The Prince's Shadows

  Past the woodland, we ride fast crossing the vast grass land, racing with the sun. We have to reach Darqa Village before the road become too dark. In the west, I see the sky slowly turns yellow, red and finally the darkness comes.

  By night, we arrive in Darqa Village. I don’t know where it is but Manz says that this village is a friend of the lost soul. The chief welcome us with worried face. He ushers us inside quickly as if afraid to be seen.

  After we are safe inside, immediately, he gives us hot meal to fill our hungry stomach.

  “They go to the south, my lord,” the chief says in hushed tone.

  Manz just nods.

  Tonight, we will stay here. A girl, around my age, leads me to a small room. It seems it is her room.

  “We have to share this room, my lady,” she says in small voice.

  She introduces herself as the chief eldest daughter, her name is Mira. She is very thin girl but her cheek is full and rounded. I see that she regards me warily.

  “This bed is clean, my lady, I swear,” Mira says hastily, clasping her hand nervously. Her eyes are darting to the bed, then to me.

  “I thank you, Mira.”

  I take off my outer garment and ready to bed when I see Mira make another makeshift bed down on the floor.

  “Whatever that for? You can sleep here with me,” I say baffled.

  “Oh no, my lady, that bed is for you. You’re a fine lady and all.”

  I try to change her mind but she insists.

  “It’s my way to say thank you, my lady,” she says softly.

  I don’t understand why.

  “They save my fiancé from the robbers last year. It’s just my small thanks, for I love him dearly,” she smiles softly.

  I should act like her, a woman in love.

  I just nod. I know it is the lost souls she meant to thanks. And she thinks I am one of them.

  I see her smiling face.

  One more to deceive. Maybe I have to stop counting by now.

  ***

  Just after dawn, Manz and I depart from the village. They give us new peasant clothes and provision for our journey to the south. We ride fast this time. I am a woman in love now. So, I say to Manz that the sooner the better.

  It is easy to ride fast, for the road seems deserted. Not many people travel on this road. I only see two parties of merchant passed by so far.

  Manz says we will arrive at Miniq, the last big city in the south, before mid-day. But before we reach Miniq, Manz reins his horse and we stop at crossroad inn.

  “They are our friend. They might know something,” he says as we dismount from our horse.

  The owner is a man with rounded big belly. He is around forty years of age. He has jovial face and big strange looking mustache.

  Now is not mid-day yet but he gives us a luncheon anyway.

  “You have to go to the west. I’ve been told there will be pirate there,” the owner tells us in whisper before he disappears to serve other guests.

  Then, Manz tells me that it is a norm that the lost soul helps guarding the fishing villages on the shores.

  “How about Ryn?” I ask him as I should.

  He shakes his head.

  “I’m not sure, my lady. He may there but it’s unlikely.”

  “Can you ask him again? Maybe he knows something,” my voice seems desperate even in my own ear.

  He sighs softly and stands up, walking to the owner.

  It seems I have mastered the art of being in love. I try to find guilt in my heart but I find none.

  Manz back shortly. Once again, he shakes his head.

  I begin to wonder if Ryn really joins them. Maybe he has already crossed the big sea to the Westland by now. I dearly wish that he has.

  ***

  When we arrive at the shore, the sun is already low in the west, hiding among the clouds. The red and yellow mixed above the blue sea. Sea, this is only the second time I see it.

  The first one is in the West Port but it is so different from this sea. Here, the shore is clear from ship and wharf, all I can see is clear water and horizon in the west. The water is sapphire blue mixed with the golden light of the sun.

  The water is so vast, I cannot see where it ends. Suddenly, I feel sad. If it the Westland, then he is lost to me forever. But at least we are still under the same sky, living and breathing.

  We tie our horse atop the cliff and go down to the shore following a small trail. Down there, I see less than five wooden houses with straw roof. These houses are supposed to be storage rooms for the fisherman. The actual village is a mile to the land, beyond this cliff. But now, the lost soul uses them as their base. Manz tells me not to set my hope to high since it is only small part of the band will be here, for it is rare for the lost soul to gather in one place.

