Princess Of Trimaria - Part 2 free porn video

Princess of Trimaria - Part Two By Scott Ramsey CHAPTER 16 Aliana was so distracted by Marc's arrival that she didn't see the orc approaching until it was almost upon them. The creature had been hiding outside the ring of stone monoliths and used the bulk of the knight's warhorse to conceal its approach. It wasn't until Marc had whirled Keri around that the creature revealed itself, charging forward with its sword held low. The handmaiden had precious little time to act, and no time to wonder why it ignored Marc, the easier target, and went straight for the Princess. Ali didn't have Keri's phenomenal connection to the aether or her more extensive training in high magic, but she had learned a few defensive spells over the years. What she lacked in natural ability she made up for with fierce determination. In an instant she reached out, drawing upon the aether as she summoned a magical force barrier and thrust it towards the orc. An invisible wall of magical energy slammed into the beast like a giant hand, hurling it back and to the ground - but it was just a split- second too late. The tip of the orc's blade pierced the side of Keri's body deeply - not the impaling blow the orc had intended but bad enough. Blood immediately darkened the Princess's tunic, spreading quickly down the right leg of her trousers. But it was no longer Keri that inhabited that body - nor was it Marc yet. Two orbs of glowing blue light hovered between the Princess and the knight, the visible manifestation of their spirits as the transfer commenced. As they floated slowly between the two still figures for a brief instant they touched and flared brightly, then continued on their paths and settled into the opposite body. Marc didn't even react to the wound the body he now inhabited had just received - he just stood there staring blankly ahead, dazed by the amount of magical energy the Princess's body had just channeled. In Marc's body, Keri seemed to be coming around, shaking her head as if to clear it, but she was still not all there. Ali had no time to spare for her friends - she knew she had to deal with the orc before it regained its senses. For the first time in her young life, Aliana drew her weapons with the intent to take life. She charged at the stunned orc, shortsword in her right hand and dagger in her left. With a cry of fury she leapt on the creature, her knees driving into its abdomen as it struggled to rise. The impact knocked the creature back down and drove the air from its lungs. Then Ali brought her blades down, slashing them across the orc's throat like a giant pair of scissors. Blood sprayed high, and the orc drew a single, gurgling breath before its pale eyes glazed over in death. There was no time to dwell on what she had just done, for Aliana could hear the sounds of more orcs. Three of the creatures appeared at the top of the path, and from the sounds reverberating up from below there were many more coming. They had to get to the horses, but while Marc's was only a few feet away, hers and Keri's were tethered outside the stone ring near the top of the path. Before they could hope to reach them, the three orcs would have to be dealt with. ? Ali knew her capabilities as a fighter - she couldn't hope to match three orcs blow for blow. Her training had focused on speed, agility and surprise - she knew she was quicker and more nimble than the orcs and that they would not see her as a dangerous threat, all of which she could use to her advantage. Even that wouldn't be enough against three opponents however, unless she could slow them down. There was no way she could summon three force barriers, so instead she used an area affect spell. She uttered a short incantation and a glowing mist formed around the orcs, slowing their speed and reaction time. ? Rather than wait for the slowed orcs to come to her, Aliana went to them. She ducked under the blade of one, launching herself into a roll and coming up behind the orc. As she came to her feet, she whirled and drove her shortsword up and under the short mail hauberk the creature wore. It still wasn't easy to penetrate the leathery hide of the beast, but her blade was keen and she threw all her weight into the thrust, driving the sword deep. As she had been taught, she twisted the blade and then drew it to the side as she yanked it free. The action severed the creature's spine, and it collapsed like a rag doll to the stone floor. ? An orc at half speed was still a threat, and Aliana barely managed to parry the thrust of one as she dodged the other remaining orc. As she came around to face the pair, she could see Marc's body turn and look at her in confusion. ? "Shards Keri, snap out of it!" she screamed. "Move your fragging ass and help me!" ? The momentary distraction was all one of the orcs needed. It raised its sword high and then brought it down towards Ali's head. Even at half speed, the blade was a blur, and Ali was forced to use both her shortsword and dagger, raising them above her head and crossing the blades to catch the orc's sword. ? Too late she realized she had made a critical mistake. The orc wore an unarticulated steel gauntlet on its left hand, the fingers formed into a fist with short spikes on each knuckle. With her weapons overhead, Ali's unarmored torso was completely exposed. The orc drove its left fist forward, and had it not been for Ali's nimbleness the blow would have landed and at the least incapacitated her. She managed to twist aside to her left, forcing the orc's sword arm over and down as she did so. The move left the orc's arms momentarily tangled and Ali whirled around behind it, using the momentum of her spin to aid her as she thrust both blades through its mail shirt and into its back. ? Before she could pull her blades free the last orc was on her, its great axe arcing down from high above its head. Ali released her grip on her weapons and dove away as the axe head streaked through the space where she had been an instant before. The orc roared with frustration as the axe smashed into the stone floor, sending shards of granite flying in every direction. ? Ali's dive became a roll that brought her back to her feet and she turned to face the orc. Though her primary weapons were still embedded in the body of the second orc she was by no means unarmed, but what she had left was of no use against the huge axe of the third creature unless she got very close. Even if she got past the axe blade without being cut in two, however, the beast would simply crush her with its bare hands. The orc knew it had the advantage, and it maneuvered to keep itself between Aliana and her weapons. She had lost one crucial advantage - surprise. The last orc knew she was dangerous, and even worse her spell was wearing off. As the orc advanced it began swinging its axe faster and faster, weaving an intricate pattern in the air before it. ? Aliana feinted to her right and then shifted direction, but the orc anticipated her move and was ready. Its double-bladed axe swung high again, the blade arcing over and descending towards the defenseless girl. ? The blow never landed. An immense bulk blocked the light of the moon Kessil and Keri, in Marc's huge body, slammed into the orc and knocked it to the ground. Before the stunned creature had a chance to recover, she had Marc's longsword in hand, the blade slicing through the air with blinding speed. The enchanted blade pierced the orc's armor and hide with ease, and the force of the blow was so great that it sank several inches into the stone floor of the circle as it pierced the creature's heart. She yanked the sword free with ease as she rose to her feet and then turned, covering the distance to Aliana in two long strides. ? For an instant their eyes met, and Ali nearly wept as she saw the pain evident there. