GEACOB

"Ain't you a little young ta be drinkin' this early?" Trinna, a busy, fifty-something year old with both frown and laugh lines creasing her face asked as she handed over a cup of ale.

"My da let's me do it." I said with a grin, already anticipating the conversation we've had every time she said this to me.

She grinned in return. "Y'r da's dead, Geac."

"But my uncle says he'd let me do it if he were living."

She laughed. "Y'r uncle's gonna get an ear-wackin' for telling ya stories when he shows his face in my joint." She ruffled my hair as if I were still a child before carrying on.

And that was why I was still here: for my uncle.

Across all five of the kingdoms there were eight named roads that connected each of the capitals. Each road forking off of another except for a single place here at The T. If you were to step outside the door, directly running east to west was Cove Road, while directly north was known as Dragons Path. The two road joining to make the only right angle joining of roads on the entire map.

Trinna, the owner of the inn/bar/sometimes-brothal/Ranger-hideaway, always kept the back door opened for Rangers passing through as a sort of safe place to rest.

Now though, with news of five dead kings spreading across the land, Rangers could walk through the front door and sit in the front room without having to keep an eye on the road for kingsmen.

The roads were Ranger territory now and The T had been claimed. My uncle would know to look for us here.

"He'll be alright, Geac." Trinna said as she approached the bar again, patting my hand. She must have been reading my face. "He's a willy one, he is, more so than y'r father was, and that be sayin' somethin'. Death won't take him easy."

I smiled at her words, her accent mostly of Tark and Dargolyn, but a bit of Averton as well, making it impossible to tell that she had been originally born in Florn. But my smile faded quickly. "It's been four weeks."

"Aye, an' if he lost his horse and had ta make it here by foot, it'll be another two a'fore he shows up at my door. In two weeks, I'd he ain't show'd, I'll be right there worryin' 'long wit'ya. But 'til then, enjoy y'rself, Geac; tis not of'en ye gets ta rest."

Advice given, she then picked up a pitcher of ale and glared at the corner table where another group of Rangers sat. "I'm comin', I'm comin'! For the sake of the gods and all their game pieces, learn some bloody patience!"

I sighed and took a drink of the spiced ale.

"She's right ya know." Angus said as he sat down beside me, nudging me with his elbow. "Nothin' will take down y'r Uncle Jack without his permission."

"Aye!" Falcon agreed, plopping down on my other side. "I'd fear for the one ta try and take down Uncle Jack!"

"Here, here!" Called the men from the other table, clearly overhearing Falcon's voice, loud as it was with drink. Darci, the only lady of the group and also their leader, slammed back her whiskey and raised her cup again. "I still remember that tourney with the cat!"

A few cheers went up at that. "Cat?" I asked curiously. I hadn't heard this story.

"Aye." Lenny, a red bearded man raised his own drink, directing it at me. "You were a babe then, boy. This was just after the war when things were still in chaos but they was tryin' to put things back together. King Gorje of Tark decided the best way to do it was t'have a tourney."

"Was smart, too, he was." Darci continued. "At this time, the Rangers still weren't being hunted in all the mess so we had a good habit of showin' up wherever we liked," She grinned at the memory, though she couldn't have been more than twelve summers at the time. "But King Gorje did It the smart way and invited the Rangers along."

"Making it so you were there as a guest and therefore needed to follow Ranger Law." I understood and appreciated the intelligence of the late King Gorje.

"Aye. So we all went along and watched the games. One of the early ones, they had a great striped cat from somewhere overseas and they were callin' for volunteer, givin' prizes to anyone that could stay alive inside the pit with it unarmed for more than five minutes."

"Then!" Lenny went on with the dramatics of a drunken storyteller. "In comes this soft-handed boy, barely older than you is now, Geac, carryin' a babe in his left hand and a sword in his right! He walks right on up to the group of us," he laughed as he spoke, "and he holds out the babe to ol'Angus there and says 'hold my boy while I go kill that thing would you?'"

