lead them back to where they had rested two nights ago.

“My lord, look just up ahead,” said Galen as he pointed to a very thin sliver of smoke that rose into the sky, barely viewable against the clouds obscuring the sunset.

Ethen nodded and turned his horse towards the area the smoke was coming from, telling all to be quiet as they rode. Galen hoped it was Roderick and the High Captain or at least someone friendly. At the moment, he did not have the strength or will to fight. They were well off the road in the middle of an uninhabited forest. Hopefully, that meant it could only be who they were looking for.

Galen rode by Lord Ethen as they came close to the smoke that seemed to be coming from a dense area of trees that could have been where they stayed two nights ago, or it could have been another gathering of trees much like the first. Ethen slowed his horse to a walk and looked at Galen. He gave a small shrug and then rode through the trees and into a small clearing. Galen felt his heart beat faster and a smile break out onto his face when he saw Roderick sitting by a small fire, the High Captain next to him with her head on his shoulder. Roderick looked down, and whispered something to her, causing her to lift her head and look in their direction.

Roderick stood as the High Captain grabbed his arm, pulling herself up. He put an arm around her as Lord Ethen jumped off his horse and walked over to her. He stopped in front of the High Captain as she let go of Roderick and fell into his arms.

“Thank the gods you are well,” said Lord Ethen as he kissed the top of the High Captain’s head.

She pulled back from Lord Ethen as Galen dismounted with his two friends doing the same. They slowly walked up to Roderick who grabbed Galen into a side hug as he smiled at Cara and Tomas.

“Where are the others?” asked Roderick.

“They stayed to fight so we could escape,” said Ethen. “The numbers were too much for us to overtake.”

Roderick bowed his head. “May they rest easy.”

“Who was with you, Ethen?” asked the High Captain. “Who did we lose?”

Lord Ethen looked at Roderick who took Dracia’s hand. “Valian, Elite Cian, and Elite Justin traveled with us to Navalia to retrieve you.”

The High Captain looked at Roderick with her mouth open. “No,” she whispered as she stumbled towards Roderick.

“They fought so I may escape with Galen and the two novices,” said Lord Ethen. “They knew what they were doing.”

Roderick held on to Dracia as she seemed to try to process what was being said.

“I know it is hard, Dracia, but they knew what they were doing when they came to find you. They knew it was likely they could lose their lives. We all did,” said Roderick.

“Sit down, cousin. You do not look well,” said Lord Ethen coming to her other side.

She sat down with Roderick’s help, a few tears falling down her cheeks as Galen stood close by with Tomas and Cara.

“Galen, can you come take a look at Dracia?” said Roderick. “Make sure all is well?”

Galen nodded and walked over to the High Captain, kneeling in front of her. She gave Galen a very small smile.

“I am glad to see you, Galen,” said the High Captain as Galen looked her over.

“I doubt you are half as happy as I am to see you,” said Galen. “You should lie back for a moment.”

Roderick helped her to lie down as Galen scooted over closer to her right side. He put his hands over her chest, and moved them slowly down and up her body, checking for any major injuries or broken bones. He could tell she had some extensive bruising. He looked at some of the cuts on her to see they were healing well already. There was something else in her. It wasn’t a poison, but something that was tainting her blood stream.

“Did they give you something to drink?” asked Galen.

“Yes, after every meal. It made me extremely tired and weak. I felt like I could barely stand, let alone do Mystics or fight.”

Galen nodded. “There is something there, but I think it will pass. You will be weak for at least a few days, I think. It might make you feel a little ill as the effects of the drink leave you.”

“Galen, can you tell if I am truly with child, and if he or she is well?” asked the High Captain.

“I can try. I have done some reading on it,” said Galen as he moved his hands down to her stomach.

He let his hands hover over her for several minutes, trying to sense something as the book had told him. He placed his hands lower and lower until they rested on her stomach. He gave her a look, hoping she wouldn’t mind as she stared at him. Galen closed his eyes and try to do as the book told him. He looked for something within the High Captain, something with its own small heartbeat. It took him a minute, but he found it. A fast, faint thumping and something very small moving with in her.

Galen took his hands off of her stomach and smiled, nodding at her.

“It is true then?” she asked.

“I believe it is, High Captain,” said Galen. “From what I can tell, all is well. When we get back to Winsdell, you will need a properly trained healer to see to you.”

She smiled as Roderick kissed her hand, and Ethen gave a small laugh as he helped her to sit up. Galen was in the process of getting up when he sensed something else within the High Captain. He looked at her, and placed his hand gently on her arm, feeling her blood flow beneath her skin. There was definitely something there that didn’t belong, something Galen had only felt a few times before. It was like that unknown substance in the king’s drink. Something that almost felt like Navalian magic, but so much stronger.

“What did she do to you?” asked Galen softly as he held onto the High Captain’s arm.

“I don’t know,” said the High Captain in a whisper. “She is much more than she seems, so is her sister.”

Galen nodded. As far fetched as it might have sounded, he knew who Belleth and her sister truly were.

“You know, don’t you” asked the High Captain as she looked at Galen. “You know who they are.”

“I do, though it seems so impossible,” said Galen. “How can they both really be them?”

“It is true, Galen, I can assure you,” said the High Captain. “I above anyone else can recognize who they truly are. Do you know why?”

Galen kept his hand on her arm as he continued to stare at the High Captain. If Belleth and her sister where the two goddesses Ricardia and Alvina, there had to be one more. If they represented knowledge and power, there had to be another who was wisdom. Sophia had to exist somewhere, didn’t she? Galen looked hard at the High Captain, probably squeezing her arm much too tight. The familiarity he felt when he touched Sophia’s picture. The comfort and strength he felt. Many of the same things he experienced within his High Captain’s presence.

“You,” he whispered. “You are…”

“Yes, Galen, in a way, I am she,” said the High Captain. “It is true, but you do not know the whole story.”

“What are two talking about, Dracia?” asked Lord Ethen, his face full of concern.

“Build up the fire a bit, Ethen, and I will tell you. It is a long story, and I am weary, but I believe Galen can help me tell some of it.”

Galen nodded. “Roderick, we will need some food and water. The High Captain needs to eat first, but then I will help her tell it all. You will not believe all of it, but I think it is very true.”