  As we draw near the houses, I see that many people outside. Some of them train their sword and some just idly sit there. Most of them are young around my age and they wear rough looking clothes. I always thought that lost soul is band of old people but apparently not. I feel their bold stare in my body.

  “Keep your eyes for yourself,” Manz shouts to them.

  “Who is she, uncle?” says one boy. He grins from ear to ear, walking toward us.

  “She is taken,” Manz says, slapping the boy in the back, “Is your mother here?” he asks.

  The boy still looks at me boldly, “My lady,” he bows in excessive manner.

  I bow too. I don’t like this boy.

  Now, I know what that look means, living outside my father house teach me that at least.

  It seems Manz feels my discomfort so he leads me inside the house. Inside, I see there are around ten people. Their leader is a woman in her late forty. She gives Manz a bear hug.

  “I though you’re death, old man,” she cries.

  Soon all of them greet Manz in the same manner.

  Finally, they notice me. They see me in distrust.

  “Who is he uncle?” asks another young man. He is seems to be few years younger than me.

  “This is Lady Ava, the Hallowed,” silent descents to the room and all eyes are on me.

  I bow slowly and say, “Good day to all of you.”

  “Why you bring her here, Brother?” the leader asks.

  But Manz ignore her and says, “This is my sister, Kanna. And that young man is my nephew, Dani,” he continues to introduce me to all people in the room, and I bow every time.

  “This young lady is looking his friend by name of Ryn. He is a Blessed. Do you hear about him?”

  They look at each other warily.

  “Friend?” Kanna asks, “What kind of friend?” her voice sharp with doubt.

  “Sister, you know how to be young and in love,” Manz tells with touch of smile in his mouth.

  “Her lover then,” she says, her tone change a bit. It is little less cold now.

  I nod.

  Gods, please forgive my lie.

  “We don’t know yet. Perhaps we’ll find him at the big gathering if indeed he is one of us,” Kanna says. She still looks at me warily, “Tell me about this young man, Girl.”

  “Nineteen days ago, he escapes from the Naqari prison, my lady,” I draw a sharp breath, “He asked me to go with him but that time, I was afraid.”

  “And now?”

  “I can’t live without him.”

  Gods, please forgive me.

  “I see,” she seems believe me now.

  Why people always easily believe when a girl says she is in love?

  ***

  I turn around in my makeshift mattress, unable to sleep on top of hard floor. I have to get used sleep on this but my body aches now. After two days of hard riding and now hard cold bed, it is too much for my soft and weak body.

  So much for woman in love. I giggle madly in the darkness. I think I am going crazy.

  I pick up my necklace, it is looped above my pendant. This necklace at glace looks like made of a simple strand of small grey stones. It is s
mooth and cold to the touch but it has its secret. The Oracle gives it to me on the day of my departure from the palace. They picked these stones from the mountain highest point, around the holy fire. This stones are touched by the fire. It melted and hardened again, keeping holy fire power inside.

  A battle cry, shake me up from my reverie. The sound is clear on the death of the night. I know it comes from the beach.

  The pirate has come.

  Immediately, I put my robe and go outside.

  I pick a bow and quiver full of arrows. And march to the beach. I see from a far how these pirate look like. My jaw dropped. Oh dear Gods, they look different. They are bigger than average of Varrian. Their hair is the color of straw but I cannot see their eye’s color from afar. Maybe it is true that it has different colors other than brown.

  Manz had warned me before that I shouldn’t use my gift unless it is necessary, unless it is matter of life and death. I know they don’t want to draw the empress and her Oracles. I understood what he meant, for I have seen the blood sister stones. But of course I didn’t tell him about it.

  The others are already fighting when I join them. I see one of them slash the rebel with their long sword. I pick an arrow and take aim at the pirate. I pick the biggest one among them. He stands with his sword, it gleaming reflecting the moonlight. I draw a deep breath and release the string. I hit his chest.

