By Demelza Ramirez (Got You Covered)
The winter seemed to have stretched for a thousand nights.
Aria closed the wooden shutters with a little more force than necessary, earning glares from Joshua and Clarissa. She locked the shutters in place and turned back toward her betrothed and friend. Clarissa finished putting the food on the table and Joshua set his books and parchment and writing utensils on a smaller table.
Outside the wind continued to blow, whispering through cracks in the walls and rattling the hidden glass behind the shutters.
“I can’t stand it here anymore,” Aria muttered as she slumped down onto her chair. “Ivan’s men could be closing in on us.”
“I doubt the king’s men are stupid enough to go out in this weather,” Joshua answered as he served the food. “No one in their right mind would travel in such a storm.”
“How long do you think it’ll last?” Clarissa asked. “Our supplies are dwindling.”
“Who can tell?” Joshua replied. “But perhaps the Goddess will smile upon us and lift the storm soon.”
“We’d probably be snowed in,” Aria commented. “No way out.”
“And if we’re snowed in, the king’s men would be no better,” Joshua snapped. “Quit worrying, Aria!” Aria glared at Joshua and shoveled food into her mouth, her teeth clinking against the spoon.
The door rattled violently and the three friends jumped from their seats, leaping to the far end of the room. Joshua grabbed his sword and yanked it from its sheath, holding it out toward the door.
The door rattled again, and this time voices were heard above the howling wind.
“Please, if anyone’s home!” one voice cried. “Let us in, please!”
Joshua went to the door and glanced at the girls. Aria and Clarissa pulled out their daggers and stood at the ready. Joshua unlatched the door and swung it open. The forms practically tumbled into the cottage, but the three friends were quick and steadied them on their feet. Joshua closed and relocked the door before grabbing one of the three newcomers and slamming him against the wall, the sword at the newcomer’s throat.
“What are you doing here, Prince Rowan?” Joshua sneered. The prince raised his hands in surrender, showing that he was technically unarmed. The sword at his side showed differently, but at least it wasn’t in his hand.
Aria and Clarissa gathered the other two newcomers in their arms and ushered them to the front of the fire and started to strip them of their winter cloaks and gloves and hats.
“We might need to strip them to their underclothes,” Aria commented as she saw how soaked the clothing was. The two newcomers looked at them in horror.
“Now, now, we have all seen the other sex naked before,” Clarissa soothed, patting the smallest of the two on the head. Prince Caden batted her hand away and clutched at his wet clothes. Princess Lucinda didn’t seem much better.
“We have an extra set of dresses that you might be able to wear,” Aria told her. “Or we could wrap you in a blanket or something. It’s not good for you to stay in your wet clothes. You might catch something and get very sick. And die.”
“A-all right,” the princess whispered, her teeth chattering. Clarissa climbed into the cottage’s loft and returned with several blankets. She glanced at Joshua who still held Prince Rowan against the wall, though the two now seemed to be having a glaring contest.
“Boys!” Clarissa snapped. “Grow up. Joshua, Rowan needs to get out of wet clothes before he catches pneumonia and dies.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” Joshua asked, though he stepped away from the prince.
“What’s pneumonia?” Prince Caden asked. He sneezed.
“Something you don’t want to get,” Clarissa replied. She took his wet clothes and was glad to see that his undergarments weren’t too wet. She wrapped the young prince in a blanket and pulled a chair close to the fire for him to sit. Aria did the same to Princess Lucinda, and after much wrestling Joshua, Aria, and Clarissa were able to get Prince Rowan out of his wet clothes and wrapped in a blanket. The three royals huddle in chairs by the fire while the Aria and Clarissa bustled about giving the royals some of the dinner and Joshua paced back and forth, his sword back in his hand.
“Put the sword away,” Aria ordered. “No one is going to hurt anyone.”
“The king’s soldiers might not be far behind!” Joshua shouted.
“The soldiers are camped at Fort Wallen,” Prince Rowan said. “They aren’t going anywhere. Besides, at this point they probably think we’ve perished in the snow.”
“What possessed you to come out in this storm?” Clarissa asked. “You could have died!”
“It was our best chance,” Prince Rowan said. “With such a storm, there were barely any guards guarding us since they didn’t believe we’d attempt something so foolish. So we took the chance.” He glanced at Aria as she passed him a cup of hot water. “Brokk helped us.”
“Brokk was with you?” Aria asked.
“Yes. Your father led the party that captured us. Brokk and Maddox came as well. Brokk would have come with us but Maddox almost caught us.”
“So Brokk’s still at the fort?” Aria cried. “What will they do with him?”
“Knowing your father . . . .” Prince Rowan trailed off and looked at his siblings. Prince Caden looked terrified thinking about Brokk. “It won’t be pleasant.”
Aria moved to the table and gripped it for support. She could, unfortunately, imagine what horrors her father and stepbrother could inflict on her brother. Half-brother, but still more of a brother than Maddox, the sadist bastard.
“I have to go,” she said. Everyone stared at her. “I have to go get him.”
“You are going nowhere!” Joshua and Clarissa said together.
“Of all the foolish ideas you’ve suggested in your lifetime, this must be the worst!” Clarissa added. “You will not go, Aria. It’s a fool’s errand. Brokk wouldn’t want you go and get him. He knew what he was doing.”
“Clarissa’s right,” Princess Lucinda said. “Brokk wouldn’t want you to endanger yourself.”
“And I don’t want him to endanger himself!” Aria cried. “He’s my little brother. I should protect him.”
“You’re a woman,” Prince Rowan said.
