The soldier had a big scar across the left side of his face, from the cheek bone to all the way below his jawline. I wondered if it would be tactless to ask how he’d got it, as well. We had mostly sat in silence. I noted Lyria occasionally glancing at the soldier questioningly, too.
The blanket I’d got from the man’s supplies was thin, but with the state I was in, it felt the softest mattress and promised sweet sleep. It was quality wool, and with it — and with my cloak tugged tightly under me — it wasn’t bad at all. The only thing worrying me was the open starry night, but that, too, lost its edge due to my drowsiness. I closed my eyes, pulling the hood of my cape over my head to cover my face an inch more.
“What’s your name, soldier?” Lyria asked, making me open my eyes again.
The soldier was offering Lyria the bread back, half of it now gone. Her carefree, relaxed air confounded me, as I couldn’t understand how she’d talk to this intimidating ruffian as if he were a harmless, new-found friend, this career soldier, with a scarred face, roughened hands, poorly color, and dark circles around his eyes. I was sure Lyria would see wolves as cute little puppies…! The soldier looked positively challenging with that grin, like a prowling carnivore, as he returned Lyria’s stare.
“Don’t know what my name’s got to do with anything, but it’s Alesso. You don’t need introductions. But who’s the girl? I mean, if I may be so bold and ask. You don’t have to oblige, of course. I’m just a mercenary, a sword for hire, just a plain servant to you, Your Highness.”
Lyria looked at me as if to ask what she should say. I shrugged.
“Milla is my chambermaid. She’s quite the sorceress. Also, she’s my personal bodyguard.” Lyria winked. “Watch your back, soldier.”
The soldier’s mouth twisted into a lopsided, surprised grin — amused, clearly, but there was more, there was a connection, now, and a sort of trust and admiration. I could see the instant transformation. Lyria was ‘one of the all right guys’ now.
Lyria was so good at forming these bonds. I’d seen her talk to courtiers, staff, soldiers, people from all walks of life, and she always found some mutual common ground. I wish I had her suave abilities.
“I’ll stand guard for the night,” Alesso said, painfully getting up, taking the piece of bread with. He lifted the strap of his sword holster over his head and straightened his uniform shirt, blotched wet with blood.
Lyria looked up, but didn’t say anything.
“King Taramon has to have sent people after us, there’s no question about that,” Alesso said. “They will want to capture the queen.”
“Yes…Maybe we can take turns for the night watches?” Lyria said.
“No need. I can sleep during the day, if we take some breaks from the walking.”
“Well, we can think on this and see what turns out to be most convenient,” Lyria concluded.
I could see she wasn’t comfortable with the idea. It crossed my mind that maybe she didn’t like how useful Alesso had turned out to be for us. When he was gone, we fell silent, and the sounds from outside seemed to amp up, the crickets, the night birds, the singing frogs. Lyria laid down on her own blanket, so I shuffled around for a better sleeping position too and closed my eyes again.
The crickets were going crazy. It was atmospheric, really.
“Milla,” Lyria whispered from her blanket.
I opened my eyes again to see her propped up on an elbow, eyes alert, not a smidgen of sleepiness about her.
“What is it?”
“Are you all right?”
“I’m okay…Are you all right?” I asked, baffled.
“Yes, I’m fine…Milla, do you trust him?” Lyria whispered so softly I could hardly make out the words; she was almost merely mouthing them, and she nodded minutely toward Alesso.
The question caught me off guard. I had simply slipped into silent acceptance that we were a group of three, a group of ‘us’. After my initial wariness, I hadn’t thought there would be reason to not trust Alesso. He had been all matter-of-fact and no-nonsense, and everything had worked out well so far.
“I think so…?”
“Hmm.” Lyria’s tone of voice was lingering.
“Don’t you?”
She only shrugged, staying quiet.
“Good night,” I said, after a while, since she wasn’t saying more.
“Good night,” she whispered and rolled around, fussing with her blanket a good moment, apparently folding a corner of it into a pillow.
Chapter 4
A spear tore into the blanket, went through it and stuck out of the earth, making me jump back. A threatening gesture, merely. That spear could have easily gone through me, I wouldn’t have had time to evade. The giant hand that had planted it grabbed a hold of it again and yanked it back up. I met a set of blazing, purple eyes, my heart missing a beat, then the giant was gone, lost in the glaring sun, as I rolled my head to see all around. Alesso drew his sword, the blade hollowly scratching against the sheath as it came out. I was still half asleep as I struggled to my feet.
There were several of them, dark fae in silver helmets, silver armor; they had gathered to stand together a small distance away. They were taller than I’d imagined, taller than a human by far, and more massive all in all, with wide shoulders, thick thighs.
I’d never seen fae up close, not this close, anyway. Everyone had heard of them and feared them, but few people had seen them in real life. And those who didn’t, weren’t all that fortunate. Groups of fae sometimes attacked people in small villages and the outskirts of towns, and it was horrible.
Another flash to our left made us all turn, as one of the men ran past, and then another started, clearly aiming to pass us on the other side. And one dashed to our side. Alesso positioned himself better, gripping his sword, but holding up a dagger behind him, to guard himself from two sides. Lyria was the only one of us not twirling and turning and trying to see these people darting around us. She stood straight, with her eyes squinted, shoulders back, calm. Just when I looked, she opened her eyes, and I was shocked to see fierce lilac glow in her eyes.
“Lyria! Do you know these people?”
“No, but they’re not attacking, Milla, they’re assessing us…Alesso!” She reached a hand towards Alesso as if to stop him.
Alesso had raised his sword to strike. But one of the fae men was right there…And one was right in Lyria’s face, towering tall, and my focus went to Lyria. The beast had appeared from absolutely nowhere. I yelled out a good, sharp battle spell and sent bolts of light barraging the fae man. He grimaced, but they bounced off his armor one after another. Lyria raised her hands as if to shield herself, too, but leaned to the side to yell past the fae man:
“Alesso! Put down the sword! They’re not attacking! You’ll get yourself killed!”
I turned just in time to see a fae warrior strike down with a sword of lilac light, wielding it like a blade, though it was nothing but brilliant light. It went through Alesso’s armor at the same time as Alesso swept his sword through at fae man’s throat.
They both fell or slumped to their knees, and Lyria was stepping back now. A confusing moment. I strode to Lyria’s side.