  Did I kill him?

  I hope so. Then I remember a voice from another life time. But it’s what we do. At war, we kill.

  Yes, he is right. At war we kill. I take another arrow and shoot again and again, ignoring the pain in my muscle and heart.

  The battle seems going on for eternity. Finally, the pirates admit their defeat and sail back to the sea. Suddenly feeling weary, I slump and lay exhausted in the sand. My arm hurt from shooting so many arrows.

  At war, we kill.

  His voice keeps haunting me now.

  Do I really kill someone today?

  I take no joy of it. I do what must, like what I am doing now, being here.

  The rebel is busy gather the death from both sides. They stack them into a pile and burn it. I try to block all my sense. I don’t want to smell, see or hear. I am staring at the seagulls flying in the sky instead. Dawn is coming. The sky is brightening. It is blue tinge with gold. Another day has come again. Time will move forward regardless what I want. So, stop being stupid and keep living.

  I see a shadow. And I see Manz is standing hovering above me, blocking the light.

  “It’s time to move,” he says succinctly.

  In the thick of battle the rebels were forced to use their gift. So we must move now to elude the empress’ men.

  Oh, the irony.

  I get up, shaking the sand from my clothes and take my bow and arrows. I walk straight ahead to the house and gather my belonging. It is not that many. I am a rebel now, not a lady.

  Shortly, we are ready to depart. Days later when the empress’ men come here, we are already miles away. There were forty four of us before but now there are thirty six.

  “This is your first battle, isn’t it?” Lady Kanna asks me gently.

  I nod. She gives me pat in the back and sympathetic look.

  Then, she gives a shout, giving signal to depart. We are riding in single column now, following the narrow road along the seashore to the north.

  Lady Kanna is leading the way and is followed by her sons behind. She has five of them. All of them are bastard, though, for noble of Varr Empire must marriage in front of Ayle, the goddess of water. They must clean themselves in Lake Ayle before the marriage ceremony, to clean their sin and prepare their body. But her sons seem nice young men except one.

  Manz says we will go to the big gathering. Sometimes, I hope Ryn is there but another time I hope he isn’t. My fickle heart. And there is someone else I dread to meet, the empress’ grandnephew and the lost prince. I should sacrifice him for the good of this empire.

  It’s just one boy against your family, against this empire. I have to chant these words in my heart to keep my resolve.

  We ride further from the beach to avoid a big cliff ahead and the dusk is almost come. So, we make a camp at a wide prairie near the big cliff. The green tall grass with small yellow flower is everywhere as far as eyes can see. It looks beautiful but it is too tall, so we have to cut it down some to build our tents.

  Shortly, the darkness descends, we lit bonfire at the center. Lady Kanna sits next to me, eating soup made of salted fish and onion.

  “Don’t hope too much,” she says softly, “He may not be there.”

  I try to smile and say, “I know.”

  “I hope my husband is there too,” she says.

  It’s not husband, though, for they never marriage.

  “In these part of the word, you won’t be sure whether you’ll live or not in the coming day,” she says with smile.

  “Don’t you want to come back to the city?”

  She stops smiling then, “If you ask me, a year before, perhaps the answer is yes.”

  “Then, why you still here, my lady?”

  She chuckles, “What do you think? The usurper won’t let us in. Dead is the only way.”

  “And now?”

  “He is come now. He’ll take us home,” her voice is full of hope.

  It is the hidden prince, she talking about. No, my lady, he only brings you to the Gods, in hell or heaven, it depends.

  We continue to eat in silent afterward.

  ***

  The morning sun with its golden glow appears in the east. It is lukewarm to the skin. Swiftly, we take down our tent and continue our ride to the west. Shortly after we pass the cliff, we back to the seashore road. The sound of thundering waves and strong winds keep us company along the road. The road is broader now so we ride in two columns. But I hope we are not since Lady Kanna second son continue to annoy me along the road. I ignore him as best as I can.