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Everything had gone so horribly wrong. ? At that moment, Marc came to his senses and cried out in pain and confusion. He looked about wildly for a second, and then his eyes settled on Keri - on his body. ? "Oh no," he moaned. Then he looked down at the blood flowing from his side, pressed his hands to the wound and collapsed to the stone floor. ? Aliana and Keri rushed to his side. The handmaiden pressed one hand over Marc's to put more pressure on the wound and the other on his forehead to soothe him. ? "Shard's Keri, he's burning up!" she exclaimed. ? The Princess found the orc's blade lying nearby, lifted it to her nose and sniffed, recoiling as a acrid aroma stung her nostrils. ? "Envenomed," she said as she cast the blade aside. "If I can smell it with Marc's nose it must be very potent." ? "Can you neutralize it?" Aliana asked as she tore a wide strip of fabric from the hem of her tunic and began folding it into a bandage. ? "I don't know," Keri said. "I can barely feel the aether, Ali." ? "Remember what we were taught," Ali said as she pushed Marc's hands aside and pressed the folded fabric to his wound. "The aether is physical and spiritual. It feels distant because your physical connection is weakened, but your spirit is still more in tune with it than anyone on Andarel - you just have to overcome Marc's weak physical affinity." ? Keri nodded and closed her eyes, the words of a healing chant issuing from her lips. Nothing happened at first, but after several seconds Marc let out a low moan and his eyes fluttered open. He tried to rise, but both Keri and Ali pushed him back down. ? "Don't move," Keri said. "I could barely stop the bleeding, and I could only slow the poison." ? "What have you done?" Marc asked. His eyes darted rapidly from Keri to Ali then down at the body he dwelled in. "It was an accident, Marc," Keri said. "I'm sorry, we never meant to...." ? "We don't have time for this" Ali said as the sound of the approaching orcs grew louder. She looked up at Keri and asked, "Can you cloak us?" ? Keri shook her head and said, "Not all three of us. With time, maybe, but there's no way I can do it now." ? "Shards," Ali swore, knowing she could only cloak herself. "Then you have to hold them, Keri. I'll protect Marc from any that get by you." ? "I'll try," Keri said. She looked down at Marc and added, "Don't move. That wound is deep, and I could barely stop the bleeding. Any exertion will open it up, and you've lost too much blood already." She gripped Marc's longsword and rose, walking towards the path from the valley below as she drew his short sword with her left hand. ? "What are you doing?" Marc hissed at Ali. "She's not half the fighter you are!" ? "You don't understand," Ali said, her voice catching. "If one of you dies, the spell is broken. Your spirits will return to their proper place. I have to defend her body ... even if it means letting yours die. I'm sorry, Marc." ? Their eyes locked for a moment, and then Marc nodded. Aliana reached out and touched his face gently. ? "You know I love you, almost as much as I love her," Aliana said. ? "I know," Marc told her. "Now do your duty." ? Aliana nodded and rose to retrieve her weapons. She then moved back to where Marc lay and stood at the ready over his prostrate form, unknowingly imitating the very stance Marc had taken as an eighteen- year-old squire when he had defended a wounded King Toranon. ? When six orcs charged into the circle of stones, Aliana was at once relieved and alarmed. The rocky terrain had apparently amplified the sounds of their approach, making it sound like more. But while Marc could have dispatched a half dozen with relative ease, Keri possessed nowhere near his skill in battle, and she was hampered by a body that was completely alien to her. ? The Princess's Maid-of-Honor reached out for the aether once more, her power seriously reduced by her previous casting. She conjured a mass of sticky fibers, like the web of a giant spider, which stopped two of the orcs in their tracks. The effort exhausted her magical reserves, however, and she knew she wouldn't be able to cast for some time. ? She watched with trepidation as Keri advanced to meet the four orcs not caught by the spell. Keri's training had been much the same as Aliana's, emphasizing speed and agility, but Marc's body was not suited to such tactics. It wasn't that the knight was ungraceful - Aliana had seen him fight both in practice and in tournaments and he moved with an astonishing agility for someone so big, but as a man his center of gravity was much higher. Keri overbalanced as she tried to dodge the blow of one orc and would have fallen over backwards had another not struck her across the small of the back with its war club. Keri roared in pain and anger and whirled, lashing out with Marc's longsword. The orc's head separated from its shoulders and Keri continued the swing, making a full circle that drove the other three back. Before they could recover she thrust the blade of her shortsword into the chest of another and then backpedaled to put some distance between her and the rest. Aliana's attention was distracted by the guttural cries of more orcs. Two had circled around and come in from the rear of the stone circle, and Ali turned to face their attack. This time there would be no magic to hinder them - Ali would have to rely on her skill with her weapons alone. ? The orcs charged forward towards Aliana and rather than meet their attack head on, she dropped into a crouch, ducking beneath their slashing swords. She spun away on her left foot, her right flashing out to sweep the legs from under one of the orcs. Ali came around full circle as the beast hit the stones hard on its back and drove both her blades into its body, putting all her weight behind them to pierce the chain hauberk and tough hide beneath it. ? The second orc turned and kicked, its foot catching Ali in the stomach and knocking her off of its slain comrade. Her weapons flew from her grasp as she tumbled across the stones, the breath knocked out of her by the force of the blow. With a guttural cry of glee the orc dropped down, straddling her with its filthy body and lifting its sword high above its head. ? Though she could barely draw a breath Aliana's hand flashed to her breast and drew the bodice dagger sheathed beneath her tunic and bustier. She thrust up, plunging the thin, six-inch long blade under the orc's chin and into its brain, twisting violently before withdrawing the dagger. She rolled to her left as the orc collapsed, and then retrieved her sword and dagger before limping back to Marc. ? "Well done, warrior," Marc said softly. ? The Princess had dispatched the second pair of orcs but was down on her knees, obviously wounded. Aliana's web spell was wearing off, and as it collapsed the remaining two orcs charged towards the defenseless Keri. ? They never reached her. The clatter of shod hooves on stone resounded through the circle, and Aliana's heart leapt as she saw Garith appear out of the darkness, charging up behind the orcs. His warhorse neighed shrilly as he reigned it in, the mount rearing up and pawing the air. The orcs were knocked aside by the flailing hooves, and before they could recover, Garith was out of the saddle, the hammer-head of his pollaxe crushing the skull of one before it knew what hit it. The second had barely time to struggle to its feet before the serjeant whirled and plunged the butt-spike of his weapon into its abdomen. He immediately yanked the weapon free and spun again, driving the pick opposite the hammer-head into its back. As the orc fell, he pulled his weapon free and rushed to Keri's side. ? "Sure'n yer a fool, but a brave fool, lad," he said as he helped who he thought was his Knight-Captain to rise. ? "Never mind me," Keri snapped. "Help Ali and Marc; they're hurt badly." ? The serjeant gave her a confused look and asked, "Did'ja get hit in the head, lad?" ? Keri gripped his