“Goodness, I hadn’t noticed,” Aria snapped. “I’m glad you’re at least intelligent enough to tell the difference between a man and a woman.”
“I’m simply saying that since you are a woman, Brokk wouldn’t want you to put yourself up against the stronger sex, whether or not you’re the elder sibling,” the prince explained. “I understand you and Clarissa and Joshua were raised in a different kingdom and all who view the sexes differently, but you must understand that here, women are not meant to do the fighting.”
“No, we’re just meant to sit at home and embroider,” Clarissa replied.
“And cook if we happen to not be rich enough for servants,” Aria added.
“Oh! And bare the children,” Clarissa finished. She looked at Aria with a look of shock. “Did we leave anything out?”
“I don’t think so,” Aria replied, mimicking Clarissa’s stance. Joshua rolled his eyes and finally put his sword away.
“I would like to see a man bare a child,” Clarissa said. “See how far repopulation gets.”
“You two are by the far the rudest people I have ever met,” Prince Rowan muttered.
“They’re good friends,” Princess Lucinda murmured. Prince Rowan ran a hand through his sister’s hair, gently untangling it.
“You’re right,” the prince whispered. “They are very good friends.”
Several hours later when everyone else had fallen asleep, Aria donned her thick cloak and borrowed Princess Lucinda’s gloves. She buckled her dagger to her waist and slipped Clarissa’s into one of her boots. She slipped Joshua’s compass into her dress’s pocket and left.
Fort Wallen, she knew, lay fifteen miles to the southwest. The siblings must have walked for hours through the storm. It could only have been some sort of providence that had led them to the abandon cottage Aria and her friends had found and sought refuge in. Aria looked around her at the falling snow. The wind had died down, just barely, and since the moon was full and bright, it was easy to see where she was going. She blew on her hands. Her breath made a thick cloud in front of her.
The moon dipped toward the horizon and disappeared. The first tint of red and pink hit the eastern sky as Fort Wallen came into view. Aria ducked into a grove of trees and peered out at the fort. It was perhaps a mile or so off. The snow had yet to stop falling, though no wind blew now. She shielded her eyes and squinted, straining her eyes to see if there were any soldiers on the fort’s ramparts. It seemed that there were none.
Carefully, Aria snuck around to the fort’s west side, coming closer as she did. There she found the fort’s drainage system and easily moved up the dark tunnel. She came to a fork in the tunnel. Some light from the rising sun and torches fell into the tunnel from a gap just above her head. She stood on her toes and peered into the courtyard, scanning the place to see which of the two tunnels she should take. After several minutes she chose the left tunnel and hurried down it, going over in her mind what little plan she had.
After numerous twists and turns, Aria came to what she hoped was the toilet room used by the guards who were stationed down at the fort’s dungeons. She peered up a hole and was thankful the find the room empty. She jumped and grabbed the sides of the hole, pulling herself up through with great effort and much prayer. With one step she was at the door and she peered out the small window in the wood. The short passage was clear. Aria moved out of the room into the foul smelling dungeons.
There were only four cells, two on each side of the passage, since Fort Wallen was more of an outpost than anything. But Aria had been in these cells before, and knew each could hold more than ten men at a time if one squished.
With silent footsteps she peered through the small barred window on one cell door then crossed the passage to the other side and looked in. Nothing. She pressed against the door and listened, looking farther down the passage. She couldn’t hear any whispers of guards, though there was a light. She tiptoed down the passage, passing the other cells. Staying in the shadows she peered around the corner at the end of the passage and found several torches along the walls, giving a hearty light to the damp dungeons. However, she was the only one to notice as the three guards who were supposed to be guarding the dungeons had propped their feet on a small table and had fallen asleep. Aria rolled her eyes and glanced around for keys. One guard had the key set attached to his belt. Aria clenched her fists. How unfortunate. She moved back to the last two cells and peered into one, then the other.
There was a lone torch, burning low and casting sad shadows in the cell. The floor was dirt, and covered with a small amount of moldy straw. In the far corner, almost out of the light, a figure huddled. He appeared to be sleeping.
Drawing her dagger Aria gently pushed the tip into the lock and began to turn it, trying to be as quiet as possible. She stuck her tongue out in concentration. After several minutes she heard the turn of the lock. Sheathing her dagger, Aria hurried back and peered around the corner. The guards had hardly steered.
Grinning, Aria hurried back to Brokk’s cell, slipping in and shutting the door behind her.
“Brokk?” Aria whispered. “Brokk?” She knelt beside her brother and gently shook his shoulder. She pushed her hand against his mouth as he jerked awake, eyes widening with terror that Aria had never seen. For a moment they stared at each other and Aria carefully removed her hand.
“Aria?” Brokk whispered. Aria nodded. For a moment Brokk looked happy, and then he glared at her.
“What the hell are you doing here? Do you want to get recaptured? If Father and Maddox find you here there will be hell to pay!”
“Think I don’t know that?” Aria whispered back, her voice like a hiss. “But I wasn’t about to let you die here.”
“The princes and princess found you then?” Brokk asked.
“Only by the grace of the Goddess,” Aria muttered. “There’s been a storm. I’m lucky it died down for the most part. I wouldn’t have found my way here. But come on, let’s get out of here.” She felt around and found the shackle surrounding Brokk’s ankle. Taking her dagger again, she gently began to pick the lock. Brokk tensed and bit his lip, drawing blood. Aria could see the blood around the shackle, the testament to struggles and defiance.
The lock clicked open and Aria peeled the metal away.
