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Princess of Trimaria - Part Three By Scott Ramsey CHAPTER 36 "Mother, what's happened?" Aliana demanded, gripping Keri's arm with both hands. "Where is Poppa?" "We were attacked by raiders between Thorngil and Sangre," Grand Mistress Elena said, struggling to control her emotions. "Your father ... your father was hurt ... badly." "But he's going to be all right, isn't he?" Aliana asked. "I don't know, Ali," her mother answered as she reached out and caressed Ali's face with her hand. "I know you have questions, but I need you to be strong for now. I must speak to the Princess." Her gaze shifted to Keri as she added, "Her Highness is in great danger, Sir Marcan." "She's up there," Keri said, her own mind reeling with shock as she turned towards the dais. To her shock it was empty and she turned back to Aliana. "She left about ten minutes ago," Ali said, her voice flat. "She insisted we have a dance ... she's with her guards and I didn't think there was any harm." "We have to find her quickly," Elena said. "An assassin is stalking her - I'll explain on the way." Keri nodded and urged Aliana and her mother towards the dais, her face growing warm. She wasn't angry with Ali, but she was furious with Marc. If she had left without letting him know, he would have never let her hear the end of it, no matter how well escorted she was. "I'm sorry, I should have told you," Ali said as she retrieved her cloak from where it was hanging near the rear entrance. "It's all right," Keri said. She would have a little chat with the 'Princess' when she caught up to him. At least the Regent apparently hadn't noticed the empty dais - but then Keri hadn't actually seen her aunt all night. There was no way she could have slipped in quietly -- her arrival would have been announced and she would have paid her respects to the 'Princess'. Her aunt's absence, after making such an issue of Keri attending, was very unusual. There was no time to ponder the issue, however. Keri took the cloak from Aliana and slipped it on her, gently squeezing her shoulders as she did. Ali's face was ashen, her bottom lip trembling as she fought to control herself. The Princess desperately wanted to hold her and let her shed the tears that she held tightly in check, but there just wasn't time. They slipped out the back entrance into the cool autumn night and started towards the city. Grand Mistress Elena explained how she had learned of the assassination plot and their fears that any message of warning might be intercepted. Then she told them of the raider attack and how Odon had been wounded while buying time for his wife and her apprentices to escape. "When we reached Sangre, I told the militia what had happened and they sent riders out," she said. "They encountered Keevan on the way to the scene and some of the men escorted him to the village. He was barely conscious, but he was able to tell us what happened after we escaped." "And Poppa?" Aliana asked. "He was unconscious when they brought him to the village," Elena sighed. "They couldn't find any trace of Shamis. Sangre doesn't have a healer- mage, just a journeyman physician, so they sent for one from Portsmyth." The seamstress paused, her arm slipping around Ali's shoulders as they walked, pulling her daughter close. "You're father was still alive when I left," she said. "I wanted to stay, Ali, you know I did, but they were going to shut down the spire for the night and I had to get here." "I understand, Momma," Ali said. "Poppa is strong ... I know he'll be all right." "Mistress, if you left Sangre yesterday evening you should have been able to get here by late this afternoon," Keri said. "Did something else happen?" "Our mad flight from the orcs was too much for the coach," Elena said. "One of the wheels was damaged and we were forced to stop at Amurga so their wainwright could make repairs. It delayed us several hours. I should have sent Weslin ahead on horseback, but because of the attack on the Princess I was afraid there might be orcs still in the area." "No, you were right to be cautious," Keri said. "You've already risked far too much on...." Her words were cut off as the entire city was plunged into darkness. In the distance they heard a scream of terror and Keri turned to look at Ali, her face torn with indecision. "Go!" Ali cried. "We'll never keep up in these fragging court shoes!" Keri nodded and took off at a run as Ali and her mother followed as fast as they could. As they walked, Ali slipped her hands into the concealed slits on each side of her skirt and drew a pair of long daggers from the sheaths on her thighs. "I was expecting to find that you were Keri," her mother said, stunning Ali with her words. "When your father and I heard the Princess had the amulet ... well, you know I love Keri but I'm glad the two of you didn't exchange bodies." "We were going to," Ali said. "Marc interrupted the ritual. That was Keri that just left, Momma." Her mother stopped in her tracks, her mouth hanging open. Ali slipped the dagger in her right hand back into its sheath and grasped her mother by the wrist, tugging her along. "That was Keri?" Elena asked. "I would never have guessed." "You didn't see her fawning over my gown last night," Ali said with a snicker. ***** Keri quickly outdistanced the two women and had just reached the first line of buildings when she was nearly overcome by a wave of rage tinged with agonizing grief. Then she felt an echo through the aether and knew that Marc had just channeled a great deal of power. It wasn't enough to damage him, but it was almost certainly fatal to whoever was its target - and quite possibly anyone else in the immediate area. She fought the urge to push herself harder, knowing that she would be of no use if she arrived too winded to fight. By the time she reached the scene of the attack, she already knew it was over; she could no longer feel Marc's emotions so she knew he was in no immediate peril. The street lamps flickered back to life and Keri came to a stop, surveying the scene in dismay. The two Royal Guardsmen lay dead in the center of the street, their swords still in their sheaths. A short distance from them she saw Lessanna sitting in the street, cradling Garith's head in her lap as she held a bandage to it. The serjeant was stirring slightly and didn't seem to be in immediate danger. She saw Wynetta huddling on the sidewalk, her arms wrapped about her knees as she rocked back and forth. The girl didn't appear to be hurt, just terrified, and no doubt she had good reason. Then her eyes settled on the still form a few feet away and a groan of sorrow escaped her lips. She rushed to Stilnar's side and knelt beside him, gently laying her hand on his chest. Keri closed her eyes, reaching out for the aether and knowing it was already too late. All she needed was the slightest sign that Stilnar's spirit still lingered, but there was nothing. The clacking of heels on stone told her that Ali and her mother had caught up, and Keri turned to face them. She shook her head slowly in answer to the unspoken question in Ali's eyes. "Oh Stil ... no," Ali whispered. "He fought very bravely," Lessanna said. "He gave his life to save ... the Princess." Keri's eyes met those of the handmaiden and she knew that Lessanna was aware of who she really was. She may have been the youngest of the Princess's attendants, but she was very shrewd. The girl forced a grim smile and nodded, letting Keri know the secret was safe with her. The Princess rose and walked over to where Lessana sat with Garith. She reached out and cupped the girl's chin in her hand, turning her face so she could examine her bruised and swollen cheek. "He's not the only one who fought it appears," Keri said. "Are you all right?" "I'll be fine," the girl said. "Wynetta wasn't hurt, she's just frightened, but Serjeant Garith took a nasty blow to the back of his