shoulders and replied, "I'm Keri! If you love your Princess, don't ask questions and treat me like I'm Marc - just don't let me do anything stupid. We need healers and troops to secure the area!" ? The sound of more horses reverberated through the standing stones, and Garith grinned. ? "That'll be Stilnar with a full troop 'o guards and the healers," the serjeant said. ? "The Fragment bless you, Garith," Keri said. "I promise I'll explain everything when we have time." ? "I'll be lookin' forward to that tale," Garith said as he glanced at the stone monoliths around them. He waved the healer-mages forward before adding, "We best get you looked to as well." ? The healers attended to Marc and Keri as the troop of Royal Guards established a perimeter around the stone circle. Aliana was torn - she wanted to go to Keri's side, but she knew that for the sake of appearance she had to remain with Marc. Like it or not, for the next month he was the Princess of Trimaria, and her duty was clear. ? A half-hour later Marc was in a magically induced healing sleep. Keri's wounds were not serious enough to require such measures, but the healers cautioned her to avoid exertion that might stress the mended injuries. They had made a bed of blankets at the center of the stone circle and surrounded it with several large rocks from the plateau, upon which the healers had cast spells to cause them to radiate heat like a hearth stone. As Ali sat beside Marc, occasionally replacing the damp cloth on his forehead, she listened as the lead healer reported on the condition of 'the Princess' to Keri. "Her Highness shouldn't be moved for at least eight hours," the man said. "The wound was deep and one of her kidneys was lacerated. We've mended the organ and there will be no lasting ill effects, but the wounds could reopen if she gets bounced about." "What about the poison?" Keri asked. "It was very fortunate the Princess managed to slow the advance," the healer said. His assumption was a natural one - neither Marc nor Aliana had abilities as healers. "We've neutralized the venom, but it did cause some widespread damage. We'll keep Her Highness in a restorative coma for a few days and she'll be fine." "Thank you," Keri said. She turned to Garith, indecision plain on her face. "Perhaps it would be best if we had the Royal Encampment moved here," Garrith offered. "This plateau is defensible. We'll be needin ta send a second courier ta Highkeep and one ta the Palace as well with news of the Princess's condition. " ? "Please see to it, Garrith," Keri said. ? The serjeant gave her an odd look and nodded, then turned and began barking orders. For a moment Aliana and the Princess were left alone by the still form of Marc. Aliana looked up at Keri and forced a smile of encouragement. ? "What are we going to do, Ali?" Keri asked. ? "What we have to," Ali replied, her gaze shifting to the sleeping Marc. "You're not alone, either of you." ? CHAPTER 17 ? The first courier sent by the Captain of the Royal Guard initiated a maelstrom of activity within the walls of Highkeep. The baronial capital's location at the western edge of the Malmorrow Mountains was strategically important - the keep was only thirty leagues from Riala's Wall and would be the first line of defense if an enemy were to breach the wall in force. As such it had a larger garrison than the other baronies, a full division of over forty-thousand infantry and cavalry. ? The strategic importance of the barony had not been enough to prevent the Regent from stripping away more than half those troops, leaving Baron Iefan Trilarn with just one mixed battalion consisting of two companies of heavy cavalry and another two of infantry. Those troops had been hard pressed dealing with the numerous orc raids throughout the area, and the Baron had positioned numerous small units throughout the countryside to try and deal with the problem. ? Despite this, the Baron didn't hesitate for an instant when he received the courier's message. He immediately called for the battalion commander and ordered a company of heavy cavalry and another of infantry to make ready for a hard march to Amurga. ? "How soon can you be ready?" the Baron asked as he reread the message from Sir Marcan. ? "Within the hour," Knight-Commander Cernan replied. ? The baron sighed and looked at the clock on the mantle above the hearth. It had been over an hour since the courier arrived. Even at their best speed, the cavalry couldn't reach the Princess's encampment before midmorning, and they would be slowed by the infantry. He fought down the impatience, knowing from his own military experience that it took time to get almost a thousand men ready to march. ? The doors to the hall burst open, and one of his guards entered with another courier from the Royal Guard in tow. The yeoman looked like he had ridden hard, and as he handed over a message tube, the baron turned to one of his household staff. ? "Get this man some food and drink," he ordered. ? Baron Iefan opened the tube and unrolled the paper within. His brown hands began to tremble as he read the message. ? "The Princess has been injured," he told Cernan. "The healers feel it will be unsafe to move her for several hours. Knight-Captain Marcan intends to defend the plateau until Her Highness can be moved to the transport spire." "That could work to our advantage, Excellency," Cernan said. "The plateau is easily defensible. The only approach to the top is the path, and the Royal Guard could hold that against ten times their number for hours. If we sent the cavalry ahead of the infantry...." The Baron shook his head. "I want to get support to the Princess as much as you do my friend, but it's far to dangerous to leave the infantry without cavalry support. If there are more orcs out there they could march right into an ambush without your men to scout ahead and guard their flanks." "You're right of course, Iefan," the knight said. "I just wish there was someway we could get aid to them sooner. It'll be mid-afternoon before we can get there with the infantry." ? "The Rangers are ready to ride right now," a voice said from the doorway. ? The Baron looked up at the speaker, a tall young woman with light brown skin and striking blue hair. She was clad in form-fitting black leather armor that was deliberately distressed to prevent it from shining in the dark. A longsword and dagger rode on her hips, and across her back was slung a recurved bow and quiver of arrows. "If we leave now, we can reach the plateau shortly after sunup," she said as she strode into the room. ? "You're not going," the Baron told his daughter, Elyssa. "What good do you think your girls can do?" The young woman bristled noticeably at his use of the word girls. ? Knight-Commander Cernan hesitated before saying, "Excellency, the Rangers can travel much faster than we can. If the orcs are still in the area near Amurga, they could prove invaluable as scouts for the Royal Guard. Their bows would greatly supplement the archers Sir Marcan has at his disposal as well." ? Elyssa gave the knight a grateful smile, but the Baron merely shook his head. ? "No, I forbid it," he said. ? "Why?" Elyssa demanded. "Because you don't think we can be of use or because Enara is there?" ? The Baron's face clouded with anger. He looked around the room and at his unspoken command everyone left so he could speak to his daughter in private. ? "This has nothing to do with Lady Enara," he said once they were alone. ? "It has everything to do with her," Elyssa insisted. "You sent her away to keep us apart." ? "I had nothing to do with that!" her father said. "Lord Burrin received an appointment as a deputy to the Chancellor of the Exchequer." ? "Do you think I'm a fool, Father?" Elyssa said. "Nara's father is more than competent, but he doesn't have the connections to get such a post - but you do. I'm going to Amurga, with or without your permission." ? "If you