Chapter Thirty-Six
The Messenger
Rolf felt so frustrated. They had come so far, and now they were almost right back where they had started. What had taken them hours on foot took them far less on horseback. Even with the army of men running beside them, Prince Harold forced a fast pace. But what could Rolf do? Let Soo-Kai fight with all these men?
He had argued with Prince Harold, but it had made no difference. His mind was made up, and if Rolf was to avoid bloodshed he had to relent. He didn’t want Soo-Kai hurt for no reason. Rolf had asked her to lower her sword. Horses were quickly found and Rolf had to leave his cart to be pulled by men-at-arms. He had looked back at it in concern, but Prince Harold had scoffed at him.
“My men will not steal your wares, tailor! They have much more pressing business to attend to!”
They had ridden away, quickly leaving the outskirts of Jasanta far behind them. Prince Harold kept them all close to him. He wanted Soo-Kai near him, so that if she scented his brother he could be told immediately. She rode beside the Prince at the head of his army, while Rolf and the girls rode behind them, with Sir Malcolm and L’Barr among them. Both men eyed the girls with interest. Rolf could almost see their thoughts in their faces. But theirs wasn’t the only eyes on the girls.
Most of the men who rode or ran on foot were acutely aware of the girls’ appearance and style of dress. Rolf guessed that they thought they were his, that they were the daughters of Soo-Kai, and Destroyers like her. Rolf had used that lie himself, and the girls never voiced their disapproval. But their almost chatty personalities confused the men-at-arms and Knights who watched them. Destroyers didn’t behave like this. They didn’t laugh and shout at one another, or grow excited at the mere sight of the horses found for them to ride.
To Rolf’s surprise, only Bernice and Vanessa were inexperienced riders. They each shared a horse with one of the other girls, Bernice with Sophia and Vanessa with Becky. Craig also admitted to his lack of experience with horses. He sat behind Amy, holding on to her tightly. They both seemed far happier that way.
The girls had quickly lost their fright at being captured by Prince Harold and his men. As soon as they knew they were in no danger they had become as rowdy and noisy as usual. They almost seemed happy with their change in direction. Rolf suspected it was because they were never really happy at leaving their teacher and friends behind at the castle. He even contemplated saying something about it to Prince Harold. But that thought brought further complications.
What would the Prince do if he was told about the girls? About where they came from, and what they thought was going on at the castle? What would he do? And what would happen to the girls? Rolf wished he could talk to Soo-Kai about it. He watched her riding next to Prince Harold in front of him. She sat so tall and straight in the saddle. But with the Prince and his men so close, there was no chance of talking to her without them over-hearing. He promised himself that he would talk with her about it the first chance he got. His opportunity came quicker than he thought.
Prince Harold had ordered out-riders on each flank as they rode through the forest, and it was one of these who first saw the rider and shouted out. Prince Harold quickly brought the column of men to a halt while Sir Malcolm and several other Knights rode forth in pursuit.
As they stood waiting, Rolf moved closer to Soo-Kai and stroked her hair, quietly whispering to her. “Do you think we should warn the Prince of what takes place in the castle?”
Soo-Kai glanced at Prince Harold before turning to Rolf. “He may already know. Those at the castle may work on the King’s behalf. But his judgement seems fair, so I will follow your guidance.”
It wasn’t the answer Rolf wanted, and he didn’t get the chance to discuss it further with her as Sir Malcolm and his men had quickly returned with their prisoner.
The rider turned out to be a messenger from the castle. Sir Malcolm threw him to the ground before the horse of Prince Harold while another Knight handed the Prince a rolled up scroll. The Prince untied the ribbon and unfurled the scroll. As he read, his expression grew dark. He turned to Soo-Kai, holding out the scroll to her.
“Can you scent my brother on this parchment?” he demanded.
Soo-Kai leaned forward and sniffed at it. Slowly, she shook her head.
Prince Harold used the scroll to point at the messenger who now cowered on the ground. “And him?”
Soo-Kai urged her horse forward and leaned over the man. Almost before she had finished her first sniff she had straightened up in the saddle. “Yes.”
Prince Harold turned to Sir Malcolm. “Kill him!”
His command shocked everyone, but the stricken messenger was the most vocal. He practically threw himself at the Prince’s horse, grabbing onto the Prince’s foot. “No, Sire! Have mercy! Your brother is not yet dead!”
Prince Harold kicked him aside. “It says differently here!” he cried, holding up the scroll. “And ‘tis signed by my cousin, Lord William L’Roth! He lays claim to my father’s throne by right of birth, and he challenges him to the field of battle! You carry his message and now you call him a liar?”
