Chapter 14|A Quest
Oskar sat for a moment in stunned disbelief. His brother? What… Suddenly, things fell into place. He looked at Larris again, as if for the first time. Oskar had not seen Lerryn many times, but from what he remembered, the two certainly could be brothers. The tall, lean body, lightly tanned, skin, brown eyes and wavy brown hair all resembled Lerryn. If Larris was a prince, that would explain many things, including his breadth of knowledge, his access to so many books, and his general attitude of superiority.
Oskar looked at his companions. Hierm sat stone still, his eyes flitting back and forth between Larris, who held his sword at Shanis’ throat, and Allyn, whose bow was drawn and aimed directly at Hierm. Shanis also sat still. Her angry eyes raged at Larris, and her face was flush. Not good, Oskar thought. If Shanis’ temper got the better of her, she was prone to try something foolish.
What could he do? He was close enough to Allyn that he might be able to thump the boy with his staff before the archer could release his shot. But he liked Allyn! Allyn was his friend, had taught him to use his quarterstaff. At any rate, even if he managed to rescue Hierm, it would be a death sentence for Shanis. Larris would kill her. They had no choice.
“Wait! I’ll tell you.”
“Proceed.” Larris’ voice had grown even more imperious, if that was possible. He neither removed his eyes from Shanis’ face, nor his sword from her throat.
Oskar quickly relayed the story. All of it. Khalyndryn sobbed quietly when he recounted the tale of her assault. For her part, Shanis face did not change when Oskar told the story of her killing the guard. Silence hung in the air for a few moments at the completion of his tale.
Allyn nodded to Larris, who turned and addressed to Shanis and Hierm.
“I want your word, both of you,” he said, his voice taut with tension, “that when Allyn and I put down our weapons, your swords will remain sheathed.”
“Or else?” Shanis hissed.
“What choice do you have?” Oskar shouted. He had to make Shanis understand that this was not the time for her to lose her temper. Of course, holding back Shanis’ temper was only a touch easier than holding back the sunrise.
“He’s a prince,” she said, her voice deathly quiet. “I killed one of his brother’s personal soldiers. What do you think he’s going to do to me?” Her eyes bored into Larris with hot fury.
“He could have already killed you if he wanted to,” Oskar argued. Freeze it all! The girl was stubborn. “He hasn’t given us any reason not to trust him so far. Trust him now.”
“What possible reason is there to trust him?” she asked, her gaze never leaving the prince. “He lied to us. They lied to us.”
“We lied too,” Hierm said flatly.
“We had reason,” Shanis said, her eyes flitting toward the ground for a split second.
“As did we,” Allyn said. “I assure you. Give us your word, and we shall sort this all out.”
At that, Shanis paused. She looked imploringly at Oskar. He nodded to her. He hoped she was seeing reason.
“All right,” she whispered, “you have my word.”
“Mine as well,” Hierm agreed.
The tension left Larris’ face. He smiled as he sheathed his sword. “First, let me tell you, I know Borram.”
“You knew Borram,” Allyn corrected with a smirk.
“A drunkard and a fool,” Larris continued, ignoring his friend. “My brother kept him on as part of the guard as a favor to his father, who once performed a great service to the crown. I daresay you’ve done a greater service by ridding us of the sot.”
Larris glanced over at Allyn for a brief instant. It seemed to Oskar that something was being communicated between the two. Suspicion rose inside of him.
“It isn’t that simple, is it?” he asked. “There’s something more. I can tell.”
Larris met his gaze, and smiled a tight smile. “You are too smart for me by half, Oskar. My brother will doubtless be grateful to be rid of Borram. Unfortunately, the word of a commoner, even that of four commoners, does not change the fact that noble blood has been spilled.”
“Borram could hardly be called noble,” Allyn scoffed. “Unless that word has taken on a meaning with which I am unfamiliar.” He cleared his throat and spat. “Of course,” he added dryly, “I am not as well-read as you and our friend here.”
“Borram’s actions were not noble, but his family is,” Larris continued. “If Allyn and I were to vouch for you, though, that should be sufficient to see you clear of any accusations brought against you.”
“Would you do that for us,” Khalyndryn asked hopefully.
“I would,” Larris replied. Again he looked at Allyn. “I certainly would.”
What is going on here? Oskar wondered. Something was very much amiss.
“You’re running from him too!” Shanis shouted, a triumphant look on her face.
What was she talking about?
“I saw the way you looked at your brother,” she said. “You didn’t want to be seen any more than I did. Why not?”
“It’s gone too far,” Allyn muttered, shaking his head. “Much too far. We should never have let them join us.”
“I trust them,” Larris replied.
“We can’t let them go running back to your brother,” Allyn said. “What then?”
“They can’t go running back to my brother,” Larris said. “Whether he believes them or not, he’ll have no choice. They need us.”