do that I'll ... I'll...." ? "Disown me like Nara's parents did?" ? The Baron's face turned ashen, and he sat down heavily in the chair behind his huge desk. He looked at his daughter, the pain in his eyes plain. ? "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" he said at last. ? Elyssa walked around behind the desk and knelt before her father, taking his large hands in hers. Her hands seemed tiny and delicate in his, and her cinnamon complexion even lighter next to his deep brown skin. ? "I'm my father's daughter," she said. "What would you expect?" ? Baron Iefan smiled and said, "Your mother's as well - I could never win an argument with her either. Even if I don't approve of some of the things you do, you're my daughter. Nothing will ever change that. I love you, Lyssa." ? "I love you too, Father," Elyssa said. "And like it or not, I love Enara." ? Baron Iefan frowned and shook his head. "Well, since I obviously can't control you, and you're far too big to turn over me knee, I suppose I'll have to support you. Take your Rangers and ride for Amurga. Give the Royal Guard whatever assistance you can." ? "Yes, my Lord Baron," Elyssa said as she rose. She leaned over and kissed her father on the cheek and then turned and strode quickly from the hall. ? "That child will make a formidable baroness one day," Iefan said with a wry grin. "Of course, she'll drive me insane before that happens." ? The grin faded as he took time to reflect on the night's events. The attack on the Royal Progress was alarming. Until now, the orcs had been a nuisance - a serious nuisance to be sure, but they had never been reported in numbers greater than a dozen or so. As much as he hated to admit it, his daughter's Rangers had been extremely effective in curtailing the raiders, and he knew there was no way they would have missed the signs of a large group in the area. That could mean the Merdians were escalating their efforts to destabilize the kingdom. ? Baron Iefan sighed. When the raids had begun, he had argued that troops should be taken from the frontier to deal with the problem. The Regent and the majority of the Council of Barons had disagreed, insisting the best course of action was to press forward and advance further into Camron. ? A nagging suspicion tugged at the Baron's thoughts, and despite his best efforts, he couldn't shake it off. More and more he found himself on the outside of discussions among his fellow barons when they met. Conversations would cease when he drew near - men and women he had once counted as friends treated him almost like a stranger. It could be nothing, but could he take that chance? ? He rose from his seat and strode across the hall to the doors. He threw them open wide and called over the first person he saw, a young page who was hurrying towards the kitchen. ? "Larin, run as fast as you can to the stables and catch Lady Elyssa," he ordered. "Tell her I have an urgent message for her to convey to the Captain of the Royal Guard." ? ? CHAPTER 18 ? "We've established a strong perimeter around the top of the plateau," Sir Alwin, commander of one of the guard troops reported. "The path is well defended and so narrow and winding that the orcs would be fools to try and attack. If the Princess had accepted your recommendation that we use this as our camp in the first place, we could have avoided this whole mess." Keri bit back an acerbic response and simply nodded. It was true Marc had wanted to use the plateau, but she had complained it was too far from the village. Of course the real reason she had been against it was because it would have been impossible for her to carry out her plan with the Royal Encampment in the middle of the Star Stones. ~And that worked out so brilliantly,~ she thought with a mental sigh. "Thank you, Sir Alwin," she said after a moment. The knight saluted after giving her an odd look and then headed off to assume his position. ~Why does everyone keep looking at me like that?~ Keri was treading a fine line between calm and panic. There had barely been a moment to gather her wits before everyone seemed to be looking to her for direction - only it wasn't really her they were looking to, it was who she appeared to be. She had been quite prepared to take on Aliana's place - she had no illusions that filling her Maid of Honor's shoes would be easy, but she was intimately familiar with her friend and her duties. The same, of course, applied to Aliana, who knew as much about being Princess as Keri did. It would have been different being in Ali's body, but not terribly so - she was a girl after all. Instead, she was now stuck in a body that felt totally wrong. It moved wrong - even standing still she could feel it. She was used to being tall, as a girl she was as tall as most men, but Marc's body was positively huge! His biceps were nearly as big around as her waist, and while she had often drawn great comfort and security as she clung to them, feeling them from the inside as it were was very disconcerting. As for their roles, she wasn't completely unprepared to fill Marc's boots, so to speak. As part of her preparation to one day rule the kingdom she had been schooled in military science since she was ten, and she had actually excelled in the subject matter. Her father had been quite proud at the praise her instructors had given her for her innovative deployments and maneuvers. She knew how to effectively utilize an elite unit such as the Royal Guard to maximize its effectiveness on the field of battle - but none of that helped in the least now. It was one thing to know how to place men in a theoretical war-game, and quite another to actually give orders that might place them in harm's way. She wished with all her heart that Aliana was by her side but that was impossible - Ali had to attend to Marc as though he really was the Princess. ? "The last o' the wagons have arrived," Garith reported, startling her from her introspection as he walked up to stand beside her. Stilnar was with him, and while the squire remained silent, the hard stare he gave Keri was unnerving. "The Royal Pavilion's set up, and the Princess is sleeping comfortably," Garith added. "I've stood half the men down ta rest." ? Keri nodded in acknowledgement. She was relying heavily on the serjeant's experience, and she gave him a look of gratitude. ? "All right," she sighed, "thank you, Garith." ? Stilnar's eyes flashed angrily, and he glanced around to make sure no one was near before snapping, "Stop that!" ? Keri looked at him in alarm and confusion. He would have never spoken with such a tone to Marc, which could only mean he had figured out her secret - she just didn't understand what had set him off so. ? "If you're going to fool anyone, you have to stop being so ... nice," the squire explained. ? "He's right," Garith said with a chuckle. "Ya got ta stop sayin' please and thank you so much. You're the Captain of the Royal Guard - ya give orders - ya don't make polite requests." ? "That's just the way I'm used to doing things," Keri replied. ? "That's because when the Princess makes a polite request, it's the same thing as an order," Garith said. "You're not the Princess at the moment - ya have ta act like the Captain, or the men will get suspicious. Ya have ta command." ? "Very well then," Keri said, drawing herself up to her full, and now quite impressive, height as she started moving towards the Royal Pavilion. "I want to check on Her Highness." ? She had taken only two steps from the smooth floor of the stone circle when she stubbed her toe on a small rock. She stumbled forward for an instant, trying to regain her balance, but the sheer bulk of Marc's body and her unfamiliarity with its higher center of gravity defeated her. Fortunately, she managed to avoid falling flat on her face, and instead hit the rocky ground on her left shoulder. The impact reopened several wounds that had been sealed by the healers with