head." "Just gimme a minute ta rest," Garith mumbled. Keri touched his head and closed her eyes, calling on the aether to probe the serjeant's injury. She could sense the healing spell Marc had used and knew there was nothing more she could do. Garith would be all right but he would need rest to fully recover. "Believe it or not they cracked that hard skull of yours," she told him. "You'll be fine in a day or two." She turned her attention back to Lessanna and asked, "Where is the Princess?" "One of the assassins escaped and she followed," the handmaiden said. "He was the leader I think. She said his name was Kragin and to tell you he has the amulet and the key. He was heading towards the spires. Lady Enara and Lady Elyssa got here just before you did and they went after her." "Kragin?" Keri muttered. The name was vaguely familiar to her, but it was Marc's memories that helped her recall it in detail. "She seemed to know who he was," Lessanna said. "So do I," Keri said, her eyes meeting Garith's. "Aye," the serjeant agreed, "traitorous bastard." The sounds of alarm bells began to echo through the city and in the distance they could hear shouting voices. Garith reached out and gripped Keri's arm tightly. "Ya got ta go, now," the serjeant said. "They'll shut down the spires once they know the Princess is gone, and the Regent will have ya arrested on sight." Keri nodded, turning to look at the bodies of the fallen guards and Stilnar. "Take care of them," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "Take care of Stil." "I'll see to it they get the honor they deserve," Garith assured her. "Now get outta here!" Keri rose, walking over to Aliana and her mother. "I've got to go," she said. "Not alone you don't," Ali told her, holding up her hand to silence any protest. "The only way you'll stop me is to knock me out." She turned to her mother and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Momma, but I have to go." "I know dear," Elena said. As she held her daughter tight she looked into Keri's eyes. "I'll take care of her," the Princess said. Ali actually laughed and said, "That will definitely be a change." "Our coach is by the spires," Elena told them. "You should be able to find clothes more suitable in it. Take whatever you need." "Thank you, Mistress," Keri said. They started towards the spires but paused for a moment on the opposite side of the street. The bodies of the two assassins Marc struck down lay there, the stench of their charred corpses nauseating. Keri turned to look back at the spot where Garith was rising with Lessanna's assistance, calculating that the serjeant would have been within the arc of Marc's vision when he struck the assassins. Ali noticed the same thing and smiled grimly. "Marc didn't lose control completely," she said. "If he had Garith would have at least been singed, but he wasn't touched." "It still wasn't perfect," Keri said, her voice hard. "If I had done it they'd be nothing but ashes." They started towards the spires again and Keri quickly began to pull ahead of Aliana. The Maid-of-Honor was quite used to wearing court shoes, but even so she could only move so fast in her five-inch heels. "Shard it, Keri, slow down!" she finally called. "You know I can't run very well in these shoes!" The Princess turned and without a word lifted Aliana and threw her over her shoulder. She resumed running towards the spires and Ali was treated to a bouncing view of the alley behind them. "Oh this is much better," she said. CHAPTER 37 "We need to get away from this clearing, Highness," Valin said, his right hand on the hilt of his sword as he grasped Marc's arm with his left. "Kragin went that way," Marc protested, pointing towards the southeast as Valin began pulling him to the southwest. He yanked his arm free and glared defiantly at the young nobleman. "All the more reason not to go that way. Do you think he's out for a leisurely ride? It's likely he intends to meet with more allies." "He must be heading for the Istan Peninsula," Marc said. "We have to catch him." "He's mounted, we're not," Valin said, grabbing Marc's arm again and pulling him along. "The tree line is closer in this direction. There are sure to be patrols in this area and the sooner we get to cover the better." "Will you stop dragging me like some tavern wench!" Marc shouted, yanking his arm free once more. "I will if you'll move," Valin hissed, "and keep your voice down!" Without waiting to see if Marc followed, Valin started off towards the tree line to the southwest. Marc stared at him for a moment and then turned and started towards the southeast after Kragin. By the time Valin realized the 'Princess' wasn't following him, Marc was already well past the spires. The nobleman looked towards the sky and shook his head before turning to follow. "Women!" Marc smiled as he heard Valin rushing to catch up with him. Unbidden the thought of Valin's hand on his arm came to him, and Marc wondered what it would feel like to have those strong arms around him, holding him tightly, what it would be like to feel his lips.... ~Stop that!~ He had avoided thinking about what the loss of the ring meant, but there was no way he could deny the desire that was now unrestrained in him. Worst of all he knew there was no real affection behind them. It was true he had felt a physical attraction to Valin even with the ring, but he barely knew the young nobleman. He understood now why Keri had been so afraid to take off the ring, because he knew that if Valin were to make even a half-hearted attempt to seduce him he would be hard pressed to resist. Fortunately their current situation made it unlikely that Valin would attempt such a thing, and hopefully Marc could focus his attention on getting the amulet and ring back. The ring was a secondary concern - Keri could easily have another just like it made - but he had to retrieve the amulet. The next full moon was only eleven days away, and he still had to find Kragin. "You are without doubt the most stubborn girl I have ever met," Valin said as he caught up to Marc. "Why is it so important to follow this Kragin? I know he tried to kill you, but it would have been wiser to wait and muster your guards." "There wasn't time," Marc said. "I can't explain in detail, but he took something from me, an amulet that has great power. I have to get it back." "You're after him because he took your jewelry?" Valin asked. "I find it hard to believe you'd be so reckless over a few baubles you could easily replace." "What he took was no bauble!" Marc snapped. "It's a powerful talisman and it is vital that I retrieve it." "There's still something you're not telling me. Who is Kragin?" Marc sighed before saying, "He was a knight under King Toranon, the deputy commander of his Royal Guard. He was with the King and Queen when they were ambushed and murdered, and he should have died with everyone else. That he's alive can only mean one thing - he betrayed them." "All right, we follow Kragin" Valin said after a moment. "This is against my better judgment though." As they started off again, Marc couldn't help thinking how Valin's words had struck a nerve. He was being reckless. They were alone with no spire key, hundreds of miles from friendly forces. Following Kragin through the spires had been beyond reckless - just the sort of thing he would have berated Keri for. ~It hasn't been an hour since I lost the amulet and already I'm starting to act like her.