Cotti a king who will never beget sons. I will gladly kill all your brothers, too."
Kerrion longed to tell Blade that he had no pity in his heart for a man like him, but what the soldiers had done was so wrong that it made him ashamed. That his father had been a part of it was even more shameful. The assassin finished his tea and put away the cup, then tied the Prince to a tree as usual before rolling himself into his blankets, leaving Kerrion gagged.
The Prince lay awake for a long time, thinking about what he had learnt. He had always thought war an honourable thing, an undertaking by brave men who fought for honour and glory, who battled and died proudly under the flags of their King and country. Sometimes there were prisoners, and these were taken to work in the mines, digging ore to forge into new weapons for the Cotti army, a fitting punishment for setting themselves against the might of his father's kingdom.
Women and children were innocents, however, and to his knowledge never taken prisoner and certainly not abused in the way Blade described. He wondered if the assassin was lying, but somehow believed him. Much as he disliked Blade for murdering his father and his own harsh treatment, he also admired his courage, spirit and determination. For all his faults, the assassin was a man with many admirable traits.
"When did this start?" Minna demanded of her chief advisor.
"Almost a three tendays ago, My Queen."
"And why was I not informed earlier?"
"At first General Hannach thought it merely another attack. They are fighting a war, after all. The Cotti attack all the time. But they have been throwing themselves at the mountain pass relentlessly, and the general says that their fury is frightening to behold."
Minna's eyes sparkled with joy. "Then he has succeeded!"
"Perhaps," Chiana allowed. "He might have only enraged them with his attempt."
"No. He has succeeded. What of the Prince?"
Chiana shook her head. "No one has seen either Blade or the Prince."
The Queen did not seem to hear. "If this started three tendays ago, and Blade has been gone almost a moon phase, he must be nearly here by now."
"My Queen, there is the more pressing matter of the general's request for reinforcements."
"Yes, yes." Minna made an impatient gesture. "You take care of the matter, send him whatever he requires."
Chiana bowed and headed for the door, but the Queen's command stopped her. "I did not give you leave to go. There is more. Send orders to the guards, to Captain Redgard, to be on the lookout for Blade. When he comes, they must let him in instantly."
Chiana bowed again. "Yes, My Queen."
"He will be here any day now, with the Cotti King as his captive."
The Queen walked to the windows and gazed at the dreary gardens drenched by sleeting rain. Her eyes sparkled and her pale cheeks were flushed with delight. She looked like a girl of sixteen, and sometimes acted like one, despite her upbringing. Chiana closed the doors softly behind her as she left.
The sound of approaching hoof beats woke Kerrion, and he jerked upright in alarm. He groaned as stiff muscles protested and looked around for the assassin, finding himself alone. Had Blade abandoned him, trussed and helpless, to the mercy of local marauders? As the horse came into view through the dripping mist, he slumped with relief.
Blade dismounted, cast a glance at his gagged captive, and pulled a pack from his horse. Taking a loaf of bread from it, still warm from the oven, he broke it in two. He yanked the gag from the Prince's mouth and handed him half.
Kerrion took it, rubbing his aching jaw. "Where did you go?"
"For supplies."
The Prince tore at the bread. "You do not need to gag me anymore. I will not try to make you angry again."
The assassin ignored him, glancing around as he ate.
"I do not pity you," Kerrion stated. "I should think it must be impossible to pity a man like you. But what those soldiers and my father did was wrong. If I am returned to
Kerrion longed to tell Blade that he had no pity in his heart for a man like him, but what the soldiers had done was so wrong that it made him ashamed. That his father had been a part of it was even more shameful. The assassin finished his tea and put away the cup, then tied the Prince to a tree as usual before rolling himself into his blankets, leaving Kerrion gagged.
The Prince lay awake for a long time, thinking about what he had learnt. He had always thought war an honourable thing, an undertaking by brave men who fought for honour and glory, who battled and died proudly under the flags of their King and country. Sometimes there were prisoners, and these were taken to work in the mines, digging ore to forge into new weapons for the Cotti army, a fitting punishment for setting themselves against the might of his father's kingdom.
Women and children were innocents, however, and to his knowledge never taken prisoner and certainly not abused in the way Blade described. He wondered if the assassin was lying, but somehow believed him. Much as he disliked Blade for murdering his father and his own harsh treatment, he also admired his courage, spirit and determination. For all his faults, the assassin was a man with many admirable traits.
"When did this start?" Minna demanded of her chief advisor.
"Almost a three tendays ago, My Queen."
"And why was I not informed earlier?"
"At first General Hannach thought it merely another attack. They are fighting a war, after all. The Cotti attack all the time. But they have been throwing themselves at the mountain pass relentlessly, and the general says that their fury is frightening to behold."
Minna's eyes sparkled with joy. "Then he has succeeded!"
"Perhaps," Chiana allowed. "He might have only enraged them with his attempt."
"No. He has succeeded. What of the Prince?"
Chiana shook her head. "No one has seen either Blade or the Prince."
The Queen did not seem to hear. "If this started three tendays ago, and Blade has been gone almost a moon phase, he must be nearly here by now."
"My Queen, there is the more pressing matter of the general's request for reinforcements."
"Yes, yes." Minna made an impatient gesture. "You take care of the matter, send him whatever he requires."
Chiana bowed and headed for the door, but the Queen's command stopped her. "I did not give you leave to go. There is more. Send orders to the guards, to Captain Redgard, to be on the lookout for Blade. When he comes, they must let him in instantly."
Chiana bowed again. "Yes, My Queen."
"He will be here any day now, with the Cotti King as his captive."
The Queen walked to the windows and gazed at the dreary gardens drenched by sleeting rain. Her eyes sparkled and her pale cheeks were flushed with delight. She looked like a girl of sixteen, and sometimes acted like one, despite her upbringing. Chiana closed the doors softly behind her as she left.
The sound of approaching hoof beats woke Kerrion, and he jerked upright in alarm. He groaned as stiff muscles protested and looked around for the assassin, finding himself alone. Had Blade abandoned him, trussed and helpless, to the mercy of local marauders? As the horse came into view through the dripping mist, he slumped with relief.
Blade dismounted, cast a glance at his gagged captive, and pulled a pack from his horse. Taking a loaf of bread from it, still warm from the oven, he broke it in two. He yanked the gag from the Prince's mouth and handed him half.
Kerrion took it, rubbing his aching jaw. "Where did you go?"
"For supplies."
The Prince tore at the bread. "You do not need to gag me anymore. I will not try to make you angry again."
The assassin ignored him, glancing around as he ate.
"I do not pity you," Kerrion stated. "I should think it must be impossible to pity a man like you. But what those soldiers and my father did was wrong. If I am returned to
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