an adhesive paste and she let out a grunt of pain. ? Garith was barely able to conceal a grin, but Stilnar didn't look amused at all. The squire extended a hand and helped her to her feet. Fortunately, no one was nearby other than Stilnar and Garith. ? "Do you think you can manage to walk the rest of the way, or should I call for a litter?" Stilnar asked, the bitterness in his voice plain. ? "All right, squire," Keri said, placing an emphasis on the title to remind Stilnar of his place. "Obviously you're angry with me, and I can't blame you for that. Say what's on your mind." ? "What's on my mind is you walking around in a body that doesn't belong to you," Stilnar said. "You've pulled some foolish stunts in the past, but I never thought you would stoop to abuse your power like this." ? Keri stared at him in shock, unable to speak for an instant. When she finally found her voice, she had to consciously remind herself to keep it under control. ? "You can't think I did this on purpose?" ? "I seriously doubt Marc gave you his body willingly," Stilnar said. ? "It was an accident," Keri explained. "Marc interrupted the transfer, got in the way. I was supposed to swap with Ali." ? "Oh that makes it all right then," Stilnar said acerbically. "After all, Ali's just a servant - her body belongs to you anyway - isn't that right?" ? Her hand was moving before she even realized it. Fortunately for Stilnar she had already removed her mail gauntlets and she thought like a female rather than a male. Instead of punching she slapped, but the slap she delivered was still powerful enough to stagger the squire. Garith immediately stepped between them, but the move was unnecessary. Both Keri and Stilnar were too shocked by what had just happened to carry it any further. ? "You go check the perimeter and cool off," Garith told Stilnar. The squire nodded and turned away. ? "Stil wait...." Keri said, but Garith put out a hand to stop her. ? "Let him go," Garith said, taking Keri's arm and urging her towards the Royal Pavilion. "We need ta get a healer ta check your wounds after that fall." ? "I can't believe I did that," Keri said. "I've never hit anyone in my life. He just ... he just...." ? "He made ya mad," Garith offered. "He insulted ya, and ya did what a lot of men woulda done." ? "Marc wouldn't," Keri said. "No, the Captain woulda loosened a few of his teeth for smarting off ta you like that," Garith chuckled. "If I was me Stil wouldn't have had any reason to say that." "It don't matter if he had reason or not," Garith told her. "And it don't matter what body yer in, yer the Princess." "I suppose you're mad at me too," Keri said. ? "Mad, no," the serjeant told her. "I am disappointed ya didn't trust us enough ta let us in on yer little scheme." ? Keri stopped and turned to stare down at the serjeant. She had gotten used to being taller than him in her own body, but in Marc's she literally towered over the stocky warrior. ? "Like any of you would have let me and Ali switch places," she said. "Marc would have thrown a fit." ? Garith sighed and shook his head. "Ya just don't get it. We serve you, Highness. When has the Captain ever truly stopped ya from doin something ya wanted to? As long as ya didn't ask us ta let ya do something that was truly dangerous, we've always been there ta protect ya, even if we thought you were bein' ... reckless." ? "You can't expect me to believe he would have...." ? Garith cut her off and said, "Before the Captain was appointed to yer guard, he was yer father's squire and I was a serjeant in Toranon's guard. This isn't the first time we've been ta these stones." "You knew about the amulet," Keri said, her eyes growing wide. ? "Until tonight I didn't know exactly what it did," Garith admitted. "I knew yer parents said it brought them closer together, and I guess now I understand how it did that. We thought it had been lost with them." ? "I am such an idiot," Keri moaned as they resumed their march to the pavilion. ? "Don't fret over that. We're all idiots at some time in our lives," Garith laughed. "If we didn't make mistakes we'd never learn anything at all." ? As they neared the Royal Pavilion, they were intercepted by a yeoman of the Royal Guard. He snapped to attention and saluted before delivering his report. "Riders approaching from the southeast, at least company strength!" Keri turned to Garith and the serjeant's voice carried across the entire plateau as he bellowed, "Stand to! Nothin' gets ta the top as long as one of us stands!" As they started towards the top of the path at the southeastern edge of the plateau, Keri felt the panic beginning to rise within her. If the force approaching was hostile the survival of everyone in the encampment would depend on her orders. An instant of hesitation could cost men their lives, and she knew she wasn't ready to bear such a burden. ~Just calm down - you can do this. Our position is strong even without walls. Even if they could scale the cliffs, they can't do it quickly or in numbers. The only way up is the path and it's barely wide enough for a half-dozen men. We can hold it for hours, perhaps days.~ Fortunately no immediate orders were necessary. The men of the Royal Guard already knew what to do. The archers were positioned at the center of the plateau, where they could quickly move to wherever they were needed. One troop of guardsmen maintained a loose perimeter around the edge of the flat, rocky height. They were thinly spaced, but they would be able to warn of any attempt to scale the cliffs. The remainder of the Royal Guard formed troop sized phalanxes, five men per rank and ten ranks deep. They moved to a position midway down the path and waited, the shields of the front rank and the men along the outside edge of the path overlapping to form a barrier against missile fire. Keri and Garith walked to the southwestern edge of the plateau and gazed into the distance. The sun was just beginning to climb above the rocky heights behind them, and Keri knew that was to their advantage as well.? With the sun at their backs, they could see the approaching riders far more easily than they could be seen. Still she had to struggle to make out the distant cloud of dust. If she had been in her proper body, she would have been able at least to tell whether they were orcs or not, but Marc's body didn't have the benefit of her elven eyesight. Garith motioned to one of the lookouts stationed at the top of the path and the yeoman passed his field glasses to Keri. Keri started to thank the yeoman but caught herself and nodded curtly instead. She raised the heavy glasses to her eyes and focused on the approaching riders. "They're not orcs," she said after a moment's study. "I can't make out their banner yet, but they're coming from the direction of the transport spire." "Could be the cavalry from Highkeep," Garith said. "They made good time if it is." Keri shook her head, her eyes still fixed to the field glasses. "They look like light-horse," she said. She could now see the banner more clearly, and recognized the arms of Highkeep on the billowing material. "It must be the Rangers." "Aye, that would make sense," Garith said. "They could'a traveled faster than the heavy horse. The Baron must'a sent them on ahead." The column of riders came to a halt, well beyond arrow range, and two separated from the formation and approached the plateau at a trot. Garith turned and called for their horses, and once they were mounted he and Keri rode down to meet them. As they drew near, it became apparent the two riders were female, which was not a surprise as the Rangers were all women. So far it was an arrangement unique to Highkeep, but Keri wondered how long that would be true. She had seen it all too many times, especially on the northern leg of the Royal Progress, too many shires and farmsteads populated predominantly by old men, women and children. If the war continued, it would bleed