Angus went into a gust of laughter as he clapped me on the back. "I thought he was plannin' on dumpin' a kid on me while he went and got himself kill't! Nearly shat in me pants when he shoved you at me."

Darci stood up and mimicked a casual walk around the room. "So there goes this kid, actin' like he was walkin' into a flower garden and not a ring with a cat that's already killed four people that day."

"Ye couldna be armed, see?" Angus explained briefly.

Darci nodded. "And we were all sure we were about to watch another death."

"I was already tryin' ta sell ya off." Angus admitted with a sheepish grin.

"But then the cat was let loose!" Darci called. "Right away, she went in for the kill, crouchin' right low to the ground and stalkin' him, ready ta pounce at any time, aye. Meanwhile, Uncle Jack's juss standin' there with his arms crossed, not one bit afraid, only impatient as if the cat was wastin' his time for stalkin' him." She mimicked the stance that was clearly my uncles; feet spread comfortably, arms crossed, head tilted just a bit to the side as if he couldn't look at anything in the world comfortably without it being slightly different than what others saw.

   "Then," she continued, "juss as the cat leaps, he pulls an old rusty dagger out from under his arm and throws it, gettin' the cat right in the eye!"

"Died a'fore it hit the ground." Falcon said with a nod and a fond look as he looked back on the memory.

I frowned. "But I thought there were no weapons allowed."

Angus laughed. "That's the beauty of it! There wasn't! The king was red-faced when he started yellin' about how he'd invited the Rangers and they thank him by killin' his pet."

"But Uncle Jack just waits there for the rant to be over and goes---"

"You are mistaken, your majesty." Lenny mimicked my uncles near-highborn accent almost perfectly. "I am no Ranger. I'm simply a boy from Dargolyn who was passing by when I heard new of this tournament you have here, but I suppose I am now, because you're sure as gods not hanging a noose around my neck for killing a feckin' cat!"

The room went into a roar of laughter at the memory. Angus with tears in his eyes he was laughing so hard, barely managed to speak through it. "We all had to help him out of there. Lost four Rangers getting out the gates but by all the gods, he was worth every life we lost that day."

"Here here!" Someone called again.

As everyone went back to their business, more lively now after such a story, I turned to Angus. "That was how he joined the Rangers?" I asked. "I never knew." I had heard he had joined the Rangers during a tourney after the war, but that was all I'd known.

"Aye. When he took you back after our escape, he thanked me for watchin' you durin' all the fighting and asked how he could repay me. I told him he could join our group and teach us how he'd managed to hide that dagger from the guards who'd searched him a'fore entry." He chuckled away to himself. "He's a clever one, lad. He made it out of the city, I'm sure of it. He'll turn up yet."

"A dragon isn't a cat." I reminded him.

"That be true, but if there's e'er a tourney with a dragon in the ring, I'll still bet on your uncle, an' that's the truth." He clapped me on the back again. "Keep that in mind, boy."

"Rangers outside." Trinna called out, peeking her head out the window. Before we could ask who it was, she gave the answer. "Looks like Rojen's group."

I grimaced at that and so did some others. Rojen himself was a good enough man, but the ones who followed him were the worst of us it seemed. Rapists and kid-fiddlers mostly. Uncle Jack used to keep me away from them when I was younger, saying that if anyone was going to break Ranger Law and attack another Ranger, it would be Fat Biddy breaking it over the arse of a little boy. For years, I'd wished he'd just try it so I could have a reason to kill him myself in a Hunt, but he never did.

"Eh!" Varger shouted as he walked in and immediately sat himself in Darci's seat at her table. Darci didn't notice though because she was going to Rojen as he himself walked in. The man usually looked grim, but when he saw Darci, he grinned and lifted her up over is shoulder, knocking down his hood and showing off his filthy dark hair and sharp features. As Darci laughed and pinched his sides to let her down, Melwin, Crad and Fat Biddy came in. I was startled to see a half naked girl being pulled by a rope around her wrist stumble in behind them, shivering as if the northern storms were after her --- must be from the south.

"Trinna!" Biddy shouted out. "Show me a room I can tie the girl up in!"