“I speak the truth!” the messenger pleaded desperately. “Prince Carl is to be put to death tonight, when the message I bore would have been delivered to your father, the King! No one lies, not I, nor Lord L’Roth!”
There was silence as Prince Harold glared down at the messenger. Everyone waited for his decision. Finally, the Prince turned to Sir Malcolm.
“Bind him! But remember, he lives not a second longer than my brother!”
Sir Malcolm struck his chest with his fist. “Aye! I will see to it myself, Sire!”
The messenger was dragged away, delighted at his reprieve, no matter how temporary.
Prince Harold turned to Soo-Kai. “It seems that I will no longer need your services. My brother is at the castle of Sir Henry L’Crieff. His family have held the castle and the surrounding forest estates for many generations, since they were granted rights to it by King Stephen for services to the Realm. If my brother dies in that castle, I will put an end to those rights, and to Sir Henry. But this does not concern you. Take the horses and be on your way. I grant you freedom of passage.”
Rolf glanced at Soo-Kai. She nodded, and the words poured from Rolf before he could stop to think of the consequences.
“There is something you must know. These girls are aliens; they are from off-world. Those at the castle are responsible for them being here. They have brought others here and have imprisoned them in the castle. Mere children. Some they have even killed. They try to hide what they do, and they even pursued these girls and tried to slay them before word of their arrival should reach you and warn you of their treachery. This was why we were on the road at Jasanta. We were fleeing from Lord L’Roth.”
Prince Harold stared at Rolf, his expression filled with disbelief. If it hadn’t been for the news of his brother, he would have laughed out loud.
“Why should I believe such nonsense?” he said. As soon as he had spoken, the girls all started to voice their protests, and Prince Harold had to raise his voice over theirs. “There have been no aliens on this world since the time of the great war with the Destroyers. And why have you been silent until now? Why not tell me this earlier?”
Rolf also had to shout to be heard, but the girls quickly became quiet when they heard him speak. “I feared for the welfare of these girls. They were in danger, and I wondered how they would be treated if their origins were known. I knew nothing of the treachery of Lord L’Roth until now; he could have been acting on the instructions of your father.”
“You think my father capable of such acts against children?”
“I have been absent from Court for many years, Prince Harold, and the activities of your brother bred many doubts in my mind.”
Prince Harold clearly understood Rolf’s meaning. But he still wasn’t convinced. “How could Sir Henry and Lord L’Roth bring aliens to this world? Wher
e is their ship? How did they get here? If I can understand this, then I will believe you.”
“They are using Destroyer technology–”
Prince Harold scoffed at Rolf’s words, interrupting him before he could finish. “This is fantasy! The dreams of drunkards and story-tellers! The words of charlatans eager for money in return for their false secrets! Only the foolish are robbed! Such powerful technology has been lost on Ellerkan since the great wars! How could it remain hidden so long without anyone knowing of it? And how would anyone at the castle know of its use if they found it?”
Soo-Kai answered him. “One of those at the castle has bonded with a Destroyer, and she is using her knowledge of the hidden technology buried under the castle to support Le-Roth against you.”
All eyes turned to Soo-Kai as she continued.
“You forget the purpose of the castle. It was built by your ancestors to guard the wreck of an ancient ship. It still lies beneath the castle, but only a Destroyer would understand the power available inside it. She uses this power. But the arrival of the aliens is a symptom of her real intent. Until now, this intent was hidden. But with the news in the message you hold, all is now clear. She builds a weapon for Le-Roth, a weapon he will use against your father’s army.”
Prince Harold held up the scroll and glared at it, his understanding clear in the angry expression on his face. “So that is why he challenges the King’s army to a field of battle! He fills his message with noble words of his rightful claim, while all the time he means to destroy us with hidden treachery!” In a fit of anger, he tore the scroll to ribbons and cast it to the ground. “There will be no message to my father, and no battle before the gates of Ellerkan! And no more noble words! Treachery must be met with greater treachery!”
Sir Malcolm looked at Prince Harold with concern. “What do you plan, Sire?”
“To take the castle tonight! While those within sleep and dream of Kingship!”
“But we are nought but ten Knights and fifty men-at-arms! How can we take a castle? They have planned for war, they will be prepared!”
“They will not be prepared tonight! They think they are safe, that their message cannot be answered until the morrow. Our presence here is fortuitous and unknown to them. I will take advantage of that good fortune. We will take the castle! Not by force, but by stealth!”