The Sentinel of Cassendar: Resquarian

They left the palace at dawn, Leal on his horse, looking at Dracia on her own large, dark stallion. He studied her as they rode out onto the northern road. She did not look well. He knew she did not sleep well if at all the night before. He couldn’t remember her eating anything. She had been upset after her conversation with Roderick. She had sent her longtime friend and second away from her, and now she was suffering. She was so overcome by her feelings that when she begged Leal to tell Roderick to stay behind in Winsdell that Leal did as she asked without much disagreement. He didn’t like it, but what could he do?

He couldn’t imagine how angry and distraught Roderick must be to be left behind as his High Captain and fellow Elites rode out. Leal should have gone and talked to the man himself, but he didn’t want to leave Dracia. He had never seen her like she was now. She had always been strong and sure. There had been times he had seen her upset, angry, or sad, but never so discomposed and ill as she appeared to be now.

He wanted to beg her to stay behind in Winsdell. He wanted to find a way to lock her in their room with multiple guards watching over her, while a healer saw to her every minute, but Leal knew it would do no good. There was no room that could truly hold her. There were no guards that could keep her from doing what she thought was right. She would not see a healer. He had tried to get her one. She told him once Lanoxan and its people were safe, she would be better.

Leal was starting to believe it was more than worry or fear that was making her ill. He worried that Belleth had found a way to affect her. When Dracia did sleep, Leal knew she dreamed. She would talk in her dream, saying many names he didn’t recognize, but at least a few he did including his own and Belleth. What if Belleth had formed a link with Dracia somehow? What if she had weakened her to make it easier to kill her in battle? Leal did not know if it was possible, but it only added to his worries about his wife.

“How long do you believe we will have to travel?” asked Leal as they rode into the hills going north

“If the Navalian forces keep on the route they are on, we should meet them in two days,” said Dracia. “I only hope it is soon as I would like this to be over quickly.”

“You believe Belleth will be with them?” asked Leal.

“Yes, she will know I am coming, and she will stay with them. It is me she wants for some reason,” said Dracia.

“You do not need to meet her alone,” said Leal. “I will stay by you in the battle.”

“You will do what is necessary to preserve your kingdom and yourself with no regards to my where abouts,” said Dracia as she looked ahead.

“Is there any use of arguing with you over this?” asked Leal.

“No,” said Dracia. “And there is no use of trying to follow me every second in battle. You will not be able to.”

Leal watched as she looked over to her right. She stared at the empty space where Roderick would usually be by her side. He saw her head fall as she looked down for a moment, and he thought he could see tears in her eyes.

“We are not far out, Dracia,” said Leal quietly. “I could send someone to fetch him. I am sure he would be ready to ride out in a moment.”

She shook her head. “I cannot ask it of him. I promised his mother I would keep him safe. After all the pain she has endured due to my family, it is the least I can do for her.”

“What about Roderick?” asked Leal. “Do you take no consideration to the pain you are causing him?”

“Temporary pain will be forgotten. When we come back victorious, and he is safe as the Lord of Low Hill with Selene as his lady one day, he will be happy,” said Dracia. “I will just have to see that Galen is safe as well.”

Leal sighed. “How do you plan to keep him from the battle.”

“He is a healer, and in love with your sister. I will assign him as the Elite in charge with protecting and assisting Lexine. He will do as I ask,” said Dracia.

Leal was not sure Galen would follow her orders if the young man thought he could better serve in the battle as a fighter, but Leal would not argue with her further. He could not bear to upset her, not now, not with where they were going.

They spent the first cold night in the forest of a valley in between two large hills. The Siccarian forces and the Sentinel spread out amongst the trees, some clearing space on the ground to sleep around fires, others putting up simple tents. After a small supper, Dracia went off to see to some of her Elites, telling Leal to stay by the fire. He protested at first, but relented at her persistence.

Ethen joined him and they were silent for several minutes as Leal stared at the fire while Ethen drank some mulled cider someone had brought and warmed up.