"Crad will tend to it." Rojen said as he sat at a table, putting Darci in his lap. Crad stood obediently and took the rope from Biddy. Trinna peaked in the back room and motioned up the stairs, presumably telling her daughter to show them up.

"Who's the girl?" Angus asked with a deep frown.

Rojen glanced over at Angus, his eyes passing over myself and Falcon as well then searching the room. "Where's Uncle Jack?"

"Delayed." Was the only answer.

Rojen shrugged and nodded his thanks to Trinna when she plopped a pitcher in front of him but answered Angus' question. "Young Lady Loryn. Only daughter of the late High Lord Barrick."

Lenny whistled low. "That be worth a good ransom, I'd say. How'd you manage that?"

"Found her wandering about in the ashes of Garden City after the dragon attack. Don't know how she managed to survive it."

"Must have been away during the attack." Darci said. "Poor girl. You've been good to her, Rojen?"

"I haven't let Biddy at her if that's what you mean." He pinched her thigh and she let out a yelp, smacking the back of his head.

"How much y'askin' for her?" Darci continued. "She's got an aunt in Dargolyn, what's it?"

He nodded. "Fifty gold to start. I say it'll drop down to about thirty in the bargain."

Lenny nearly spit out his ale. "Ye better ask for more'n that! She'll be queen now wont she? With the royal family dead."

There was a surprised silence. Rojen sat down his cup and paid full attention. "Why would you make that? Kingship goes to the kings brother before the high lord's daughter."

"He woulda died in the fire, too. And any adversaries that were written are up in flame, which means kingship goes to the High Lord. Seein' he'd dead, it be goin' to his son."

"And he had no son." Rojen remembered. "The boy died sickly as a babe a few years back now."

"Aye. So Lady Loryn is the only heir remaining." Lenny laughed. "You've had the rightful Queen of Florn in your hands and haven't even known it, Rojen!"

Melwin's eyes were near gold as he asked, "How much should we ask for her?" It was Lenny that answered with another laugh. "How much is an unmarried queen worth? A kingdom, that's what! Whoever marries her will be King of Florn!"

There was another shocked silence as this was taken in. Biddy was the first to break it. "I found her. I could marry the girl."

"You as king?" Darci snorted. "You'd be killed in y'r sleep by a servants son with first week under the crown."

"I'd be a better king than Melwin!"

"How did I get sucked into this?" Melwin asked, raising both hands defensively. "My pecker's cut off, remember?"

"My point, Melwin, seein' as it don't stop ya from usin' carrots on the bitches."

"Ew..." Darci grimaced. "Animals, Melwin? Really?"

And so the argument began, everyone talking over each other on who would be a better king. Even Falcon himself got into it. Only Angus and I stayed out but watched with interest. Trinna looked grimly at Biddy as if caring only that he didn't win the argument. I sipped my ale and hoped the girl was escaping out a window during the racket, or sneaking down a back staircase.

I hadn't realized Rojen had been silent until he spoke, which silenced everyone. "I'll be the one marrying the girl. I vow as a Ranger that once I'm on the throne, I'll make all my men Lords and protect the rest of you from punishment so long as you're in Florn." He slapped Darci's bottom. "And you," he said, "can be my hidden mistress, locked away in a tower made of pearls and gold."

"S'long as you let me kill something regularly, I'll even let ya mount me every once in a while." She said with a cheeky grin and bit his cheek. He chuckled and bit her back. "That's a deal, woman."

Everyone seemed satisfied with these claims and just like that, the room came from tense to celebratory. Drinks were topped up, whisky was poured, then Rojen, in the best mood I'd ever seen him, future King of Florn, the second richest kingdom of the land, gave an order.

"Crat! Bring down the girl!"

KOVEN

I was able to peel the bandages off my arm for good when we landed in Squiddin's port. The captain had been true to his word about how minor the damage was, seeing as it only scraped off the skin, deep enough to bleed but not deep enough to do any serious damage. However, the sheer size of it made healing tricky as it tended to crack and stretch no matter how carefully I moved. From my elbow all the way up my shoulder and partially onto my back was a single giant wound. Deep or not, it had needed lots of bandaging and burned like dragonfire when salt was rubbed onto it in order to speed the healing and prevent infection.