the kingdom dry, and she was more determined than ever to bring an end to it. The four riders reigned their mounts in as they met, and Keri recognized the daughter of the Baron of Highkeep from the likeness Enara had shown her, as well as her striking blue hair that danced in the light morning breeze. "My duty to you, Knight-Captain Marcan," Lady Elyssa said. "I bear greetings from my father, Baron Trilarn. The Rangers stand ready to defend the Princess." Keri was taken aback at hearing herself addressed by Marc's name and title. She hadn't had a moment to herself since the transference ritual had gone so wrong, and the whole situation threatened to overwhelm her. If she had been in her own body she was certain she would be crying hysterically, but apparently along with Marc's body she had inherited his tight emotional control - mostly at least. The incident with Stilnar was still shockingly fresh in her mind. She realized the young noblewoman was waiting for instructions, and she mentally shook herself from the confusion. Technically the Rangers were light cavalry like the Royal Guard, but they were even more lightly armed and armored, and their mounts were small and fast as opposed to the heavier war horses of the Guard. "Your assistance is welcome and appreciated, Lady Elyssa" she said. "The Royal Guard has the plateau secured, but we don't have sufficient numbers to maintain that and patrol the area. If you could have your Rangers scout the countryside it would be of great service." Elyssa turned to the woman with her and said, "Gemma, send half the company in squad sized units. Have them stay within a half-league of the Star Stones and make it clear they are not to engage any enemy they encounter. I'll take the rest and get our encampment set up." "Yes, My Lady," Gemma replied with a nod before turning her mount and galloping back to the formation. "We'd best have the men stand down," Keri said to Garith. The serjeant nodded and turned in his saddle, raising his hand to signal the lookouts atop the plateau. Lady Elyssa also turned, signaling half of the Rangers forward. Keri and Garith wheeled their mounts and the three started back towards the plateau with the Rangers following several lengths behind. Keri instructed Garith to see to the quartering of the Highkeep forces once they reached the plateau, and then inquired about the disposition of the additional support troops. "They should be here by mid-afternoon," Lady Elyssa told them. "Good," Keri said. "The Princess will be well enough to move by then. You know this country, Lady Elyssa, do you think there are more orcs out there, besides the gunners that fled?" The noblewoman pondered the question a moment before saying, "My instincts tell me yes, but if there are, why didn't they participate in the attack? We passed the scene on the way here from the spire - it was madness for them to attack your position with so few." Keri nodded in agreement, momentarily lost in thought. One of the more confusing aspects of the transference was having access to Marc's memories as well as her own. She didn't instantly know everything about him - the memories required some catalyst to bring them to the surface. Lady Elyssa'a words had reminded her of Marc's conversation with Garith after the battle, and even though she knew the memory was Marc's she recalled it as though she had been there. "The Blood Oath," she muttered. "The Oath would drive the orcs to great lengths to kill the Princess," Elyssa agreed, "but not to the point of suicide in a hopeless attack." "Unless the attack was just a diversion," Keri said. "The orc that attacked Her Highness used an envenomed blade, an assassin's weapon. Maybe the attack was meant to keep the Guard occupied while the assassin pursued the Princess." "How would the beasts ha' known she'd go to the Star Stones?" Garith wondered. "The same way they're able to use the spires," Keri said, "treason." "My father fears that too," Elyssa said. "He has suspected for some time that the spires have been compromised. He communicated his concerns to the Regent several times, but never received any response. When he tried to bring the matter before the Council of Barons, it was blocked. Who knew of the Princess's trip to the Stones?" "No one, not even us," Keri said, casting a glance at Garith before continuing. "She snuck off with her Maid-of-Honor before the attack." Elyssa grinned slightly, and Keri was certain she knew why. She wondered how often the young noblewoman had snuck away to spend time with Enara. That thought brought to mind Marc's encounter immediately after the battle with her Lady-in-Waiting. "Shards, Enara!" she blurted. "What about Nara?" Lady Elyssa asked. "Is she hurt?" Keri shook her head and said, "No. I ... I had her placed under guard when I learned the Princess was missing." She turned to Garith, her eyes pleading for assistance. "She's in her chamber in the Royal Pavilion," the serjeant said. "In all the confusion I forgot ta rescind the order." Keri gave the stocky warrior a smile of thanks for assuming the blame. She was unsettled by the memories of Marc's exchange with her friend, but she understood why he had done what he did. "Why was she detained at all?" Lady Elyssa demanded, her eyes flashing angrily. "What makes you think you have the authority to arrest a noble without orders from a superior?" "Because I am the Captain of the Royal Guard!" Keri snapped back, matching the noblewoman's tone. She didn't approve of Marc's actions, but she wasn't going to allow someone else to question them either. "My only superior is the Princess, and she was missing in the midst of a chaotic situation. Lady Enara was covering for her absence and I had to consider her actions suspect." "You're right," Elyssa said after a moment's pause. She obviously wasn't used to being addressed in such a tone, at least not by a knight. "Please forgive me for my outburst." "It's been a long night, My Lady," Keri said, her voice as soft as she could manage. "We're all on edge." She turned to Garith and added, "I want you to check the corpse of that orc assassin. Bring me everything it was carrying." "Aye, Captain," Garith said with a nod. "My father gave me a message for you, Sir Marcan," Elyssa said as they neared the plateau. "He urges you to proceed to Highkeep as soon as possible, and pledges all the forces at our disposal to the safety of Her Highness. As of this morning, Highkeep will no longer acquiesce to the orders of the Regent. He has sent orders via orb to Wallkeep recalling our troops as well. They're currently being held in reserve so the forces at the frontier won't be weakened." Keri was both shocked and pleased by the message. By law the armies of Trimaris were under the control of her aunt and the Council of Barons until she took the throne. An attack of such size within the territory under his protection did give the Baron grounds for the recall, but he was treading a fine line. "The support of Highkeep is welcome and greatly appreciated," she told Elyssa. "I can assure you the Princess will support your father. She has already informed the Regent that she intends to assume the throne shortly after she returns to Lockeshire." "It will probably take four or five days for the troops to get back," Elyssa said. "They're encamped about a hundred miles west of the Wall. There's also a possibility Baroness Gisella of Wallkeep may refuse to give them passage through the Great Gate." "I'm sure the Princess will send a request asking the baroness to give them passage," Keri said. "Unfortunately she can't make it an order as the armies are technically under the control of the Regent. Does your father harbor some suspicions regarding Baroness Gisella's loyalties?" "He does," Elyssa said with a nod. "I doubt she would refuse a Royal request, however." "Maybe we should suggest that Her Highness cancel her plans ta go ta the festival in that