“Dracia does not look well,” said Ethen as he took a drink.

“No, she does not,” said Leal. “She has not slept well in a while, or managed to eat much of anything.”

“Does she say what is wrong with her?” asked Ethen.

“Only that she is anxious for her kingdom and her people. I believe she is more unsettled than usual on this trip,” said Leal. “She has taken from herself the one person she has depended on in most of her previous battles.”

“Selene told me what happened. She was not happy herself. She begged me to convince Dracia to let Roderick and herself join the group, but I took one look at our High Captain and knew nothing I could say would change her mind,” said Ethen.

“She is in no condition to fight. I am afraid of what will happen to her when she tries. I don’t have a good feeling about any of this,” said Leal.

“You have a large force with you, your majesty. Your Sentinel could withstand almost any force I have ever seen, and you have Siccarian soldiers with you. We will win this fight,” said Ethen.

“But at what cost?” asked Leal. “I am not fool enough to think we will not suffer loses, and they could be numerous. While I believe every life has worth, there is one here that is more precious to me than any other including my own.”

Ethen passed Leal his mug, and Leal took it, looking at the dark liquid in it and smelling the spices wafting up with the steam. He drank deeply from it, feeling the warm drink spread throughout his body. It did nothing to ease his troubled mind or cease the ache in his heart.

“What will I do if I lose her?” asked Leal in a quiet, pitiful voice.

“I should tell you, you would go on for your kingdom and your people, but I cannot do it,” said Ethen. “I miss my wife greatly, but the thought that she is safe in Siccaria makes me feel as if I could face anything. I know my heart is safe back in the Aurorial place, while yours will be out in the open vulnerable and in great peril. The only thing I can say is, we best make sure you do not lose it. Dracia must be kept safe for you, for me, for Siccaria, and for Lanoxan.”

“But how?” asked Leal as he looked at Ethen feeling like a broken man and not a king.

“I do not know,” said Ethen as he took the mug back from Leal. “But are you willing to accept any alternative?”

“No,” said Leal.

Leal left Ethen and went to his simple tent to find Dracia already under the blankets there, asleep. Leal was pleased to see she seemed to be sleeping soundly, though she shivered a bit as though she was cold. He took off his cloak and laid down beside her, throwing the cloak over them and pulling her into his arms. She made a noise and turned to face him, burrowing into his chest as though looking for warmth. He let her settle before he put his arms back around her, holding her tight. He watched her well into the night, knowing that Ethen was right, there could be no alternative.

They left before the sun to travel the next day, Leal keeping close to Dracia through most of the ride. She fell back at some point to talk with Lexine and Galen. He had a feeling what she was telling them, and this was confirmed when Lexine came to see him before he retired that night.

“You must go speak with your wife, and try to get her to see reason, Leal,” said Lexine in agitation. “She cannot order Galen to stand apart from the battle and watch over me.”

“I believe she wants him to aid you in healing those who are wounded,” said Leal.

“You know what she is doing. She is keeping him away from the battle to keep him safe, but it is not the way he wants to serve. As much as I would love for him to be away from danger, I know it is not what he wishes to do,” said Lexine. “He can make a difference in this fight, and you know he can. He needs to be by the side of his High Captain. She has already sent Roderick away, and now Galen feels even more responsible for her. She cannot keep both of her seconds from her side.”

“What do you want me to do, Lexine?” asked Leal.

“You are the king, and I want you to act like it. Go to her and demand she sees that what she is doing is madness. She is not herself; you know she is not herself. I do not know what is wrong with her, but she is not well. Tell her she should be the one to stay with me on the edge of the battle,” said Lexine.

’It will do no good. Wherever she is, the battle will come to her. Belleth will see that it does,” said Leal.

“Then at least tell her to let Galen fight by her side,” said Lexine.

“I cannot,” said Leal as he shook his head.

“Why? Go to her now and tell her how it will be. Tell her you must see to her safety,” said Lexine.