Now though, it was mostly scars and what wasn't scarred was scabbed over. No more chance of infection and no more salt, thank the gods.

"My boy says he wants t'go with you." The captain said as I sat in his quarters awaiting my pay.

I sighed. "I know." Hark had asked several times to join me and when my answer remained no, he resorted to begging. "I told him no, Cap'n."

"I knows ya did, boy, and I thanks ya for it." He told me and jingled the purse that was mine absently. "But I think ye should change y'r answer."

I was surprised. "You want me to take him with me, sir?"

"I wants him with me. But I haven't been able to keep the two of you apart since I found ya on my ship all those years ago. An' I donna know where y'r goin', or why, but I'll bet my ships arse that it'll be dangerous. Hark wants t'go to protect y'r back and I know you only says no b'cause ye respects me." He tossed me the purse, coins jingling. "So this is me givin' you permission to take what ya needs, m'son included."

I fiddled with the purse a moment, then tied it to my belt. "Do you do this because you see me as king, Captain?" I asked him.

"Nay, boy. I tell ya because you've been a good friend to my son." He shrugged. "An' because y'r father was a good man, king or no. He'd like ya to have some company."

I nodded slowly. "I can't guarantee his safety, Captain."

At that, he laughed. "Boy, yous been on my ship for a month now. D'ya think for a second that my boy is safe out on the open water?"

I rubbed at my arm absently. "No, I suppose not." I admitted. "Thank you, sir."

He waved me away. "Go. Hark is waitin' for ye on the dock with stolen coin in his purse, thinkin' I'd not notice. Let the lad think he succeeded in sneakin' off for a bit, eh? The lad needs some confidence, scrawny as he is."

I laughed and left. When I found Hark at the end of the dock hiding behind a barrel, it was difficult to keep my face straight, but I managed.

"I'm comin' with ya, Venny." He said firmly when he saw me. "An' ye can't stop me."

"Very well then." I said simply and led the way off the dock. "Best we gets some meat and bladders for the tracks. Can ye ride a horse?"

He was surprised at the sudden change of my answer but did not dare question it. He rushed to catch up. "I have some coin, but I can't ride no horse well t'all."

"We'll ride double then. We're both small enough that we wont tire a strong horse easy, even at a good pace."

"Where we goin;?" He asked. "I know west, but where west?"

"I'm not sure." I admitted. "I say we get to Cove Road and stay at The T for a few days. Maybe we'll be able to make a plan by then."

"Sounds good t'me." Hark said cheerfully. He made a skip. "I hear the Outsiders stays at The T."

"Rumors." I said with a wave of my hand then shrugged. "B'sides, if it's true, it makes no difference. I stayed at The T m'self when we travelled to Dargolyn to celebrate the birth the prince. I tell ya, nothin' bad ever happens there."

GEACOB

The wedding would take place in the morn when Crad returned with the proper papers from the temple in Clawdon. Lucky for the girl, no one would bed her until then. Truthfully, I'd rather it be done and over with so I wouldn't have to watch them basically torture her with humiliation.

Biddy was the worst of course, slipping his hand up her shirt and slapping her bottom every time he managed to get behind her, but the drunker the men got, the more they joined in, having her crawl around like a dog in her filthy shift and carry coins to the bar for more drink. She cried the entire time, a constant stream of silent tears and snot dripping on the floor. Whenever she stopped crawling or when she tried to curl in a ball on the floor, begging for them to stop, they threatened to make her do it without her shift and so she would be up and at it again, stumbling around on her shaking knees until they bled.

Darci's group wasn't so bad and I could tell the actions of Rojen's group disgusted them as well, but this was Ranger business and only Rojen could put a stop to the spectacle. He sort of did once he wasn't distracted by Darci --- she'd excused herself to go to the privy, leaving Rojen with nothing to look at.