case," Garith said, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Keri. "We could hole up in Highkeep and send out word that the Princess was calling for aid." Keri didn't speak. She knew that Marc would likely agree with the serjeant if he were in her place, where he rightfully should be. That was her first instinct too, but something didn't feel right about it. Such a move was tantamount to calling out her aunt and the Council - if they were attempting to subvert the throne it could force their hand and all too easily lead to civil war. "Whether we continue or not will be up to the Princess," she said finally. It felt strange, but it was what Marc would have said in her place. Her mind was cluttered with a dizzying array of matters that had to be attended to. The men needed to be rotated for rest while still maintaining the perimeter. They also needed to be fed, and with the camp kitchen still on the wagons that meant a cold meal. She needed to prepare an order of march to the spires that would incorporate the forces from Highkeep, and a dozen other administrative matters. She knew Garith and others would handle most of the details, but it was her responsibility to make certain everything was done. She had never really understood all that Marc did before. There were so many details that he had to deal with on a daily basis, and she was only beginning realize how maddening they could be. And it was all to make sure a capricious, often petulant and woefully unappreciative Princess was kept safe and happy. Her aunt was right; she was spoiled and ill-prepared to take the throne. ~But that ends right now,~ she swore to herself. CHAPTER 19 "I want answers!" the Regent demanded. Her eyes locked onto each of her military advisors in accusation. "How could the raiders amass a force large enough to attack the Princess's encampment?" Earl-Marshal Orris Stanwyth cleared his throat noisily before speaking. As the senior knight in command of the armies of Trimaria his proper place was at the front, but he was far too rotund to climb into the saddle anymore. "Your Grace, the numbers of the attacking force are less than half the strength we've estimated for the raiders within the kingdom," Marshal Stanwyth said. "Supposedly in small bands scattered over a two-hundred-thousand square miles!" the Regent countered. "How could they have assembled in force to attack the Princess?" "Obviously they found out that the Princess would be in Amurga," Duke Terlen said. All eyes in the room turned to him as he continued. "Every effort was made to maintain security, but it was a hopeless task. There were simply too many arrangements that had to be made. All it would take is one Merdian spy with sharp ears and eyes to gather the information and pass it along to the orc raiders. There was ample time for the raiders to converge near Amurga while the Princess toured the southern and central portions of the kingdom." "Those fortifications Demoss insisted on would certainly have raised suspicions," Knight-Commander Jarris said, and let the orcs know right where to attack." "Without those fortifications, the Royal Guard would undoubtedly have been overrun," Duke Terlen replied, staring the knight down. "Sir Marcan was quite right to insist upon them." "There is a bright side to this, Your Grace," Marshal Stanwyth said. "The strength of the raider force has been seriously reduced. With the increased patrols of our coastal waters by the Navy, it will be much harder for the Merdians to infiltrate more orcs. Once we have seized their port on the Istan Peninsula in Camron, the threat will be over." "It's going to be difficult to launch our offensive now that Baron Iefan has recalled the Highkeep forces," the Regent said. "I'll have him stripped of his title for defying me." "That would require the consent of the Council of Barons," Duke Terlen told her. "Only the Crown has the authority to strip a baronial title without the council, and even a sovereign requires just cause to do so. The attack has given the Baron sufficient justification for his recall." "One division more or less will make no difference in our offensive," Marshal Stanwyth assured the Regent. "Marshal Teagan's plan is audacious but sound. Our amphibious assault will take the Merdians completely by surprise. With their supply lines cut, the Merdian forces at the frontier will collapse quickly." "The attack on the Princess is terrible," Duke Terlen said, "but it does serve to reinforce the need to put an end to these raiders. No one can deny the importance of seizing the Merdian ports now." "They can but it will do them no good," the Regent said. "All right, we will proceed as planned." The Regent spoke no words of dismissal but it was clear that the meeting was over. Her military advisors rose and left the room, leaving her with Duke Terlen and Knight-Commander Jaris. For several minutes they discussed the details of her upcoming journey to Wallkeep for the Harvest Festival. Duchess Rayna was uncharacteristically subdued, merely nodding as the commander of her guard went over the final security measures for her trip. "Thank you, Jaris, I feel confident you have everything well in hand," she said finally, then turned to her consort. "Would you give me a moment with Commander Jaris?" "Of course, my dear," Duke Terlen said. He kissed her gently on the cheek and said, "Keri is alive and will recover fully. Everything will be all right." Duchess Rayna smiled and squeezed his hand. He returned the smile with warm affection and then turned and left the Council Chamber. The Regent watched him go with a slight smile on her face as she absentmindedly toyed with the ring he had placed on her finger when they were betrothed. Once he was gone the Regent turned to Jaris, the smile disappearing as she said, "I want you to send word to Knight-Captain Marcan. As soon as the Princess is fit to travel, they are to return to the Palace." "Your Grace, Demoss will not obey the order unless the Princess agrees," Jaris said. The Regent took a parchment from the table and handed it to Jaris. "This is a declaration of imminent risk to the life of the Royal Heir," she told him. "Have it transmitted to Highkeep along with the recall order. I am invoking my right as Regent to order the Princess to return for her own safety and in the best interest of the Kingdom. If Knight- Captain Marcan doesn't return her to the Palace, he will be held accountable should any harm befall her." "Are you certain, Your Grace?" "Of course I'm certain," the Duchess snapped. "Forgive me, Your Grace, but the Princess's message ... she intends to take the throne in three months time. Even if all goes well, the war will be far from decided by then." "No one outside the War Council is aware of that, and I intend to keep it that way," the Regent told him. "I'll keep Keri locked in her chambers if necessary until her twenty-first birthday." "As you wish, Your Grace," Jaris said. "I'll send the order immediately." The Regent nodded and Jaris turned and left the room. Instead of proceeding to issue the order, however, he made his way to Duke Terlen's private office. The door swung open before he could even knock, and he entered. Duke Terlen sat in a high backed chair, staring into a glowing crystal sphere on his immaculate desktop. The image within the crystal was that of the Council Chamber, until the Duke waved a hand over it and the view shifted to the Princess's quarters. "So, my beloved wife has decided to try and compel Her Highness to return," Terlen said. "Yes, Your Grace," Jaris said. "No matter, we shall proceed as planned," Terlen said. "Pardon me, Your Grace, but it will be difficult to do that with Her Highness in the Palace." Terlen laughed and said, "She won't come back. I have no doubt she will defy the order to return." "And if Demoss insists?" Jaris asked. "With the recall order and the declaration he can compel her to return." "The