  In the east, I see the sun slowly ascending. As we ride pass another vast prairie, I change my position. And now, I ride abreast with Manz.

  He looks at me, amused, then he chases his nephew. I thank him with small smile.

  Passing the prairie, now we ride across a mangrove forest. It is little tricky there so we back riding in single column. Ahead, I see another cliff is looming.

  “We will arrive soon,” I hear Lady Kanna shouts from her place in the front of the column.

  Now is well after noon. We are riding in the brink of cliff. We are going down to the bay below, Lover Bay it is called. The bay is small located between two cliffs. There is the gathering place. A little more and we will arrive. I see many tents scattered across the pale cream sand below. All of them are in muddy color and looks small from where I am. I want to ride faster but the road is narrow and dangerous.

  By looking at the tents, Manz says more or less there are two hundred rebels gathered there. And many more will come soon before the dusk set.

  Finally, we arrive. I dismount swiftly and I tie my horse at nearby post. And I run down to the beach, looking for a familiar face.

  Ryn, where are you?

  I see many faces but no one is you. I run and run. My heart is thumping oddly as if it can’t decide what it really wants. It is between hope and fear.

  I see the sun is already half way down to the sea below. I slumped on the sand, accepting my defeat. And look at the turquoise blue sea ahead.

  He is not here… Maybe it’s a good thing. Yes, it is a good thing. But oddly, I feel sad.

  The small waves are crashing, wetting the sand again and again. The salty wind is blasting on my face and makes it sticky, but I don’t care. I let the wave and cold water sea touches my feet. I stare far ahead to the west, Westland, so he is truly there.

  Or Maybe he just not here yet. My resolve comes back. Maybe I should wait some more. I start to stand but hastily back down again. No, it is better if he is not here at all.

  I feel a figure sit
right next to me. I dare not to turn and I see. My heart is beating faster.

  “They said my lover comes looking for me,” says an amused voice.

  It is him.

  I turn. It is really him. I look at his face; his bruise is completely gone now. But the hard look is still there. His hair is let down pass his shoulder and some is tied in simple knot. He is clothed in silk again, though, not as fine as he usually wears in the palace. I see that his clothes color matched with the color of the sea, greenish blue. It suits him well.

  “Isn’t this too cold for lover’s reunion?” he asks with raised eyebrow.

  I grin in reply.

  “They are watching, my lady.” In reflect I start to turn looking for others but he stops me. Both his hands cupping my face, hold it in place.

  He draws near. From a far, I know it looks like a lover kiss but it is not.

  “What are you about?” he asks me. The trace of amusement is gone.

  “I lied. He won’t take me to you otherwise.”

  “So, the empress sends you?”

  He pulls back and looks at me straight in the eyes.

  I nod. “He wants you to come back,” I whisper.

  He sigh softly, “I won’t… I will escort you back.” He starts to raises but I hold him down.

  “No, please,” I plead, “I will stay here with you, until you decide to come back. Please let me stay,” I say stubbornly.

  “You’ll here forever then,” he looks ahead to the sea, “It’s a foolish errand, my lady.”

  “This prince of yours, he will lead them to the grave. And I won’t let you following him.”

  “Then to the grave, I’ll go. And why you care?” he asks.

  Chapter 16

  It is hurt. I thought I am his friend, of course I care. “Why do you ask? I’m your friend, am I not?”

  He chuckles, “Friend? Like Prince Lex is yours?”

  I look at his light brown eyes, “I don’t want you to die,” I say.

  “Just go back, my lady. This place isn’t for you.”

  Not for you too. Why are you so stubborn? I want to say. “Then why you ask me to go with you before?”

  “It’s a moment of madness,” his voice is rising.

  “Please let me stay here.”

  “Why? So you can betray us later?” he asks with dangerous glint in his eyes. It seems his usual stern control is slipping out.

  “Do you really think I will choose the empress over you?” I whisper, “She killed my sister.”

  He seems taken aback that I bring Ally name in this conversation.