He gave Biddy a hard look then stood. "Here, girl." He said and gripped her arm, standing her on her feet for a moment before sitting her down on a stool next to Angus. "Eat something. I'll not have you dying on me before you can make me king."

"K-k-king?" She rasped, but Rojen was already gone behind the counter to find Trinna who had disappeared to cook. At least, that had been her excuse; personally, I was sure she was escaping the spectacle.

Angus wrinkled his nose at the girl as she started sobbing again, keeping her body as curled up as she could on the high stool. "I hope ye bathes the girl a'fore ye beds her, Rojen." He called out. "Perhaps y'should send her upstairs for one now."

I understood what he was doing --- trying to give the girl a bit of an escape from the humiliation.

"She'll be eating first." Rojen said as he reappeared with a plate and dropped it in front of the girl. "Eat."

I couldn't see her face through her mess of matted hair, but by the way she suddenly dug in, tied hands grasping the food and shoveling it at her face, I'd say she must have been a sight. Looking at how loose her shift was on her boney shoulders, I'd say they had been feeding her nothing but scraps. There was no such thing as scraps at The T, not when Trinna was cooking---

I nearly fell off the stool as my eyes widened. Angus nudged me and spoke low. "What's it, Geac?"

I could barely breathe, let alone answer.

"Geac?" He hissed, elbowing me.

I blinked and focused on him. "The gods," I said numbly, "if there are any, have a terribly cruel sense of humor."

He frowned at my words. "What's it?"

But I couldn't explain it here. "Just... bare with me." I whispered and reached across him to push at the girls arm. She flinched and her eyes swung to mine briefly before looking quickly away again.

"Hey, girl." I said. "You ever see a dragon up close?"

"N-no." She said and picked up the fork as if I had reminded her to eat properly.

"My father did." I said. "Even got me the claw of one. I have proof of it too, you see?"

Biddly laughed. "Geacob's tryin' ta impress the girl, luh!" He called out, making my face flush but I had succeeded in what I'd meant to do --- have the girl look at the necklace around my neck.

She started, the fork slipping from her fingers, clattering on the floor. Biddy laughed again, saying some joke, but I was no longer paying any attention to him. Her green eyes set above her prominent cheekbones met mine across Angus's, wide and surprised.

I met them calmly and said: "Nice ring."

The same rose ring I had seen in my vision, along with my talon necklace. When I had seen that ring, I knew that she must have had the vision as well. Her expression confirmed what I already knew so I gave her a slight nod as if answering a question.

She blinked at me in absolute shock.

   Then her eyes rolled up into her head and she fainted, falling from the stool.

***

"An' juss what was that about, Geacob?" Angus asked as he and Falcon followed me into the room we shared.

"We need to get her out of here."

Angus nearly choked on his own tongue while falcon gaped at me. "Are you daft?" Falcon asked. "You can't break Ranger Law! You'd have every Ranger in the land out for y'r head!"

"I know, I know, but---"

"There'll be no buts about it, Geac. Ta be wanted by every king in the land is fine; we got places like this to go and we all look out for each other, die for each other. But if ye does this boy, you'll be Hunted. And even y'r uncle will need to do it or he'll be shamed and kill't along with the rest of us."

"Then we leave no witnesses." I said simply. "No one to spread the word."

Now they both looked at me as if I'd turned into a toad before their very eyes.

"Ye've lost it." Falcon whispered. "Ye've truly lost it."

Angus grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. "What in the name of the gods has gotten inta ye, boy?"

"She's part of the vision." I said. "The ring on her finger, Augus. It was in my vision. She's had it too, I think, that's why she faintend. She knows it too."

Angus was frozen for a moment longer, then slowly, his eyes went grim and he lowered his hands to his side.

"Y'r sure, Geac?" Falcon asked, grimacing as if preparing to flinch from the answer even before I gave it.

"I am." I said firmly.

After a quiet moment, Angus nodded slowly. "I'll fetch Trinna. You'll need her permission and her word to keep quiet or else there'll be no way ta get out of here."