~ Of course he knew it wasn't that; it would take days, perhaps weeks for their spirits to adapt to their bodies without the amulet. Even then he wouldn't adopt Keri's personality, at least not completely. The main effect would be that he would no longer feel like a man in a woman's body - he would no longer think of himself as male. Like it or not he had no one to blame but himself. He had been driven by rage, grief and the thought that he had to get the amulet back at all costs. Valin set a fast pace and Marc was hard pressed to keep up with him. The heels of the court shoes he wore weren't as high or narrow as those worn by most women, but they weren't intended for walking on such uneven terrain. He had to place each foot carefully to avoid turning an ankle. Marc was no tracker but even he had no problem detecting the trail left by Kragin and his companion. The elvish eyes of Keri's body were not just keen in the day - though Kessil was barely more than a sliver in the night sky the ever present glow from Andarel's Belt provided more than enough light for him to see clearly. More than that, he could see every broken branch and blade of grass bent by the passage of the horses. The bruised foliage glowed with a faint light, and Marc wondered if he was actually seeing the plants as they healed the damage. As they made their way through the increasingly dense foliage, Valin moved with a degree of stealth that impressed Marc, who found it impossible not to make noise. The hem of his dress kept snagging on every possible obstruction, causing him to stumble several times. "I thought elves were supposed to be naturally fleet-footed," Valin remarked in a hushed voice. "You try sneaking about in a hoop skirt!" Marc hissed back. "How far ahead do you think Kragin is?" "At least a league by now. They can move faster than we can." "They have to stop sometime," Marc said. "So do we, Princess," Valin told him. "The only chance we have is to get horses of our own, and you need clothing better suited to the task." "We're not likely to find either out here." "We could," Valin said. "Lake Flastrom is about six leagues west of here." "And what would we accomplish by going there?" Marc asked. He was well aware of the location of the lake - he had nearly died there thirteen years ago "There's a village there called Falmere," Valin explained. Marc rushed ahead and stopped as he turned to face Valin. He knew there had been a village called Falmere - it had grown out of the supply base at the lake that had supported the construction of the spires. That had been ten years ago, however. "I grew up here if you recall," Valin explained, noting the suspicion in the 'Princess's' eyes. "This area was part of Talmere shire." "But there's been no one here for almost ten years." "Not everyone was willing to abandon their homes when Trimaria's army withdrew, Highness," Valin said. "Many families were unwilling to leave the homes they had built. For the first three years after army withdrew it was relatively peaceful. Even after your parents were killed it wasn't too bad - the villagers simply had to contend with the occasional demand for supplies from units on their way to the frontier." "What about the orcs?" "They were a nuisance after the withdrawal to be sure. When the hostilities, resumed they mostly moved to the frontier. There are occasional raids, but the villages have learned to defend themselves." "That doesn't explain how you know all this," Marc said. Valin sighed. "Most of my family remained after the withdrawal, but some returned to Trimaria. After the ambush of your parents, I was sent to live with my uncle, but I have had contact with my family. It's not frequent or easy to maintain, but it has kept me abreast of conditions here." "Did ... did my parents know of this?" Valin nodded. "As far as I know they did. Many of the men who remained were soldiers, and they stayed with King Toranon's blessing." Marc's shoulders slumped and he nodded. "Of course. If Toranon's dream had been realized, Camron would have become a joint protectorate of Trimaria and Merdia. We would have cleansed the region of orcs just as Riala did in Trimaria." "It was a worthy dream," Valin said, laying a hand on Marc's shoulder. "I've no doubt that one day you will see it realized." For a moment Marc thought the nobleman was going to pull him into an embrace - and for a moment he wanted that. He fought the desire, however, and turned to the west. "We'd best be going then," he said. "The sooner we get back on Kragin's trail the better." Valin took the lead once more and they started towards the lake. It was slow going as the forest was dense and there was no trail. Marc was amazed that Valin was able to navigate - the sky was obscured by the dense canopy overhead - but he moved with certainty, only pausing occasionally to get his bearings. After about a half hour they reached a small hollow with a narrow brook running through it. They took a moment to slake their thirst, but once that was accomplished Valin seemed in no hurry to move on. "What are we waiting for?" Marc asked impatiently. "My men," Valin said. "Unless I'm mistaken they're watching us from the tree line right now." Marc's hand flashed to his sword, drawing the blade and leveling it at Valin's chest. His eyes narrowed as the sound of stealthy footfalls reached his ears. He couldn't be certain, but he judged that there were at least six men approaching from several directions. "Who are you?" "Exactly who I claim to be, Valin of Talmere." "If you think I won't kill you, you're mistaken," Marc said. "I want the truth." "I saw what you did to those two assassins," Valin said. "I know you're quite capable of killing me in a number of ways. I swear you have nothing to fear from me - I have no desire to harm you. My men, however, might act hastily under these circumstances. Please, lower your sword." Shadowy figures emerged from the forest around them and Marc could see that they were armed with bolt-casters. He let the tip of his sword drop to the ground and released his grip on the weapon. Valin was watching him warily, no doubt fearing a repeat of what had happened to the two assassins. Marc knew that was unlikely; then he had been overcome by rage and anguish, and the result had been from a loss of control. He had no idea how to do such a thing intentionally. With enough time he could find an appropriate spell in Keri's memory, but there was no guarantee he could make use of it. Valin turned to one of the men and raised his hand in greeting as he said, "Hail, Ren, I suspect you're surprised to see me." "You could say that, brother," the man said. He shared a familial resemblance to Valin, and Marc suspected that the two were indeed siblings. "When the spire activated we certainly weren't expecting you to come through." "The man that came through before us?" Valin asked "Four men are tracking him and his friend. Who's the pretty maiden? Some trollop you picked up at the ball?" Valin grinned and said, "This, my brother, is Her Royal Highness, Princess Kerialla." The six men immediately lowered their weapons and dropped to their knees. The one called Ren bowed his head low as he spoke. "Forgive my disrespect, Your Highness." Marc turned to Valin and said, "Now I'm really confused." CHAPTER 38 When Keri and Aliana reached the transport spires in Wallkeep they found Enara and Elyssa already there. The young women had arrived after the spires had powered down and had not seen Marc go through, but the parking green next to the spires was crowded with coaches and horses, and after questioning several of the attendants they learned that the 'Princess' had gone through the spires in the company of a young nobleman. "From the description it appears she was with Lord Valin," Elyssa said. "She apparently went willingly, though the Fragment only knows why she would do such a thing." "She had her reasons," Keri said. She gave them a quick recounting of what Ali's mother had told them and then went to examine the control spire to determine where Marc had gone. "Are you all right?" Enara asked Aliana. "Not really," Ali replied. "I'll manage though." Keri returned, a grim look on her face as she said, "The spires are set for Camron." "I thought the Camron spires were deactivated when the army withdrew?" Aliana said. "They were," Keri said. "Kragin has a master key, he could have