orcs may have failed to kill the Princess, but they did accomplish something," Terlen said. "By now Sir Marcan undoubtedly suspects treachery, and thanks to the recent actions of my wife, he will suspect her. He'll keep the Princess as far away from the Palace as possible until they can gather loyal forces to her." "She may well succeed," Jaris said. "The vast majority of the army is loyal to her, Your Grace." "All the better," Terlen said with a feral smile. He was about to continue when his head snapped towards the back wall of the office. He sprang from his chair and with long, purposeful strides crossed the room and glared at the stones. "Did you hear something?" he asked Jaris. "No, Your Grace." Terlen continued to glare at the wall, muttering the words of a seeing incantation. His sight bored into the wall, through the stone, probing for a void beyond. He found nothing but more stone until he reached the far side of the wall. The room there was completely empty, and his enhanced vision showed no tell-tale heat signature of recent occupation. The Duke shook his head and cancelled the spell. "Send the Regent's order," he said as he turned back to Jaris. "We will proceed as planned." "Yes, Your Grace." After the knight was gone, the Duke returned his attention to the wall, staring at it for a long time. Finally he shrugged, muttered something about the noises an old castle makes, and left the office. Behind the stone, in a passage protected by powerful arcane wards, Lord Chamberlain Fenril breathed a sigh of relief. CHAPTER 20 At first Marc thought he was waking from a very strange dream, but he quickly realized it was no dream. When he opened his eyes and saw the way the bedclothes rose above his chest, he knew it had been all too real. ~They look a lot bigger from this angle.~ "It's good to see you awake, Your Highness." Marc turned towards the familiar sound of Aliana's voice and saw the Maid-of-Honor seated next to the bed he was in. They were in a bed chamber befitting the Princess of Trimaria; sumptuously appointed with elegant wall hangings and a glittering chandelier of glowing crystal spheres. A stone glowed warmly in the hearth at the far end of the room, driving away the autumn chill. "Where is she?" Marc asked through gritted teeth. "You know the answer to that," Ali said. "She's fulfilling the duties of the Captain of the Royal Guard." "Get her in here now." "Please try not to by angry, Marc," Aliana pleaded. "We never meant for this to happen." "Is that supposed to make it all right?" Marc asked, his voice rising to a pitch that only agitated him more. "Of course not," Aliana said. "We were wrong and we were stupid, we both realize that." "That's just great!" Mark tried to shout, but it came out as a sob. He felt tears forming in his eyes and try as he might he couldn't hold them in. "Of all the asinine, reckless stunts the two of you have pulled...." Even though the windows of the bed chamber were closed a powerful wind began to swirl about the room. Marc hardly noticed it at first, until Aliana was lifted from the chair and sent flying across the room towards the hard stone wall. Before she actually made contact with the wall a shimmering sphere of magical energy appeared about her, absorbing the impact and bouncing her down to the floor where she settled with a soft thud. Marc uttered a frightened squeak that would have disturbed him greatly if he hadn't been worried about Aliana. She picked herself up, slowly, arched her back with a pained expression and then looked down her nose at him. "Okay that hurt," she said. "Are you all right?" he asked. "Just a little bruised," she assured him as she righted her chair and sat down again. "Keri usually set things on fire or shattered glass, so I wasn't quite prepared for your attack. My shield absorbed most of it though." "I have Keri's powers," Marc said in a subdued tone. "You have half her power," Aliana corrected, "Plus what you brought with your own spirit. That's still more than most mages will ever have. What you don't have is her experience in controlling it. Remember how it was when she was a child?" Marc nodded. Until Keri had learned to control her magic, a temper- tantrum usually led to the destruction of anything fragile or flammable in her immediate vicinity. Fortunately she had never seriously injured anyone, but she had done a lot of property damage. "Shards," he said, casting a fearful glance at Aliana. "Ali I feel like I'm going to burst into tears at any moment. I don't ... I don't think...." He did burst into tears, and Aliana moved to sit next to him on the bed. She pulled him close and held him as he cried, just as she had held the real Keri so many times before. "Welcome to womanhood," she told him. This time Marc could feel the power swelling within, and it frightened him. He struggled to control the emotional outburst but that only seemed to make it worse. Then Ali started to sing a song with no words, just a soothing melody that stirred a memory within. He remembered Mistara singing that same song to him, only it wasn't him, it was Keri, and he realized he was remembering something from her childhood. The swelling wave of magical energy subsided but the tears continued to flow. "Don't fight it, Marc, just let it out," Ali soothed. Finally the tears subsided and Ali took a cloth from her bodice and handed it to him. He dabbed away the tears and then settled back onto the pillow feeling both exhausted and strangely content. "That actually felt good," he said. "A good cry can do wonders," Ali said with a smile. "Keri is an emotional girl, you know that, and for now those emotions are yours. The thing to remember is don't try to hold it in. I know that goes against everything you've learned as a man, but if you let the feelings fester things will get very ugly." "We're stuck like this until the next full moon, aren't we?" "I'm afraid so," Ali confirmed. "That means I have to go to the Grand Ball as Keri," Marc sighed. "If you choose," Ali told him. "With the attack, there's ample reason to bow out of the festival." Marc shook his head. "I can't do that. It would make the Princess look weak and afraid. Besides, I don't think the Palace would be any safer right now." "We've figured that out too," Aliana said. "There is another alternative. The Baron has offered us the protection of Highkeep. He's used the attack as justification to recall the barony's troops from the frontier, and pledged their support to the Princess. If we issued a call for aid more troops would surely come no matter what the Regent said." Marc considered the possibilities. Highkeep was not as impregnable as Lockeshire, but its location in the mountains made a siege very problematic for any opposing force. With more troops it could be made virtually unassailable, and Aliana was right, the troops would come if the Princess called. Once they were well defended, they could take the time to figure out what was going on. Despite that, he shook his head again, making his long hair dance across his back in a manner he was quite unused to. "That would be too provocative," he said. "We'd be calling out whoever is behind this." "I think we all know who is behind this." "I know Rayna looks very suspect, but I can't believe she would harm Keri," Marc insisted. "Regardless, if we force the issue it could lead to civil war." "Keri feels the same way," Ali told him. "So, if we're going to the festival you and I have a lot of work to do, and only eight days to do it in." "The festival is only a week away?" Marc asked in confusion. "But the attack was just...." "Three days ago," Ali said. "You were very badly wounded, and the blade was poisoned. The healers have kept you asleep until this morning." "We better get started then," Marc said, starting to rise. Aliana helped him up and to his feet, at which point he stopped and said, "I have absolutely no idea what to do next." "That'