Footsteps sounded out in the passage. Aria dove into the shadows, pressed herself up against the wall, and held her breath.
“Seems Maddox forgot to lock the door after his last stint,” someone said. The click of the cell door lock falling back into place echoed in the dungeons. Aria groaned in her head. The footsteps faded away.
“Now you’re trapped here too!” Brokk whispered. “Aria, I wish you’d stop trying to act like a man!”
“I’ll ignore that comment,” Aria answered. She stuck her tongue out in concentration. They couldn’t get back to the tunnels the way she had come. They’d have to get back to the tunnels in a different way. The only thing they had were Brokk’s shackles, the two daggers she had brought, and the compass. She closed her eyes, picturing the tunnels and where they ran.
“The tunnels run right under this cell!” Aria whispered. “We can dig our way down.”
“Aria,” Brokk muttered. “This ground is as solid as rock. Do you want to guess how thick the floor has to be?”
“Brokk, it’s our only chance!” Aria snapped. Brokk sighed and slowly pushed himself off the wall. She moved to the corner that was in the blind spot of anyone looking into the cell, raised her dagger high, and drove it down. It stuck halfway into the ground.
“Aria,” Brokk murmured. “There is something that might help.”
“What?”
“A spell, that can move the earth.”
“Brokk, how can I move the earth? Only a few know how to use elemental Magic. It’s hardly practiced anymore. Besides, I don’t know how to perform elemental Magic.”
Brokk grinned. “But I do.”
Aria looked at him in shock. “Since when?”
“Since almost forever. It’s a specialty I’ve studied in secret.”
Aria frowned. “There’s no way on earth you’re strong enough to perform any Magic.”
“You’re right. However, you are.”
“I thought I already told you I don’t know how to perform elemental Magic. May I remind you that I’m a girl and not allowed to practice Magic?”
“Hasn’t stopped you before. I’ll teach you. You’ll have to concentrate very hard. Earth Magic is one of the hardest to control. You need to be as solid as a rock in spirit and mind.”
Aria clenched her fists and huffed. “Fine. Tell me what to do.”
Brokk pointed to the dagger. “Since we only want to move a small amount of earth, you will need to scratch out a border the amount you want to move.” Aria yanked the dagger out of the ground and made a square, pressing hard against the dirt. She made the square big enough to fit one person down at a time with a little extra room so as not to get stuck.
“Good,” Brokk murmured. “Now scratch in the center the sign for Earth.”
Aria drew a circle and made three horizontal lines inside it from side to side.
“Now, here’s the tough part,” Brokk said. “You need to put your hand on the sign of the Earth and say Terra Bog. It means Earth Move in the Ancient Tongue. But be sure to center yourself. Clear your mind of all other things and concentrate solely on this task. The spell won’t work if you don’t concentrate.”
Aria put her dagger away and pressed her palm over the Earth sign.
“Terra Bog.” Nothing happened. Aria closed her eyes.
“Terra Bog.” Again nothing.
“Concentrate,” Brokk said again. “You can do this.”
Aria squared her shoulders. She thought about Joshua and Clarissa, of the royal siblings. She thought about Brokk and how much she hated her father and stepbrother, and how much she wanted to get herself and Brokk out.
“Terra Bog!” Something shifted beneath her palm. She felt the wave of the earth and felt the stirring of its Magic. Slowly and then speeding, she felt the earth under hand give way and her hand dropped as the dirt disappeared down below into the tunnel. She caught herself and grinned. She straightened and ran a hand through her hair, noticing how it shook. She took in several deep breaths, feeling breathless and giddy.
“Calm down,” Brokk said. “That’s a lot of Magic you just used.” He carefully crawled to the hole, grimacing as he moved.
“You go first,” he said. “That way you can help me down.” Aria stood and stumbled slightly over to the touch. With one breath she blew it out. Then she crawled back over to Brokk and the hole and slowly lowered herself down. She put her hands up and felt Brokk’s leg as he lowered himself down. He dropped and they stumbled as Aria caught his weight. Brokk hissed as the water of the tunnel hit the wounds around his ankle.
“Come on,” Aria whispered. “We must hurry.” She slung Brokk’s arm over her shoulder and together they made their way back through the tunnels and eventually out to the morning sun. The snow still fell, and the wind had returned, harsher than Aria would have liked. The shadows had changed and Aria peered out of the tunnel to formulate a path. When she had it, she and Brokk set out.
Hardly a mile from the fort the two whirled about at the sound of bells.
“They’ve discovered I’m gone!” Brokk cried. He cried out as they quickened their pace. Aria looked at her brother. The young man looked younger than his 16 years with his face bruised and bloody, his eyes showing his vulnerability. Aria glanced behind and was glad to see that the snow was filling up their footprints, and she hoped that it was quick enough.
Clouds hurried to block the sun as the siblings reached the sixth mile. Brokk moaned and collapsed. Aria grabbed him.
“Brokk!” she cried. “You’ve got to keep going!”
Shouts were heard and Aria pulled Brokk to his feet.
“It’s no use,” Brokk whispered. “Leave me, Aria, and run.”
“I’m not leaving you!” Aria cried.
“You’ve done it before. And it’s made you better.”
Aria shook her head. “No! That was an accident and mistake. I’m not leaving you. We’re family and we stick together.” Brokk wrapped his arms around Aria as he collapsed again. Aria couldn’t help the sob that escaped but she quickly wiped her wet eyes and cradled her brother to her chest, waiting as the shouts got closer.