reactivated them." "Who is this Kragin and how did he get his hands on a master key?" Elyssa asked. "Kragin was a knight, the deputy commander of King Toranon's Royal Guard," Keri explained. "He should have died with every one else. The fact that he's alive means he betrayed the King and Queen - and that's how he got the key." "He must be going to the Merdian base on the peninsula," Elyssa suggested. "If I remember right, the peninsula is about two days' hard ride from the spires." "He's going to warn them of the invasion," Keri said. Aliana nodded in agreement and said, "That means the fleet will launch soon." "Shards!" Keri swore. "The fleet left tonight." "How can you be sure of that, Sir Marcan?" Elyssa asked. Keri hesitated, turning to look at Enara. Her friend smiled and nodded, understanding the unspoken question in the Princess's eyes. "Before I can explain that, there's something you need to know." Keri quickly explained to the incredulous young woman who she really was and how she had come to be in Marc's body. Elyssa looked to Enara for confirmation and her lover assured her it was all true. She shook her head in wonder. "It all makes sense now," Keri continued. "The Regent wasn't at the ball tonight, even though she traveled here supposedly to attend, and none of the War Council are here. This whole farce of me entertaining suitors was just to keep me occupied while the invasion fleet launched. The Palace is probably buzzing with activity and she knew I'd notice. She's probably been monitoring the progress from the Baronial Manor." "Do we warn the Regent?" Elyssa asked. Keri shook her head. "She'll have me arrested on sight, and I doubt she'll listen to anything I have to say. Besides she's been close to Lornis for six years - we can't trust her." "Do you think he's controlling her somehow with magic?" Enara asked. "It?s possible," Aliana said. "Lornis is a very powerful mage." "That kind of control is difficult, especially with someone as strong- willed as Aunt Rayna," Keri said. "He'd need an enchanted artifact, something that binds her to him." "Like their wedding rings?" Ali suggested. "Of course!" Keri said. "The rings would be the perfect thing." "And this Lornis ... he knew of the amulet?" Elyssa asked. "Apparently so," Keri said. "He must have been spying on my chambers in the palace somehow. That's the only way he could have learned I had it and planned to use it. When the orcs failed to kill me at Amurga he must have arranged this attempt." "But he thinks I'm in Keri's body," Ali said. "That's why he told Kragin to take the amulet. Once it was removed the spiritual anchor was severed. He intended to kill me and trap Keri in my body." "He wants me to live to see whatever he has planned for the kingdom," Keri explained. "It would be his ultimate revenge against Riala." "How could Terlen be Lornis though?" Enara asked. "His family has managed Northkeep and overseen the western baronies for centuries; his identity is well established." It was true that Duke Terlen came from an influential and well known family. Trimaria was divided into three administrative areas; the baronies of the southern reaches under Earl Lohan, the Central Valley which was directly administered by her own house and the western reaches under Duke Terlen. "Lornis could have assumed the Duke's identity through," Aliana said. "A spell?" Enara asked. "There are spells that can be used to alter one's appearance," Keri said. "They don't last very long though, no more than a few hours. No, I suspect he's using some kind of enchanted item for that too. The real duke is probably long dead." "We can talk about all this later," Ali said. "Right now we have to decide what we're going to do." "There's no choice," Keri said. "I'm following Marc to Camron." She turned to face Enara and Elyssa and added, "I know Ali will come with me, but I can't ask you two to take the same risk." "You don't have to ask us, sister," Enara said. "You'll need my help tracking ... the Princess," Elyssa said with a grin. "All right then," Keri said, looking towards the parking area nearby. The coach belonging to Ali's parents was there along with several others, as well as a dozen or so horses. "Ali, Nara, find some clothes in the coach. Take anything else that might be of use, especially food and water. Elyssa, we'll need horses." As Keri and Elyssa moved to their tasks, Aliana and Enara went to the coach to gather what they could. Odon's journeyman, Weslin, was standing watch, and Aliana gave him a quick hug before explaining what was going on. With Weslin's assistance they were able to quickly locate clothing more suitable for the task ahead. They had to improvise - the female clothing available was no more practical than their ball gowns, and much of the male clothing was far too large. In the end they settled upon a solution that was elegant - if a bit unconventional. They could find no trousers sufficiently small, so they each chose thick tights of shimmering black velvet, commonly worn by older boys for formal occasions. The simple white shirts they selected were also boys' garments, and over these they wore the dragon hide insets from their ball gowns. The skirts were scandalously short for outer wear, barely reaching their knees, but were long enough to cover the shirts. For footwear they chose soft, calf-high leather boots with flat soles, also intended for boys. They were still a bit large but they were able to lace them up tightly enough to compensate. The final pieces of their garb were stout leather belts with pouches. Before they returned to the spires, Ali turned to Weslin and said, "When we've gone, you have to find Serjeant Garith and tell him that we've followed the Princess to Camron. If anyone else asks, you have no idea where we went." "You can count on me, Miss Ali," the journeyman assured her. "I'll look after your mother too, don't you worry." Ali managed a weak smile and gave him another hug, then she and Enara ran back to the spires. "Ali, Nara, those outfits are adorable!" Keri exclaimed when she saw them, in a manner very incongruous with the body she wore. "When this is over I'll have to have your mother design something like that for riding - it's so much cuter than tunics and trousers." "Obviously you're still in touch with your femininity," Aliana laughed as she slipped her daggers into her boots. "We emptied out some packs and filled them with supplies. We should have enough food and water for about two days if we're careful, though there won't be much variety. I'm afraid Mother's customers are going to be unhappy about the way we treated their goods." "Pile everything in the center of the spires," Keri said. "The spires are ready to activate and we need to get moving. The guards could be here any minute." Keri returned to the control spire and turned the key from the activation setting to the Camron mark. The spires began to hum loudly and she removed the key, slipping it back into her pouch as she walked to the center of the spires. Elyssa joined them, leading four war horses clad in the colors of Southkeep. "I told the Earl's man they were being commandeered by order of the Royal Guard," Elyssa said. "True enough," Keri said. She stood next to Aliana and laid a hand gently on her shoulder. "All I want to do is hold you right now." "We don't have time," Ali told her. "I'll cry for my father later." "Odon is a strong man," Keri said. "Don't give up hope, love." Ali put on a brave face and nodded, gripping Keri's arm tightly. Then the spires flashed and a glowing sphere filled the space between them. In a flash the stones were empty. The city guard arrived a few minutes later, but by then the spires had powered down once more. CHAPTER 39 Valin's men only had one spare horse, the mount of one of their fellows that had fallen in a recent skirmish with orcs, so Marc was forced to ride with the nobleman. He had removed the hoop skirt