"And I'll go on out with some excuse." Falcon said, his voice sad. "I'll find some way t'bring Darci's crew away with me. Keep them from The T for a while."

I felt relief at that. "Good." I wasn't a fan of Rojen, but I was a fan of Darci. She was quite possibly insane, yes, but I didn't want her dead.

I didn't want to kill any of them... except Fat Biddy, of course.

"How long do you need?" I asked Falcon.

"An hour." He said, then shook his head. "Better make it two."

LORYN

I was still in a sort of numb shock. First to find out that I was apparently the queen (surly they were wrong about that) and the only one of the five that didn't terrify me was planning to wed me by force in order to become king. On top of that, realizing I would not be ransomed after all and would never again be free had put me in such a state of disbelief that I'm sure even my heart had begun to wonder if it was supposed to be beating or not.

Then that Outsider boy showing me the necklace, the one with the dragon talon that had been in the vision I'd had so long ago... or so it felt. I'd been so overwhelmed that I'd fainted.

Coming to, I found myself tied to the bedframe in one of the upstairs bedrooms. I was alone so it gave me time to wonder.

Did that mean that he'd had the same vision? Did it me that he would... would... buy me?

I shuddered at the thought. The boy was handsome enough to be sure, with his dark hair tied back and the muscles one so young could only receive after hours and hours of practicing with sword. But so was Rojen, if I looked at it like that, and Rojen wasn't at all nice. Good looking people rarely were --- my beautiful mother taught me that long ago. Add the fact that the boy was an Outsider like the others only proved how not-nice he really was.

It didn't matter anyway. Whatever the vision had been about, I no longer cared about it. My father was gone, dust and ashes, and I had been turned into a filthy, fat dog used as entertainment and personal gain. Even my aunt would turn her face from me if she were to see me now.

The door opened and Rojen came in. Ignoring me, he sat at the edge of the bed and removed his boots and heavy black cloak, revealing horrid, ugly scars on his back. I cringed away in disgust at the thought of him touching me --- not so handsome after all.

I should have stayed in my cave. I should have stayed in the cave and froze to death or drowned.

GEACOB

There was a gentle knock on the door and Trinna slipped in, her face gave. "It's time." She whispered. "Darci just left and the men are in their rooms." She handed me the keys to the door and I clasped her hand.

"Thank you." I said sincerely. "I know you don't want to do this."

"It ain't a favor, boy." She said sternly pulling her hand out of mine. "I likes you and I respects y'r uncle, just as I respected y'r da, but if word gets out about this, the Rangers'll burn this place to the ground and piss on the ashes." She grimaced at the very thought but her face went stern again. "I'm doing this so you'll owe me."

"Anything." I promised. "Whatever it is and whenever you need it. And if I die before I can give you what is owed, Angus knows and will pass along the word to my uncle so that he'll know it too."

She nodded. "Good. I'll need that debt." She said. Then, as if she just couldn't help herself even as angry as she was, he hands went to the collar of my cloak, fixing it like she's done since I was a boy, then brushed road dust from my shoulders. "Be careful."

I smiled at her motherly care and kissed her forehead. "I will be as careful as I can be, Trinna."

She stepped back quickly and wiped at watery eyes. Then, just like that, she was stern again. "There's a bag packed up with what you ask't for by the back door." She told me and left quickly.

Angus stood from where he'd been sitting on the bed, then came over. "You sure about this, Geac?"

"She's been set in my path for a reason." Was my answer.

He nodded. "Lets get to it then."

LORYN

There was a knock on the door and Rojen let out an irritated sound and stood from his bath, stalking naked across the room dripping water across the floor. "What?" He hissed as he opened the door.

Biddy came in and grinned when he saw me. I tightened my thighs together a little tighter and tried to curl away from his so much as the ropes would allow. "I thought she'd be bathin' by now." He said. "Want me to take her back to my room and do it for ya?"

"You think I'd tust you to bathe her, Biddy?" Rojen snorted as he went back to the tub and relaxed into it. "Get gone, would you?"