Five riders surrounded them and Aria looked around at them. She only recognized one.
“Well if it isn’t my little brother and sister.” Maddox dismounted and trudged the few feet through the snow to them. “It will be a nice family reunion down in the dungeons won’t it?”
“You’re not my family,” Aria snapped. She itched to reach for one of her daggers, but she didn’t want to let go of Brokk. He tensed in her arms and his grip on her tightened. Maddox crouched in front of Aria, a grin spreading across his pale face.
“Not by blood,” Maddox said. “But you of all people know that blood doesn’t have to mean anything.” He looked at Brokk and his grin widened. “You look like hell, Brokk. Daylight highlights you more than torchlight.” He chuckled and stroked Brokk’s cheek. “We had fun didn’t we?”
Brokk slapped the young man’s hand away and Maddox growled.
“Still need to be taught a lesson?” Maddox snapped, grabbing Brokk’s groin. Aria backhanded Maddox, released Brokk, and dove over him, slamming Maddox back against the snow. The two wrestled in the snow for several minutes, both landing slaps and punches to the other’s face while attempting to pin each other down. Aria grabbed for her dagger but Maddox knocked it away. Aria snarled and used her nails against Maddox’s cheek, gouging his skin and making him bleed.
Hands grabbed Aria yanking her back. Aria screamed at the men to let her go. Maddox climbed to his feet, feeling the blood roll down his cheek. He backhanded Aria.
“Wait until we get back to Father,” Maddox said. His eyes flashed angrily. He moved to Brokk who attempted to scramble away. Maddox grabbed his collar, yanked him to his feet, and pulled him close.
“Miss me, little brother?” Maddox asked. Brokk weakly pushed against Maddox, whimpering. Aria struggled in the soldier’s arms, trying to pull free and get to her brother.
“Wait until we get back,” Maddox whispered, grabbing Brokk’s groin again. “Just wait.” Brokk whimpered and squirmed before a sob escaped him. Maddox laughed and started to pull Brokk toward his horse.
Out of the wind and falling snow a sudden neighing was heard. Creatures jumped forward, tossing their heads and rearing their bodies, catching the soldiers and horses with their powerful forelegs. Aria ducked as one came close and lashed out at the men holding her. The creature’s hoofs hit the men in the face, and the men dropped dead. Aria stared in amazement as the horses fled in terror.
The unicorns settled down and huffed, their breaths showing in the cold air. Aria crawled through the snow to where Brokk had dropped beside Maddox. Maddox clutched as his chest, gasping for air.
Aria pulled Brokk away and held him tightly as the unicorns circled around them. Several trained their horns on Maddox, keeping him from rising.
“Aria and Brokk Bourne.” Aria turned to one unicorn who stepped forward.
“Shit, you talk?” Aria cried. Until now she’d only ever read stories about unicorns. They were only things of legends and myth and never in the stories had they talked.
“Indeed,” the unicorn answered. “My name is Prywyn, and this is my herd. We were summoned to help you.”
“I . . . I don’t know who summoned you,” Aria stuttered. “I certainly didn’t. But . . . I’m sorry I thought unicorns didn’t like to be near . . . nonvirgins.” She glanced at Brokk and saw his face turn red. He hid his face against her should for several seconds before looking back at the unicorns, his jaw tightening with resolve.
“You misunderstand,” Prywyn said. “As all humans have done. It’s not the pure of body that you speak of that we are drawn to, it’s the virgin soul that we come to. Those who are pure of heart.”
“We are not pure of heart,” Aria said. “Most definitely not pure of heart.”
“We see that which you don’t,” Prywyn said. “But no matter, we are here to help. Up on your feet. I shall take you to your friends. But first.” Prywyn tossed his head in the direction of Maddox. “What will you do with him?”
Aria frowned. “He has no horse.”
Prywyn whinnied. A white horse, normal, came through the unicorns and lowered its head toward Maddox. The unicorns stepped away from the young man. The horse’s warm breath hit Maddox and he stirred, looking up at the horse. Aria gently settled Brokk in the snow and moved to her stepbrother.
“You going to kill me?” Maddox snapped. Aria helped him to his feet. The white horse knelt in the snow and Aria helped Maddox straddle the beast, before the horse stood. The white horse turned its head to Aria and she caught its gaze. It was like she was sucked into something warm and pure, something she had only felt in the presence of Joshua and Clarissa. For a moment she stood captured in the horse’s gaze, but eventually the horse looked away. Aria looked up at Maddox, who stared down at her with narrowed, but confused, eyes.
“We could have been friends,” Aria said. “Most of all, we could have been family.” She stepped away and the white horse trotted off through the swirling wind and snow. Aria turned back to Brokk and found Prywyn on the ground, up against Brokk’s side giving him warmth. Brokk sobbed against the unicorn’s soft flank, his hand entangled in the white mane.
“I’m free!” Brokk sobbed. “I’m free, and I don’t know what they see. Why me? Why us? What have we done? How can I . . . how can we still be pure? I don’t understand!” He continued to sob.
“Come, child,” Prywyn said to Aria. “Get him and yourself on my back. The sun is gone and the storm will rise, and only I and my kin can find the way to your friends.” Aria helped the still sobbing Brokk onto Prywyn’s back and climbed on behind him. She wrapped one arm around Brokk’s waist and her other hand grabbed a bit of mane beside Brokk’s hand.
Prywyn rose to his hoofs and tossed his head back, neighing loudly. His herd answered back and Prywyn sprang across the snow, galloping northeast toward the cottage. His herd followed and the snow and wind gathered to hide and spur them on.