beneath his gown but it was still impossible for him to sit astride, so instead he rode literally in Valin's lap, clinging to the handsome young man's neck as Valin's strong arms encircled him. It was far more intimate than when they had danced, and with the chastity ring gone Marc was beginning to feel the full effects of Keri's elvin nature. He had to do something to keep his mind off the increasingly strong awareness of Valin's raw masculinity. "Are you going to explain all this to me?" he asked. "Please don't insult me by lying - you're appearance at the festival was all too convenient in light of what's happened." "I had no idea someone was going to make an attempt on your life," Valin assured him. "If I had, I would have never let you leave the ball without me. I was sent to contact you, however, and that's why I followed when I noticed you had left." "So what, you planned to slip into my chamber and seduce me?" "Would that have worked?" Valin asked. Marc almost said yes. It was far too soon for his spirit to even begin to conform to his body, but that was likely only making things worse. His still quite male psyche was completely unequipped to deal with what his body was doing to him. He settled for silence and what he hoped was a stony glare. Valin laughed and said, "No, I simply planned to ask to speak to you. As your champion I was fairly certain I would gain admittance." "And who sent you?" "That, Princess, is a question best left for later," Valin said. "We don't have far to travel, and I assure you, you're in no danger from me or my men. Every one of us would die to keep you safe - we are loyal Trimarians." "My father abandoned you and your families, and you expect me to believe you don't resent me for that?" For the first time Valin looked at him with irritation. "You're father chose peace, but he knew the Merdians wouldn't accept any overture from him unless he made the first gesture. His actions were those of a true king, and his daughter would do well to learn from his example." Marc felt truly ashamed for his words as he said, "I'm sorry, Lord Valin. I do respect what my father did. It's my intention to bring an end to this war when I take the throne. I've already informed my aunt that I intend to do so in three months." "Then perhaps that explains the attempt on your life," Valin said. Now Marc became angry, his eyes flashing as he said, "Duchess Rayna had nothing to do with that! There are other forces at work here." "After all she has done you still have faith in her," Valin said. "I love her," Marc told him, fully aware of the double meaning behind those words. "Then I apologize for my implications," Valin said. "I hope you're right. What are these other forces you speak of?" "You have your secrets and I have mine, My Lord," Marc said. Despite himself he tightened his grip on Valin and leaned his head against his chest. "We'll see who reveals their secrets first." The next thing Marc knew he was being lowered into the arms of one of Valin's men. He hadn't intended to fall asleep, but the day's activities had taken more out of him than he had realized. The man smiled as he lowered Marc to his feet, and despite himself Marc smiled back. As he looked around Marc saw that they were inside what appeared to be a large, natural cavern. Glows along the walls provided a low level of light, and at one end there was a heavy black curtain that was obviously drawn across the opening. Marc noted that there were only two others with them; the one called Ren and the other three were nowhere to be seen. As Valin climbed down from the saddle and took him gently by the arm Marc felt a jolt through his entire body. He knew at that moment he would have done anything the nobleman asked him to, at least anything relating to intimacy, and he was very glad that no such request was made. Valin led him to the back of the cavern and took a small green crystal from his belt pouch. He held the crystal before him and a section of the cavern wall slid aside revealing a dimly lit passage beyond. The corridor was like none Marc had ever seen; the walls, ceiling and floor were stone polished to a mirrored finish, and there were no seams visible. It was as though the passage had been formed by some great heat, melting the stone into a glass-like finish. They reached the end of the passage and passed through a door made of thick steel into a large chamber. There were several people present, both men and women, and when Valin formally announced Marc as the 'Princess' they all bowed low. Then an older woman with black hair streaked with grey hurried forward and curtsied. "We are honored to meet you, Highness," she said. "I am called Temina, the headwoman here. Is there anything I can get you ... some food and drink perhaps?" "Thank you, Temina," Marc said. "I am a bit thirsty, but most of all I'd like to get into something more comfortable than this gown ... I've been wearing it for hours." "I'm afraid we don't have any dresses fitting for Your Highness," Temina said tentatively. "I very much enjoy simple clothes when the situation permits," Marc said, knowing it was true of Keri. "Anything you might have will do. Otherwise I'm going to have to unlace this bodice and that might be a bit unseemly." Temina grinned wryly and said, "We'll get you something straight away, and food and drink too. I've got a lovely venison stew in the hearth." Marc inhaled deeply and said, "It smells delicious. Thank you for your kindness, Temina." The older woman looked at Valin and said, "She's her mother's daughter, that's for certain." Before Marc could ask if the woman had known Queen Mistara she had curtsied again and hurried away. Valin led him to a long table and pulled a chair out for him to sit. "Please excuse me, Highness," Valin said as he was settled. "I'll return shortly. Temina will see to any needs you have." Marc nodded and tried to ignore the stares of the others in the hall. Temina returned a moment later with a young girl of no more than sixteen, whom she introduced as her niece Krysal. She was a very pretty girl with flame red hair and a freckled face that only added to her charm. She carried with her a selection of simple dresses for the 'Princess's' approval, and Marc selected one made of a deep blue material. He then accompanied Krysal to a side room where the girl helped him out of the gown. "Is this Falmere?" Marc asked. "Not exactly, Highness," Krysal said. "The village is about a league from here, but it was burned to the ground by orcs years ago. We took refuge in these caverns." Marc looked around the room, noting it was just like the passage and the hall outside. He could only assume that magic had been used to hollow out the rooms and passages, but even Keri's memories held no clue as to what spell could have done it. He knew of magically powered tunneling machines; Highkeep had a labyrinth of passages and store rooms that had been cut into the mountains by such machines, but while they left very even passages the surface was still textured, not the glassy smoothness of these halls. Once he was clad in the dress Marc fastened his sword belt about his waist and reached for his weapons to insert them in their frogs. He saw the curious look on the girl's face though and paused, extending the sword and dagger to her. It went against everything his rational mind told him, but he felt safe in this place. "Would you see that these are taken care of for me?" he asked. "Of course, Highness," Krysal said. "I'll make sure they're right where you can get them if you need to." By the time he returned to the hall there was a bowl of steaming stew awaiting him and a goblet of mulled wine along with a loaf of dark bread. He hadn't realized how famished he was until he tasted the first spoonful of stew and he enthusiastically finished the whole bowl and half the loaf. The warmth of the stew and the wine produced a pleasant lethargy in his weary