“She will tell me as king, I should be worrying about the safety of Lanoxan and its people,” said Leal flatly.

“You are being weak, and you know it. What good are you as the king if you can’t even see to the safety of your queen,” said Lexine furiously before she turned and started walking away.

Leal felt himself sag at the cruel tone of her words. Still, he felt truth in them. He didn’t feel much like a king. He truly felt like a lost man who could not find his way because the light he had always followed had grown too dim. He put his hand over his eyes and tried to think what he could possibly do, but nothing would come to him. He felt the tears in his hand before he realized he had started crying.

“Leal,” said Lexine softly as she took his free hand. “What I just said was cruel and not true. You are a good king to our kingdom. I know you are.”

“I cannot be king without her, Lex,” said Leal as he kept his hand over his eyes, letting his tears pool against his palm. “I cannot.”

Lexine grabbed his arm gently and pulled the hand over his eyes down. She looked up at him with tears in her own eyes. “She is not gone, Leal. She is a fierce fighter and stronger than probably even you and I know. You will find a way to keep her safe. I know you will,” said Lexine.

Leal grabbed his sister and hugged her as they both cried quietly. By the time they separated, his burden may have felt a little lighter, but Leal’s heart was still heavy with worry.

They met the Navalian forces the next day before mid-morning. Leal could hear them before he saw them. In the coming days as he looked back on the battle, he would only remember certain events within the fight. He would remember riding up on them, his sword drawn to see their vast numbers. He would remember at the front of the group were disgraced Elites still dressed as members of the Sentinel on their black horses. He would remember looking over at Dracia one last time before the battle truly started seeing her look back at him. He would recall thinking he wished he could hold her close and tell her just how much he loved her one more time before they met their enemy. If he had been able to foresee the days ahead, he would have grabbed her and ran as far from the battle and Lanoxan as he could.

The battle was long and exhausting, and Leal had never seen so much death or experienced so much pain and anger. All around him the snowy ground had turned red with blood of the injured and the dead. As he fought with his sword and his power, when it was safe to do so, he tried to keep Dracia in his sights at all time. He knew she was impressive in battle as she always was. She took out large groups of soldiers with fire and snow. She threw stones that lay in the valley in which they fought, somehow binding large groups of enemies together to take them out at once. He could tell she was always looking for someone, and he knew who.

He had not seen Belleth yet, or even Darron very much. It seemed Darron had moved to the back of the group as the Navalian forces charged, letting other Elites and Navalian soldiers fight while he stayed safe. As they fought, Leal could tell the Lanoxan and Siccarian forces were making headway. The fight would not be over quickly, but it seemed as if they could overpower the Navalians in the end. He could tell, as he predicted, their losses would be hard to deal with, but eventually the Navalian forces would be destroyed.

Leal had just sent a wave of power over a group of soldiers, killing them all instantly when he saw Dracia pause after killing a man with her sword. She looked up in the distance and moved her horse closer to a place that was devoid of soldiers for a moment. He saw her whisper to her horse and dismount, and he wondered what she could possibly be doing. Then he saw them. Two women, both looking very much alike, one on a gray house, and the other on a bay mare, riding slowly toward Dracia with Darron between them.

Dracia stood still as though she was waiting to meet them with no desire to do anything but talk. Leal turned his horse to join her when he felt a sharp pain in his side. He cried out as he looked down to see a sword tip wedged between his ribs. He heard Dracia call out his name as he kicked out at the man who had stabbed him, looking at the man and killing him instantly.

Leal grabbed his side, feeling the blood start to flow from his wound. He tried to get the energy to ride over to Dracia, but the pain was too much. He slid off his horse, not knowing what he was doing, when he heard Dracia call out to her close by Elites to cover the king. He looked over at her as she tried to reach him, but she weas cut off by Darron who held his sword out in front of her and another person that had run up to join her. He realized it was Galen.

“Let Galen pass, Darron,” said Dracia as she pulled out her sword. “You know I will defeat you.”