The winter seemed to have stretched for a thousand nights.
Aria closed the wooden shutters with a little more force than necessary, earning glares from Joshua and Clarissa. She locked the shutters in place and turned back toward her betrothed and friend. Clarissa finished putting the food on the table and Joshua set his books and parchment and writing utensils on a smaller table.
Outside the wind continued to blow, whispering through cracks in the walls and rattling the hidden glass behind the shutters.
“I can’t stand it here anymore,” Aria muttered as she slumped down onto her chair. “Ivan’s men could be closing in on us.”
“I doubt the king’s men are stupid enough to go out in this weather,” Joshua answered as he served the food. “No one in their right mind would travel in such a storm.”
“How long do you think it’ll last?” Clarissa asked. “Our supplies are dwindling.”
“Who can tell?” Joshua replied. “But perhaps the Goddess will smile upon us and lift the storm soon.”
“We’d probably be snowed in,” Aria commented. “No way out.”
“And if we’re snowed in, the king’s men would be no better,” Joshua snapped. “Quit worrying, Aria!” Aria glared at Joshua and shoveled food into her mouth, her teeth clinking against the spoon.
The door rattled violently and the three friends jumped from their seats, leaping to the far end of the room. Joshua grabbed his sword and yanked it from its sheath, holding it out toward the door.
The door rattled again, and this time voices were heard above the howling wind.
“Please, if anyone’s home!” one voice cried. “Let us in, please!”
Joshua went to the door and glanced at the girls. Aria and Clarissa pulled out their daggers and stood at the ready. Joshua unlatched the door and swung it open. The forms practically tumbled into the cottage, but the three friends were quick and steadied them on their feet. Joshua closed and relocked the door before grabbing one of the three newcomers and slamming him against the wall, the sword at the newcomer’s throat.
“What are you doing here, Prince Rowan?” Joshua sneered. The prince raised his hands in surrender, showing that he was technically unarmed. The sword at his side showed differently, but at least it wasn’t in his hand.
Aria and Clarissa gathered the other two newcomers in their arms and ushered them to the front of the fire and started to strip them of their winter cloaks and gloves and hats.
“We might need to strip them to their underclothes,” Aria commented as she saw how soaked the clothing was. The two newcomers looked at them in horror.
“Now, now, we have all seen the other sex naked before,” Clarissa soothed, patting the smallest of the two on the head. Prince Caden batted her hand away and clutched at his wet clothes. Princess Lucinda didn’t seem much better.
“We have an extra set of dresses that you might be able to wear,” Aria told her. “Or we could wrap you in a blanket or something. It’s not good for you to stay in your wet clothes. You might catch something and get very sick. And die.”
“A-all right,” the princess whispered, her teeth chattering. Clarissa climbed into the cottage’s loft and returned with several blankets. She glanced at Joshua who still held Prince Rowan against the wall, though the two now seemed to be having a glaring contest.
“Boys!” Clarissa snapped. “Grow up. Joshua, Rowan needs to get out of wet clothes before he catches pneumonia and dies.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” Joshua asked, though he stepped away from the prince.
“What’s pneumonia?” Prince Caden asked. He sneezed.
“Something you don’t want to get,” Clarissa replied. She took his wet clothes and was glad to see that his undergarments weren’t too wet. She wrapped the young prince in a blanket and pulled a chair close to the fire for him to sit. Aria did the same to Princess Lucinda, and after much wrestling Joshua, Aria, and Clarissa were able to get Prince Rowan out of his wet clothes and wrapped in a blanket. The three royals huddle in chairs by the fire while the Aria and Clarissa bustled about giving the royals some of the dinner and Joshua paced back and forth, his sword back in his hand.
“Put the sword away,” Aria ordered. “No one is going to hurt anyone.”
“The king’s soldiers might not be far behind!” Joshua shouted.
“The soldiers are camped at Fort Wallen,” Prince Rowan said. “They aren’t going anywhere. Besides, at this point they probably think we’ve perished in the snow.”
“What possessed you to come out in this storm?” Clarissa asked. “You could have died!”
“It was our best chance,” Prince Rowan said. “With such a storm, there were barely any guards guarding us since they didn’t believe we’d attempt something so foolish. So we took the chance.” He glanced at Aria as she passed him a cup of hot water. “Brokk helped us.”
“Brokk was with you?” Aria asked.
“Yes. Your father led the party that captured us. Brokk and Maddox came as well. Brokk would have come with us but Maddox almost caught us.”
“So Brokk’s still at the fort?” Aria cried. “What will they do with him?”
“Knowing your father . . . .” Prince Rowan trailed off and looked at his siblings. Prince Caden looked terrified thinking about Brokk. “It won’t be pleasant.”
Aria moved to the table and gripped it for support. She could, unfortunately, imagine what horrors her father and stepbrother could inflict on her brother. Half-brother, but still more of a brother than Maddox, the sadist bastard.
“I have to go,” she said. Everyone stared at her. “I have to go get him.”
“You are going nowhere!” Joshua and Clarissa said together.
“Of all the foolish ideas you’ve suggested in your lifetime, this must be the worst!” Clarissa added. “You will not go, Aria. It’s a fool’s errand. Brokk wouldn’t want you go and get him. He knew what he was doing.”
“Clarissa’s right,” Princess Lucinda said. “Brokk wouldn’t want you to endanger yourself.”
“And I don’t want him to endanger himself!” Aria cried. “He’s my little brother. I should protect him.”
“You’re a woman,” Prince Rowan said.