body, and he had to struggle to keep from nodding of as he waited for Valin to return. He didn?t have to wait long. Valin entered the hall along with two other men dressed in military style doublets of red and black. Marc immediately recognized the uniform of the Merdian army and he stood so quickly that his chair was knocked over, clattering to the floor. The noise drew the attention of the three men and Valin smiled. "Princess, I have someone here who wishes to speak to you." Marc looked about wildly and spied the table where Krysal had placed his weapons. He rushed over to it, drawing the side-sword and spinning about. He held the blade before him defensively as the three approached and frantically searched Keri's memories for a spell that he might be able to use. "We mean you no harm, Princess," one of the Merdians said. His shoulder braids were those of a high ranking officer. The words of an offensive spell flowed from Marc's lips and a ball of flickering blue flame began to materialize, engulfing his left hand. He felt the power quickly building and drew his arm back to hurl the magical missile at the approaching enemies. "Keri, no!" The familiar voice distracted Marc and he turned towards the speaker. His mouth dropped open in shock as he saw golden hair like that which flowed about the shoulders of the body he inhabited. The face was similar to the one he wore but different - not so much older but wiser and more mature. The power of the missile was building dangerously and Marc turned from the impossible apparition towards the hearth at the far end of the hall. He screamed for the women standing near it to move, and once they were clear, hurled the pulsating ball of energy into the stone enclosure. It exploded against the back of the hearth harmlessly for the most part, but the remainder of Temina's stew was vaporized as the iron kettle it was simmering in glowed red hot. Marc turned back to the woman who had spoken, completely forgetting about Valin and the Merdians. He shook his head, unable to believe what his eyes told him. "You're not seeing things, my darling, it's really me," Queen Mistara said. It was just too much for Marc's weary mind to handle. The sword fell from his nerveless fingers and clattered to the floor. The hall seemed to spin about him and he heard voices shouting as if from a great distance. Then everything went black as he fainted. CHAPTER 40 An eerie sense of familiarity mixed with dread gripped Keri as they arrived at the spires deep in Camron. She had never been there, but Marc had, and even though his memories were ten-years-old they were crisp and clear. He had liked the land, and she was surprised to find he had even thought about settling in Camron one day. Her own memories were not from direct experience, but they were infinitely more painful. Her parents had died in Camron - it was far from where she stood now, but that didn't make it any less poignant. While Elyssa set out to search for tracks, Keri used the master key to reset the mechanism on the control spire, which also reset the spires in Wallkeep, making it more difficult for anyone to follow. There were six spires within reach of Wallkeep, but since no one knew the Carmron spires had been reactivated pursuit was unlikely. Ali and Enara began making the horses ready for travel - the bags they had were better suited to coach travel, but with the aid of some rope they were able to secure them to the well enough. "I found the tracks of two horses at the hitching rail," Elyssa said as she rejoined them. "They rode southeast - Sir Marcan and Lord Valin followed." "Then we follow too," Keri said. Elyssa took the lead on foot while the others followed several lengths behind, Keri leading the empty mount. They hadn't gone very far before the track split; Kragin and his companion continuing southeast while Marc and Valin turned west. "Do we follow the amulet or Sir Marcan?" Elyssa asked. "My only concern right now is Marc," Keri said, "and it has nothing to do with the fact that if he dies in my body I'll be stuck in his. By blood or by spirit he's family, and even without that I love him dearly. It's my fault he's in this predicament, and I won't sacrifice him no matter what. Once we find him and ensure he's safe we can go after Kragin." "I think we all feel the same way," Enara said. Elyssa took the lead again, their progress agonizingly slow because the darkness made tracking two people on foot very difficult. Marc and Valin had a lead of perhaps a half-hour, but as long as they remained afoot they wouldn't draw farther ahead. Once the sun had risen they could pick up their pace and hopefully overtake them before they got into any trouble. "Could the raiders have used the spires to enter Trimaria?" Enara asked in a hushed tone. "Not likely," Keri said. "The only spire that can be reached from here is Wallkeep. Orcs appearing there would surely be noticed." "I'm surprised the Merdians don't have forces encamped at the spires," Ali said. "What if they decided to send troops through in force?" "These spires and those in Wallkeep were designed to move troops quickly in battalion strength" Keri said. "Even that wouldn't have been enough with the Wallkeep garrison at full strength though." "But the garrison isn't at full strength now," Ali said. Keri nodded, her face showing the concern she felt. The two divisions assigned to Wallkeep were intended to provide the capability to place one man along every five feet of the Wall, while still keeping a full division in reserve. Of course the Wall was generally not manned to that level; the frontier was two hundred miles away and a Merdian army would first have to break through the Trimarian lines and then march for days to mount an assault. Even if they accomplished that, they would have to concentrate on one section to bring enough troops to bear against the defenses. At the current strength of the garrison, however, they would need every man of the two regiments to cover the wall, and they would be spaced out twice as far. There was no reserve to bring up to plug any breach, and no troops to send against a force coming through the spires. With a well coordinated attack, the enemy could capture the city with relative ease. Once Wallkeep was in their hands they would have a direct route into western Trimaria. ~They still have to break through the frontier though, and our reports show they don't have enough troops in Camron to do that.~ A half-hour of travel brought them to the hollow and as they reached the stream Elyssa was examining the ground intently. When she walked over to join them, her face was grim. "They were met here," Elyssa said. "Six men at least with horses. There's no indication of a struggle - it appears Sir Marcan went with them willingly." "If they were men they had to be Merdians," Keri said. "Marc would have never surrendered without a fight." "Yes, he would," Ali said. "He's protecting your body." "You're right," Keri agreed. "Of course he could have thought of that before he ran off after Kragin." "You know he was overcome by grief," Ali said, her voice pained. "He'd just seen Stil killed before his eyes. You or I would have done the same thing." Keri closed her eyes and nodded. She felt anguish on multiple levels; she felt the pain Marc would for his cousin and the hurt that was still raw in Aliana over her father. "Can you feel him?" Enara asked. Keri shook her head. "Then he must not feel in danger," Enara continued. "If he was afraid you should know it." "We don't know enough about this empathic connection," Keri said. "It may be because of my magical affinity, but the amulet could still be part of it. Maybe when it was removed the link was broken." "They'll be able to outdistance us now," Elyssa said. "They know where they're going and can travel faster, but we're still limited to a slow pace to keep the trail." "They'll have to stop eventually," Keri