“Perhaps you will, High Captain, but will it be quick enough to save your king?”

Leal fell to his knees as Elites rushed over to him. He kept his eyes on Dracia watching her move closer to Darron, Galen standing by her side as two former Elites joined Darron.

“Galen, I will hold them off. Run to the king, now,” said Dracia as she threw a line of fire at Darron and the Elites.

A shield seem to surround the Elites pushing the fire back at Dracia and Galen as they both fell to the ground to avoid the flames.

“Oh Dracia, you will never win,” said Belleth as she rode up behind Darron. “At least not in time to save your king. He seems to be bleeding quite heavily.”

Leal could feel himself getting weaker. He cursed himself for his momentary distraction that put them all in this predicament. He should be by Dracia side helping her, not dying here on the ground.

“You can save him, though,” said Belleth. “I believe your friend there is a healer. Is that correct?”

Dracia nodded as she looked at Galen.

“I will let him pass if you come with us. In fact, I will stop this whole battle, and even this entire war if you will just come with my sister and me this instant.”

“No,” whispered Leal. He wanted to shout it at Dracia, but he could not find his voice. Everything seemed a little dimmer.

Dracia looked over at him and then at Galen. He saw her close her eyes and shudder as though she was in pain.

“Dracia, do not do it,” said Ethen loudly as he fought his way closer to Dracia. “You cannot go with them.”

A horde of soldiers came to surround Ethen as Dracia looked at him.

“Come with us, Dracia,” said the other woman with Belleth. She said it almost kindly. “You can end all of this. You know my sister will not relent until she has what she wants. Come with us and save all you love. Do it for your king and for Resquarian.”

She looked at Leal one more time and then at the woman and Belleth. She nodded her head and dropped her sword. Leal watched as she stumbled forth as though she didn’t have the strength to stand. She fell forward, but Darron caught her before she hit the ground. Galen looked at Dracia, his sword raised.

“Go, Galen, go to your king. You have to save him,” said Dracia weakly.

Galen hesitated for one moment before he put his sword away and ran to Leal’s side, kneeling down next to him. He put his hand over Leal’s wound and closed his eyes.

“No, Galen, you cannot worry for me,” said Leal weakly. “You must see to your High Captain. They cannot take her.”

Galen ignored him, and Leal felt a hot flash on his side as his wound slowly closed up, leaving only a red mark. He felt very weak and tired, but the pain in his side was almost gone.

“Dracia,” he said quietly, trying to get up.

“You must lay still, your majesty,” said Galen.

“There, you see, your king will be fine after some rest, Dracia,” said Belleth with a small laugh. “Now we must go to Navalia so you can learn of who you really are. Darron, call the forces off before we travel.”

Darron held Dracia against him as he looked at Leal and Galen.

“I am surprised to not see your brother here, Galen,” said Darron with a smile. “I suppose he is busy with his new lordship. Tell him he is welcome for killing that silly brother of yours and giving him his title. I was very happy to do it.”

Leal heard Galen give an angry breath that sounded like a growl. “When he hears what you have done, he will find you and end you, Darron,” said Galen. “You cannot think he or I will let you kill our brother and take our High Captain with no consequences.”

“Then I suppose I will see you soon, young Elite. Let Roderick know, I welcome his company,” said Darron as he looked at a couple of his fellow disgraced Elites and nodded his head.

The call for retreat rang out all over the field as Leal sat up on his elbows slowly and stared at Dracia. He felt darkness threaten to overtake him as he looked at her, and it seemed she was fighting to keep her own eyes open. It did not seem real, watching her being held by Darron, knowing she was being taken from him.

“It is time, Darron,” said Belleth as Darron nodded.

Darron dragged Dracia over to his horse and grabbed his horse’s reins, walking the animal and Dracia closer to Belleth. Leal whispered Dracia’s name as he watched her disappear in a flash of light. By the time the light had faded, Leal had succumbed to the comfort of temporary nothingness.