“Goodness, I hadn’t noticed,” Aria snapped. “I’m glad you’re at least intelligent enough to tell the difference between a man and a woman.”
“I’m simply saying that since you are a woman, Brokk wouldn’t want you to put yourself up against the stronger sex, whether or not you’re the elder sibling,” the prince explained. “I understand you and Clarissa and Joshua were raised in a different kingdom and all who view the sexes differently, but you must understand that here, women are not meant to do the fighting.”
“No, we’re just meant to sit at home and embroider,” Clarissa replied.
“And cook if we happen to not be rich enough for servants,” Aria added.
“Oh! And bare the children,” Clarissa finished. She looked at Aria with a look of shock. “Did we leave anything out?”
“I don’t think so,” Aria replied, mimicking Clarissa’s stance. Joshua rolled his eyes and finally put his sword away.
“I would like to see a man bare a child,” Clarissa said. “See how far repopulation gets.”
“You two are by the far the rudest people I have ever met,” Prince Rowan muttered.
“They’re good friends,” Princess Lucinda murmured. Prince Rowan ran a hand through his sister’s hair, gently untangling it.
“You’re right,” the prince whispered. “They are very good friends.”
Several hours later when everyone else had fallen asleep, Aria donned her thick cloak and borrowed Princess Lucinda’s gloves. She buckled her dagger to her waist and slipped Clarissa’s into one of her boots. She slipped Joshua’s compass into her dress’s pocket and left.
Fort Wallen, she knew, lay fifteen miles to the southwest. The siblings must have walked for hours through the storm. It could only have been some sort of providence that had led them to the abandon cottage Aria and her friends had found and sought refuge in. Aria looked around her at the falling snow. The wind had died down, just barely, and since the moon was full and bright, it was easy to see where she was going. She blew on her hands. Her breath made a thick cloud in front of her.
The moon dipped toward the horizon and disappeared. The first tint of red and pink hit the eastern sky as Fort Wallen came into view. Aria ducked into a grove of trees and peered out at the fort. It was perhaps a mile or so off. The snow had yet to stop falling, though no wind blew now. She shielded her eyes and squinted, straining her eyes to see if there were any soldiers on the fort’s ramparts. It seemed that there were none.
Carefully, Aria snuck around to the fort’s west side, coming closer as she did. There she found the fort’s drainage system and easily moved up the dark tunnel. She came to a fork in the tunnel. Some light from the rising sun and torches fell into the tunnel from a gap just above her head. She stood on her toes and peered into the courtyard, scanning the place to see which of the two tunnels she should take. After several minutes she chose the left tunnel and hurried down it, going over in her mind what little plan she had.
After numerous twists and turns, Aria came to what she hoped was the toilet room used by the guards who were stationed down at the fort’s dungeons. She peered up a hole and was thankful the find the room empty. She jumped and grabbed the sides of the hole, pulling herself up through with great effort and much prayer. With one step she was at the door and she peered out the small window in the wood. The short passage was clear. Aria moved out of the room into the foul smelling dungeons.
There were only four cells, two on each side of the passage, since Fort Wallen was more of an outpost than anything. But Aria had been in these cells before, and knew each could hold more than ten men at a time if one squished.
With silent footsteps she peered through the small barred window on one cell door then crossed the passage to the other side and looked in. Nothing. She pressed against the door and listened, looking farther down the passage. She couldn’t hear any whispers of guards, though there was a light. She tiptoed down the passage, passing the other cells. Staying in the shadows she peered around the corner at the end of the passage and found several torches along the walls, giving a hearty light to the damp dungeons. However, she was the only one to notice as the three guards who were supposed to be guarding the dungeons had propped their feet on a small table and had fallen asleep. Aria rolled her eyes and glanced around for keys. One guard had the key set attached to his belt. Aria clenched her fists. How unfortunate. She moved back to the last two cells and peered into one, then the other.
There was a lone torch, burning low and casting sad shadows in the cell. The floor was dirt, and covered with a small amount of moldy straw. In the far corner, almost out of the light, a figure huddled. He appeared to be sleeping.
Drawing her dagger Aria gently pushed the tip into the lock and began to turn it, trying to be as quiet as possible. She stuck her tongue out in concentration. After several minutes she heard the turn of the lock. Sheathing her dagger, Aria hurried back and peered around the corner. The guards had hardly steered.
Grinning, Aria hurried back to Brokk’s cell, slipping in and shutting the door behind her.
“Brokk?” Aria whispered. “Brokk?” She knelt beside her brother and gently shook his shoulder. She pushed her hand against his mouth as he jerked awake, eyes widening with terror that Aria had never seen. For a moment they stared at each other and Aria carefully removed her hand.
“Aria?” Brokk whispered. Aria nodded. For a moment Brokk looked happy, and then he glared at her.
“What the hell are you doing here? Do you want to get recaptured? If Father and Maddox find you here there will be hell to pay!”
“Think I don’t know that?” Aria whispered back, her voice like a hiss. “But I wasn’t about to let you die here.”
“The princes and princess found you then?” Brokk asked.
“Only by the grace of the Goddess,” Aria muttered. “There’s been a storm. I’m lucky it died down for the most part. I wouldn’t have found my way here. But come on, let’s get out of here.” She felt around and found the shackle surrounding Brokk’s ankle. Taking her dagger again, she gently began to pick the lock. Brokk tensed and bit his lip, drawing blood. Aria could see the blood around the shackle, the testament to struggles and defiance.
The lock clicked open and Aria peeled the metal away.