said. "Keri, you've been here before, or Marc has," Aliana said. "It was near here that he saved your father. Can you remember anything about the area?" "The lake, Lake Falstrom," Keri said after a moment's thought. "It's in this direction if I recall correctly. The Merdians could have a supply base there. It's no more than five or six leagues from the spires." "We'd best proceed as we have been," Elyssa said. "If the lake is their destination we'll catch up soon enough. If it's not, we don't want to miss a shift in the trail - we might never pick it up again." Keri nodded and signaled for Elyssa to proceed. She felt uncomfortable in the position of leader - Elyssa had far more experience than she did - but everyone looked to her for direction. She found herself relying more and more on Marc's memories, and she tried to consciously force the discomfort aside and let his natural talent for leadership through. An hour later Elyssa stopped again. The tracks had split off in three directions, either in an attempt to confuse their trail or ensure that they weren't being followed. Three horses continued along the original course, more-or-less, and Elyssa was ale to determine that one seemed to be carrying two people. She estimated they were now over an hour behind Marc and the riders, and as they continued Keri dropped back a bit in case they were being followed. Another half-hour of tracking brought them to a wide path through the forest. Keri guessed from Marc's memories that it was one of the many supply roads that had been constructed during the earlier conflict with Merdia, and the evidence of regular usage indicated the Merdians were still making use of it. The signs showed the men with Marc had not crossed the road, instead turning to follow it almost due south, their tracks mingling with the others. "A wagon passed here very recently," Elyssa said. "There are also more tracks of mounted men, four I think, but it?s difficult to tell for certain. I don't think it was an escort though." "This is well behind the frontier," Keri said. "The Merdians probably feel secure enough to send wagons unescorted." "I'm confused about something," Enara said. "Why didn't the Merdians have troops guarding the spires? Wouldn't they be worried we might use them?" "Not likely," Keri said. "Once deactivated the spires can only be restored to use locally with a master key. We had no idea the spires here had been reactivated, so we never even thought to try them. Even if someone had suggested it, Lornis was in a position to discourage such a plan." "We can move faster now at least," Elyssa said, taking the reigns of her mount from Keri and climbing into the saddle. "The road is narrow enough that I'll be able to see if our quarry has left it." They had only been following the road a short time when it curved sharply to the east. They could hear sounds from around the bend - one pleading voice and several others laughing harshly. Keri motioned for them to get off the road and once they far enough off to remain concealed they dismounted. While Enara stayed with the horses, Keri, Ali and Elyssa made their way towards the commotion as quietly as possible. From their vantage point just within the trees they were able to see the source of the noise. A wagon was stopped in the middle of the road as four men in the livery of Merdian soldiers rifled through the goods it carried. The driver, a rather portly man with a balding head was pleading quite loudly for them to stop but they ignored him. "We probably shouldn't get involved," Ali whispered. She saw the look on Keri's face, however, and shook her head. "But you're going to anyway." "We need information," Keri replied. "That driver must know this area." "What's a merchant doing out here anyway?" Ali wondered. "We'll ask him once we deal with the soldiers," Keri said, drawing her swords. She offered the shorter blade to Ali but the Maid-of-Honor shook her head and drew the two long daggers from her boots. "We need to take them by surprise," Elyssa said. "Shards, I wish I had my bow. "Let me go first," Aliana said. "I can get close without arousing too much suspicion." "And just how will you do that?" Keri asked. Ali grinned and slipped the daggers into her belt at her back. Then she opened up the front of her shirt and adjusted her breasts beneath her bustier until she was displaying a generous amount of cleavage. "Do you really think they won't find it odd that a woman is wandering around out here alone?" Ali shrugged and said, "They're men; they won't be thinking with their big heads." "Wait until I work my way down a bit," Elyssa said. "That will put me behind them once their attention is on you." Keri nodded. "When Ali makes her move I'll reveal myself to make sure we have their attention." "They have bolt-casters, Highness," Elyssa warned. "And I have magic. I can handle them." Elyssa smiled and faded back into the brush. Ali ruffled her hands through her hair, creating a wild mess, and then turned a worried look towards the Princess. "You know you're not exactly at your best when it comes to magic." "I've been practicing, don't worry." "Just make sure you don't trip over those big feet of yours," Ali said with a grin. Ignoring the glare Keri gave her, the Maid-of-Honor moved a short distance away so she wouldn't be appearing from Keri's position. Then she rubbed her hands in the dirt and smeared some on her face before crashing loudly from cover and onto the road. "Oh thank the Shard!" she cried to the men. "Please ... can you help me?" The four soldiers stopped their pillaging and leered at her. The two in the wagon jumped to the ground, their eyes boring into her hungrily as the nearest one walked towards her. "What have we here?" he said. "Didja get lost little girl?" 'Yes, please help me," Aliana pleaded, tears streaming down her face as she stumbled forward. "I've been wandering for hours." She literally fell into the man's arms as she pretended to swoon, and after turning to grin wolfishly at his comrades he placed a hand on her right breast and squeezed as he laughed. Ali pressed her body close to him and then brought her right knee up, under his mail shirt. He wore mail chausses as well, but as with most such protection they were open at the crotch and his privates were covered only by linen breeches. Ali's strike was well aimed, her knee driving up into his unprotected genitals. The man's eyes crossed as he tried to scream and suck in breath at the same time. The end result was a long, pain-filled hiss as his hands dropped to clasp his privates and he sank to his knees. Ali yanked him around before his knees hit the ground, her right hand snatching one of the daggers from her belt and bringing it around to his throat. "Drop your weapons or I'll open his throat like a fish!" The other three soldiers were surprised but didn't seem overly concerned. One began to edge slowly towards a bolt-caster propped against the wagon while the other two began to circle to get on either side of Aliana. "I suggest you do as she says," Keri said as she emerged from the trees. She had sheathed her shorter blade but the longsword was still in her right hand as she stepped onto the road. Her appearance caused the three soldiers to adjust their demeanor. They no doubt recognized her attire as that of a Trimarian knight even if they didn't know that the crest on her left breast was that of the Royal Guard. For all they knew they were surrounded by Trimarian infantry. The timely neighing of a horse from treeline only seemed to confirm that belief and Keri had no doubt that it was not accidental. She wanted to end this quickly and without bloodshed if possible, but the soldier nearest the wagon forced her hand. He made a quick move towards the bolt-caster and Keri's left arm shot forward, a bolt of blue-white energy streaking from it. She had begun casting the spell as soon as she revealed herself, and her