“But do we need them?” Allyn asked.
“Perhaps we do.” Larris turned to Oskar and his companions. “Allyn and I have embarked upon a quest. One that is vital to the future of our nation. If you will join us, and remain loyal to us throughout our quest, I will personally guarantee your freedom.”
He drew his sword, and held it upright, with the blade in front of his face. “This I swear, upon my sword and upon the honor of my house.” He kissed the blade. Shafts of sunlight flickering through the branches of the stately oaks lining the road shone on the young man’s face, adding to the regal quality of the ancient oath. “This is my word and my bond. Will you join us?” He smiled up at the four youths on horseback, the very image of royalty.
Oskar’s heart pounded. This was what he had dreamed of all his life. He could join a prince on a quest. He could travel, have adventures.
“I’ll do it,” he blurted, perhaps with more enthusiasm than he had intended. He blushed as Shanis and Hierm stared at him angrily. Who cared what they thought? This was what he wanted. “I will join you on your…” He swallowed the lump in his throat. His heart pounded so fiercely that his ears roared. “…on your quest.”
“I’ll go as well,” Khalyndryn sighed. “I don’t know what use I’ll be to you, but I don’t suppose I have a choice.”
“How can the two of you make such a promise?” Hierm asked, his voice heated. “Have you forgotten that two minutes ago they were prepared to kill us?”
“We didn’t want to hurt you,” Larris protested. “Our quest is too important to risk being found out. We needed to know what you were about.”
“Can you truly do all that you promised?” Hierm asked. “Can you guarantee our safety? Our freedom?”
“A fair question,” Larris agreed. “If it were not so important that I avoid my brother, I truly believe that we could ride into town right now, and my word, coupled with what we know about Borram, would more than suffice to gain your freedom. What I can guarantee you is, if we successfully complete this quest, my father will give me anything that I ask.”
“If we complete this quest?” Shanis asked. “What kind of quest is this?”
“Swear first,” Larris answered flatly. He met her frown with an implacable gaze.
“All right then,” Shanis shot back. Oskar saw her fists close tightly around the reins, and for a moment feared that she might ride the young prince down. “I’ll swear.”
“I’ll swear as well,” Hierm added.
 
; “Everyone off your horses,” Allyn ordered crisply. He leapt down off of his own horse, and gathered the reins of the other mounts as Oskar and his comrades dismounted. “Kneel before your prince,” he instructed.
None of them were accustomed to kneeling, and they did so awkwardly. Oskar dropped heavily onto one knee, cracking his kneecap on a sharp stone.
“Repeat after me,” Larris said. “Upon my honor and upon my life…”
“On my honor and upon my life,” Oskar’s heart pounded as he spoke. His head was abuzz with realized fantasies, and wonderful disbelief.
“I swear to remain loyal to Prince Larris, and to the quest upon which he has embarked,” Larris continued.
They repeated the pledge in unison. Oskar’s voice quavered with excitement. Shanis veritably spat the words, a scowl of distaste twisting her face, while Hierm and Khalyndryn repeated them dully, as if not certain what to think.
After the words had been spoken, Larris extended his sword to Oskar. He did not know what he was supposed to do. Fearful of looking foolish, he went with his first instinct, and kissed the flat of the blade. The satisfied smile on Larris’ face told him that he had done the right thing.
Larris went down the line, holding his sword out to each person. Khalyndryn kissed the blade, then Hierm. When he came to Shanis, she stared at the sword, face reddening. She slapped the blade away and leapt to her feet, muttering a curse.
“You have my word. That should be good enough for you.” She whirled about, and stalked quickly over to Allyn. Snatching the reins of her horse from the blond youth, she led her mount a few paces away. She stood there with her back to the group, staring off into the dense tangle of forest.
Larris’ eyes widened at Shanis’ rebuke, obviously unprepared for such a reaction. He stared at her for a moment. He took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly, visibly gaining control of his emotions, then turned to face the three who remained kneeling before him.
“You may rise,” he said. When they stood, he clasped hands with Hierm, then Khalyndryn. When he came to Oskar, the two clasped hands for a moment, then Larris yanked the larger boy toward him, hugging him roughly. “I am very glad you are joining us.”
“So am I,” Oskar replied hoarsely. He was stunned by the prince’s display of emotion, and his apparent sincerity. How had he, and ordinary farm boy, befriended royalty? He could scarcely have dreamed a more unlikely scenario.
Larris walked over to where Shanis stood, and placed a hand on her shoulder. She did not look at him. Oskar saw the prince lean toward her, and whisper something into her ear that sounded like “Forgive me,” but that couldn’t be right. Princes didn’t apologize. After a moment, he turned back to the group.
“Allyn and I have much to tell you all. But first, let’s ride,” he said, grinning. “Come nightfall I want to be as far from my brother as possible.”