Footsteps sounded out in the passage. Aria dove into the shadows, pressed herself up against the wall, and held her breath.
“Seems Maddox forgot to lock the door after his last stint,” someone said. The click of the cell door lock falling back into place echoed in the dungeons. Aria groaned in her head. The footsteps faded away.
“Now you’re trapped here too!” Brokk whispered. “Aria, I wish you’d stop trying to act like a man!”
“I’ll ignore that comment,” Aria answered. She stuck her tongue out in concentration. They couldn’t get back to the tunnels the way she had come. They’d have to get back to the tunnels in a different way. The only thing they had were Brokk’s shackles, the two daggers she had brought, and the compass. She closed her eyes, picturing the tunnels and where they ran.
“The tunnels run right under this cell!” Aria whispered. “We can dig our way down.”
“Aria,” Brokk muttered. “This ground is as solid as rock. Do you want to guess how thick the floor has to be?”
“Brokk, it’s our only chance!” Aria snapped. Brokk sighed and slowly pushed himself off the wall. She moved to the corner that was in the blind spot of anyone looking into the cell, raised her dagger high, and drove it down. It stuck halfway into the ground.
“Aria,” Brokk murmured. “There is something that might help.”
“What?”
“A spell, that can move the earth.”
“Brokk, how can I move the earth? Only a few know how to use elemental Magic. It’s hardly practiced anymore. Besides, I don’t know how to perform elemental Magic.”
Brokk grinned. “But I do.”
Aria looked at him in shock. “Since when?”
“Since almost forever. It’s a specialty I’ve studied in secret.”
Aria frowned. “There’s no way on earth you’re strong enough to perform any Magic.”
“You’re right. However, you are.”
“I thought I already told you I don’t know how to perform elemental Magic. May I remind you that I’m a girl and not allowed to practice Magic?”
“Hasn’t stopped you before. I’ll teach you. You’ll have to concentrate very hard. Earth Magic is one of the hardest to control. You need to be as solid as a rock in spirit and mind.”
Aria clenched her fists and huffed. “Fine. Tell me what to do.”
Brokk pointed to the dagger. “Since we only want to move a small amount of earth, you will need to scratch out a border the amount you want to move.” Aria yanked the dagger out of the ground and made a square, pressing hard against the dirt. She made the square big enough to fit one person down at a time with a little extra room so as not to get stuck.
“Good,” Brokk murmured. “Now scratch in the center the sign for Earth.”
Aria drew a circle and made three horizontal lines inside it from side to side.
“Now, here’s the tough part,” Brokk said. “You need to put your hand on the sign of the Earth and say Terra Bog. It means Earth Move in the Ancient Tongue. But be sure to center yourself. Clear your mind of all other things and concentrate solely on this task. The spell won’t work if you don’t concentrate.”
Aria put her dagger away and pressed her palm over the Earth sign.
“Terra Bog.” Nothing happened. Aria closed her eyes.
“Terra Bog.” Again nothing.
“Concentrate,” Brokk said again. “You can do this.”
Aria squared her shoulders. She thought about Joshua and Clarissa, of the royal siblings. She thought about Brokk and how much she hated her father and stepbrother, and how much she wanted to get herself and Brokk out.
“Terra Bog!” Something shifted beneath her palm. She felt the wave of the earth and felt the stirring of its Magic. Slowly and then speeding, she felt the earth under hand give way and her hand dropped as the dirt disappeared down below into the tunnel. She caught herself and grinned. She straightened and ran a hand through her hair, noticing how it shook. She took in several deep breaths, feeling breathless and giddy.
“Calm down,” Brokk said. “That’s a lot of Magic you just used.” He carefully crawled to the hole, grimacing as he moved.
“You go first,” he said. “That way you can help me down.” Aria stood and stumbled slightly over to the touch. With one breath she blew it out. Then she crawled back over to Brokk and the hole and slowly lowered herself down. She put her hands up and felt Brokk’s leg as he lowered himself down. He dropped and they stumbled as Aria caught his weight. Brokk hissed as the water of the tunnel hit the wounds around his ankle.
“Come on,” Aria whispered. “We must hurry.” She slung Brokk’s arm over her shoulder and together they made their way back through the tunnels and eventually out to the morning sun. The snow still fell, and the wind had returned, harsher than Aria would have liked. The shadows had changed and Aria peered out of the tunnel to formulate a path. When she had it, she and Brokk set out.
Hardly a mile from the fort the two whirled about at the sound of bells.
“They’ve discovered I’m gone!” Brokk cried. He cried out as they quickened their pace. Aria looked at her brother. The young man looked younger than his 16 years with his face bruised and bloody, his eyes showing his vulnerability. Aria glanced behind and was glad to see that the snow was filling up their footprints, and she hoped that it was quick enough.
Clouds hurried to block the sun as the siblings reached the sixth mile. Brokk moaned and collapsed. Aria grabbed him.
“Brokk!” she cried. “You’ve got to keep going!”
Shouts were heard and Aria pulled Brokk to his feet.
“It’s no use,” Brokk whispered. “Leave me, Aria, and run.”
“I’m not leaving you!” Aria cried.
“You’ve done it before. And it’s made you better.”
Aria shook her head. “No! That was an accident and mistake. I’m not leaving you. We’re family and we stick together.” Brokk wrapped his arms around Aria as he collapsed again. Aria couldn’t help the sob that escaped but she quickly wiped her wet eyes and cradled her brother to her chest, waiting as the shouts got closer.
Five riders surrounded them and Aria looked around at them. She only recognized one.