preparation proved justified. The bolt struck the soldier squarely in the chest and though there was no apparent damage his eyes bulged wide and he dropped to the ground, instantly dead. The Princess could have used a less powerful attack to stun him, but if her aim had been slightly off he could still have posed a threat. She swallowed the bile that threatened to rise in her throat - she had killed orcs at the Star Stones but this was different; she had taken the life of a man. The soldier before Ali chose that moment to act. Despite the pain that still prevented him from rising he snapped body back, throwing Aliana off balance. The blade of the dagger left his throat but Ali was able to bring the pommel down behind his right ear as she backpedaled to regain her footing. The man crumpled to the road as Ali drew her second dagger and continued to back away from the other two. Keri couldn't fire another spell; the angles were too close to Ali and once loosed the bolt would kill friend or foe alike. She ceased her subvocal chanting and drew her short sword, advancing to engage the soldiers. They turned their full attention to her, perceiving her as the greater threat. The Princess nearly knocked Aliana down as she moved to place her own body between her friend and the two soldiers as they attacked. Keri blocked the thrust of one with her shortsword and swung her long blade at the other, forcing him to back away hastily. Instead of coming back at her he turned to go for the bolt-caster, but before he could reach it Elyssa leapt from the trees and attacked. She easily parried a wild sword thrust with her dagger and then plunged her side-sword into the soldier's abdomen. The keen point of the thin blade slipped through the rings of his mail shirt, the force behind the thrust splitting them apart. The Merdian's own momentum carried him forward, impaling himself on the blade. The shield maiden ended his suffering with a quick thrust of her dagger under the chin. As Marc had done at the Grand Ball during the valse, Keri forced herself aside and let his body act and react as it had been trained to. As the soldier Ali had clubbed struggled to rise she kicked him in the face, spinning around as she leapt over his prostrate form, her blades slicing the air to keep the last man off balance. The soldier parried several of her attacks but they had only been intended to keep him on the defensive. Keri brought her longsword in low, forcing the man to drop his own blade to parry, and then she thrust her shortsword into his chest, the enchanted blade slicing through the mail with ease. Fighting the queasy feeling in her stomach, Keri turned to the last enemy to find that he was face down on the road with Ali's knee firmly planted in his back. She held the point of one dagger behind his right ear, a trickle of blood running down his cheek. "Find something to tie that one with," Keri told Elyssa, gesturing to the man Ali held at bay. "What the frag was that all about?" Ali asked, glaring at Keri. The Princess looked at her in confusion and said, "What?" "Shoving me out of the way like that. In case you've forgotten I can take care of myself." "I didn't ... I mean I don't know...." Keri stammered. Her confusion turned to dismay as she realized she had acted just as Marc would have - like a man. Ali's expression softened and she said, "It's all right ... just don't do it again. I had the situation under control." Keri nodded and turned her attention to the man from the wagon. He backed away from her hastily until he ran into his wagon. His eyes were wide with fear as he raised his hands, his body trembling. "Please don't kill me!" he cried. "Take anything you want!" "We're not going to hurt you or rob you," Keri said, lowering her weapons. She sheathed her longsword and then dropped to her knees beside the body of the man she had just slain, wiping the blood from her shortsword on his tabard before sheathing it as well. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" she asked as she rose to her feet. "My ... my name is Dermit," the man said. "I'm a traveling tinkerer." "You're Merdian?" Dermit seemed confused by the question, his eyes darting to the crest on Keris doublet. A look of wonder crossed his face and he smiled. "You really are Trimarian," he said. "I'm not Merdian I assure you. I make the rounds of the villages in this area, trading my skills for food and shelter." "What villages?" Keri demanded. "Camron was evacuated years ago." "Not by all," Dermit said. "Some people stayed. There's Uthcom three leagues west of here, and Dunbarrow about four leagues to the west." "You were traveling south," Keri said. "What lies that way?" The man's fear turned to evasion and he stuttered, "Well, nothing ... not anymore. There was Falmere on the lake, but orcs sacked it three years ago. The soldiers mostly leave us alone, but the orcs are a constant menace. Fortunately they've mostly moved north to the frontier." He was obviously hiding something. Keri was about to press him further when Enara emerged from the forest. She looked frightened, and a moment later Keri knew why. A man on horseback emerged behind her, a bolt- caster aimed at the young woman's back. "I have more men in the trees," he said. "Drop your weapons and yield or your friend dies. I have no wish to kill such a lovely lady, but I will if you force me to." Even if the man were lying about his comrades, there was no choice left to them. Before Keri could get off a spell he could easily kill Enara. She slowly reached to her weapons, pulling them scabbard and all from her belt frogs and dropping them to the road. Elyssa and Ali did the same, and then moved over to stand near Keri. Three more men emerged from the woods and gathered their blades. The leader slipped his bolt-caster into a holster on his saddle and then dismounted. There was something familiar about his appearance, though Keri was certain she had never met him before. He walked over to them, examined the crest on Keri's doublet and the arms of Highkeep on Elyssa's and smirked. "Who are you?" he asked Keri. "Knight-Captain Marcan Demoss of the Trimarian Royal Guard," Keri said, feeling very much like a child playing make-believe games. "They saved me from those ruffians, Lord Ren," Dermit said. "I think they really are Trimarian." "No doubt they are," Ren said with a grin, his eyes never leaving Keri's. "Looking for your wayward Princess no doubt. You're in luck - we can take you to her." "The Princess is your Prisoner?" "Her Highness is our guest, as are you," Ren replied. He turned to his men and ordered, "Get their horses, and give them their weapons." Their weapons were returned and the horses brought from the woods. Then they helped Dermit gather up his scattered wares and put them back in the wagon. The tinkerer thanked them profusely before urging his team forward. Once he was away they mounted and Keri turned to look at the bodies of the three slain soldiers and the bound form of the fourth. "What of the Merdians?" she asked Ren. "My men will take care of them," He said, his grim expression leaving no doubt as to the fate of the survivor. "Oh, and despite the tabards they wear, they're not Merdians." CHAPTER 41 "The Regent has returned to the Palace?" Baroness Gisella asked. "Yes," Duke Terlen answered. "She wishes to coordinate the search for Her Highness from there. I'll be following shortly. I take it your accomplice has been silenced?" "Permanently," Gisella said. "He did his part in blacking out the city; a pity your man Kragin failed. Have you heard from the imbecile yet? Why would he kidnap the Princess instead of killing her as planned?" "It will be another day before he reaches the observation post on the peninsula," the Duke told her. "I suspect he didn't take Her Highness, but rather she is pursuing him." "What madness would possess her to do that?" Gisella laughed. "The girl is capricious but she's