"You ain't ransomin' her, boss." Biddy whined. "It ain't like you care if she'd broken in or not." When Rojen said nothing, Biddy sighed and left. I felt myself relax slightly but tensed again only a moment later when a knock came again.

Rojen glared at the door and glanced at me. "I may let you kill him as a wedding gift, girl." He told me with a huff, then snapped. "What in the Mother's name do you wish for now?"

The door opened and the boy came in, not Biddy. Still, I remained tense. He glanced at me on the bed only briefly then closed the door behind him.

"Oh. It's you." Said Rojen and relaxed in the tub again. "You've grown so much the past summer I barely recognize you."

"I'm as tall now as my uncle." The boy admitted. "I've broken in three pairs of shoes since last winter, too."

Rojen laughed. "Don't worry, Geacob, you won't grow forever. It'll have to stop eventually." He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, sticking his feet out on the other edge of the steaming tub. "So what do you need, Geac?"

The boy, Geacob, hesitated, then stepped deeper into the room. "I came to apologize." He said and took out a thin knife from his belt, picking something out from under his fingernails. He looked pale all of a sudden and was sweating as if nervous, though his casual stance bellied that.

"Apologize?" Rojen frowned then and opened his eyes, glancing at him. "This apology must stem from the fact that I will soon be king, I assume?" He chuckled. "Don't bother, boy, you're already in my good favor. You and your uncle both."

"No, it's just... you and my uncle have known each other for a long time. I know that he respect you and he speaks often about how you keep your men restrain as best you can. It can't be an easy job."

Rojen snorted. "Biddy is the worst but the others are alright." He shrugged. "Still not easy, no."

"Exactly. You've done the best you can for yourself. And honestly, I think you'd make an alright king, and even treat the girl as best you could. The worst you'd do is ignore her, I think."

"Aye, more than likely."

"So... I apologize. I'm not left with much of a choice. I'd choose differently if I could, and that I swear to you." And with that, he lifted the knife and threw it.

Liquid fast, the knife stuck into the side of Rojens neck and I let out a sound that was more of a yelp than a scream and stared at the blood spurting from the wound into the tub as Rojen kicked and slipped noisily. His eyes were wide in shock and his fingers tried grasping the hilt but before he could move it, blood gurgled out of his mouth and his eyes stilled with his body.

The boy was breathing in shallow breaths as he walked over and pulled the knife out, wiping the blood on his black pants. He came toward me then and I scrambled as far away as I could --- which wasn't very far at all.

"D-don't touch me."

"I'm not going to." He said. "Well... not except to get you out of here, but not like... like that." He reached for me again and cut the ropes from around my raw wrists. They didn't fall away though, he had to peel them off and I whimpered.

"Gods" He whispered, looking at the wounds. "We'll deal with that when we're away from here. Come. We have to be quiet and stay by me."

He pulled me to my feet but they collapsed under me weakly, causing me to stumble. He made a frustrated sound. "You need to stand up."

I did, but still whimpered. "I can't run like this."

He gave me an irritated look but picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder like so many others had. Why couldn't he carry me gently? If he was here to help me, he shouldn't treat me so roughly.

He carried me out to the hall then rushed me to the back of it. I wanted to tell him he was going the wrong way, but then he pushed the wall and to my surprise, it gave way, revealing a narrow, unlit staircase.

At the bottom, there was another Outsider and the boy set me on my feet. "All dead?" Geacob asked the man.

"E'eryone." The older Outsider replied and pulled the boy in for a hard hug. "Be careful out there, Geac. You know where you're headed?"

"You, too, Angus. And I have no idea. I'll leave markers." He unlocked a door and it opened to reveal the outside. Dawn was coming. He handed the keys to the man and picked up a bag. "Be careful, Angus."

"You too, boy."

Then I was pulled out the door and we ran/stumbled to where a horse was saddled and waiting in the shadow of a tree. He lifted me up so I sat in front, then handed me up the bag before he climbed up behind me in one easy swoop.

"It's cold." I complained but he said nothing, only clucked his tongue at the horse and then we were off into the trees