“Well if it isn’t my little brother and sister.” Maddox dismounted and trudged the few feet through the snow to them. “It will be a nice family reunion down in the dungeons won’t it?”
“You’re not my family,” Aria snapped. She itched to reach for one of her daggers, but she didn’t want to let go of Brokk. He tensed in her arms and his grip on her tightened. Maddox crouched in front of Aria, a grin spreading across his pale face.
“Not by blood,” Maddox said. “But you of all people know that blood doesn’t have to mean anything.” He looked at Brokk and his grin widened. “You look like hell, Brokk. Daylight highlights you more than torchlight.” He chuckled and stroked Brokk’s cheek. “We had fun didn’t we?”
Brokk slapped the young man’s hand away and Maddox growled.
“Still need to be taught a lesson?” Maddox snapped, grabbing Brokk’s groin. Aria backhanded Maddox, released Brokk, and dove over him, slamming Maddox back against the snow. The two wrestled in the snow for several minutes, both landing slaps and punches to the other’s face while attempting to pin each other down. Aria grabbed for her dagger but Maddox knocked it away. Aria snarled and used her nails against Maddox’s cheek, gouging his skin and making him bleed.
Hands grabbed Aria yanking her back. Aria screamed at the men to let her go. Maddox climbed to his feet, feeling the blood roll down his cheek. He backhanded Aria.
“Wait until we get back to Father,” Maddox said. His eyes flashed angrily. He moved to Brokk who attempted to scramble away. Maddox grabbed his collar, yanked him to his feet, and pulled him close.
“Miss me, little brother?” Maddox asked. Brokk weakly pushed against Maddox, whimpering. Aria struggled in the soldier’s arms, trying to pull free and get to her brother.
“Wait until we get back,” Maddox whispered, grabbing Brokk’s groin again. “Just wait.” Brokk whimpered and squirmed before a sob escaped him. Maddox laughed and started to pull Brokk toward his horse.
Out of the wind and falling snow a sudden neighing was heard. Creatures jumped forward, tossing their heads and rearing their bodies, catching the soldiers and horses with their powerful forelegs. Aria ducked as one came close and lashed out at the men holding her. The creature’s hoofs hit the men in the face, and the men dropped dead. Aria stared in amazement as the horses fled in terror.
The unicorns settled down and huffed, their breaths showing in the cold air. Aria crawled through the snow to where Brokk had dropped beside Maddox. Maddox clutched as his chest, gasping for air.
Aria pulled Brokk away and held him tightly as the unicorns circled around them. Several trained their horns on Maddox, keeping him from rising.
“Aria and Brokk Bourne.” Aria turned to one unicorn who stepped forward.
“Shit, you talk?” Aria cried. Until now she’d only ever read stories about unicorns. They were only things of legends and myth and never in the stories had they talked.
“Indeed,” the unicorn answered. “My name is Prywyn, and this is my herd. We were summoned to help you.”
“I . . . I don’t know who summoned you,” Aria stuttered. “I certainly didn’t. But . . . I’m sorry I thought unicorns didn’t like to be near . . . nonvirgins.” She glanced at Brokk and saw his face turn red. He hid his face against her should for several seconds before looking back at the unicorns, his jaw tightening with resolve.
“You misunderstand,” Prywyn said. “As all humans have done. It’s not the pure of body that you speak of that we are drawn to, it’s the virgin soul that we come to. Those who are pure of heart.”
“We are not pure of heart,” Aria said. “Most definitely not pure of heart.”
“We see that which you don’t,” Prywyn said. “But no matter, we are here to help. Up on your feet. I shall take you to your friends. But first.” Prywyn tossed his head in the direction of Maddox. “What will you do with him?”
Aria frowned. “He has no horse.”
Prywyn whinnied. A white horse, normal, came through the unicorns and lowered its head toward Maddox. The unicorns stepped away from the young man. The horse’s warm breath hit Maddox and he stirred, looking up at the horse. Aria gently settled Brokk in the snow and moved to her stepbrother.
“You going to kill me?” Maddox snapped. Aria helped him to his feet. The white horse knelt in the snow and Aria helped Maddox straddle the beast, before the horse stood. The white horse turned its head to Aria and she caught its gaze. It was like she was sucked into something warm and pure, something she had only felt in the presence of Joshua and Clarissa. For a moment she stood captured in the horse’s gaze, but eventually the horse looked away. Aria looked up at Maddox, who stared down at her with narrowed, but confused, eyes.
“We could have been friends,” Aria said. “Most of all, we could have been family.” She stepped away and the white horse trotted off through the swirling wind and snow. Aria turned back to Brokk and found Prywyn on the ground, up against Brokk’s side giving him warmth. Brokk sobbed against the unicorn’s soft flank, his hand entangled in the white mane.
“I’m free!” Brokk sobbed. “I’m free, and I don’t know what they see. Why me? Why us? What have we done? How can I . . . how can we still be pure? I don’t understand!” He continued to sob.
“Come, child,” Prywyn said to Aria. “Get him and yourself on my back. The sun is gone and the storm will rise, and only I and my kin can find the way to your friends.” Aria helped the still sobbing Brokk onto Prywyn’s back and climbed on behind him. She wrapped one arm around Brokk’s waist and her other hand grabbed a bit of mane beside Brokk’s hand.
Prywyn rose to his hoofs and tossed his head back, neighing loudly. His herd answered back and Prywyn sprang across the snow, galloping northeast toward the cottage. His herd followed and the snow and wind gathered to hide and spur them on.