WeatherMaker Hearts Desire Prologue
Chapter 32: Tender Hearts

‘Where do you keep going all the time?’ Annabel asked Arlen one day when he returned to the inn after being gone all day.

‘Oh’ Arlen replied meekly. ‘I……nowhere in particular.’ He took a deep breath. ‘I replace it hard to stay in one place, I’m….shifting constantly. I can’t keep still. I just can’t settle.’

‘Why didn’t you go with the others?’ Annabel asked him as he sat across the table from her, Shawn by her side.

‘Because of Farrell’ Arlen said to the table.

‘Do you truly hate him so much?’ Annabel asked him sadly.

‘Yes I do.’

‘Then why did you agree to come with us on that day I got my new dress?’ Annabel asked him.

‘Because….’ Arlen replied, unsure himself how he would answer, ‘because…’ he simply said. After a time of a prolonged silence he spoke again. ‘I felt protective of you. You remind me of Amaia in some ways…and I thought….’ he trailed off. ‘But I know now there is no need for me to insist on being around you, because you have Shawn now.’

Annabel and Shawn exchanged a glance then, and Shawn smiled at her. Annabel beamed joyfully back at him, blushing slightly, and despite himself Arlen smiled too. He had for the longest time worried for Annabel, brooding over her in secret in his mind, but around Shawn, she seemed at peace, seemed happy even, despite everything.

Arlen felt less guilty now for being partially responsible for taking her away from her family, and his mind he felt a little more at ease because of this.

‘I wonder how the others are doing’ Annabel spoke up suddenly.

Flute Stick shifted in his sleep, turning his head back and forth and shifting uncomfortably on the solid floor he lay on. He woke abruptly then, screaming in terror and thrashing around. Carrot was by his side in an instant, trying to calm him and speaking quickly to him words of reassurance until several seconds later Flute Stick calmed, sweating and breathing deeply, but silent at last.

Barrel began to laugh hysterically.

‘Will you shut him up!’ Blunkit hollered, speaking to no one in particular.

‘Shut up!’ Woodworm yelled at Barrel, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and shaking him. ‘Shut up shut up shut up!’

‘What’s wrong with him’ Farrell asked Carrot, ignoring Woodworm and Barrel.

‘He suffers flashbacks’ Carrot replied.

‘Of what?’

‘Mind your own business.’

Woodworm and Barrel began to scuffle in the corner, Barrel trying to fight back to defend himself. They had only been locked up for a short time together, and already patience was stretched to near breaking. The prince had ordered them to be locked up in a cellar behind thick iron bars, imprisoned alongside the finest wines they had ever seen in their lives.

‘This isn’t so bad’ Flunkit sighed, taking a deep swig from one of the bottles. ‘This is good stuff, you should try some.’

‘What’s wrong with you?’ Farrell growled furiously. ‘Don’t you know that we might be killed for this?’

‘Well’ Flunkit sighed again, ‘better make the most of this wine then.’

‘Not so bad’ Farrell repeated with a groan. ‘This is unbearable. If I don’t get out of here soon one way or the other, I may as well just kill myself and save the prince the trouble.’

‘Well’ Flunkit said. ‘Whatever you think is best. Try some of this wine before you go.’

Farrell sat in one of the corners in silence, sulking to himself and thinking of their dire predicament and how miserable he was.

‘How did I get stuck here like this?’ he mumbled incoherently to himself.

A short time later a figure descended the stairs beyond the bars that trapped them. She was a small female figure dressed in plain clothes and carrying a tray of meagre food.

‘Oh’ Blunkit said in a groan. ‘You’re that woman’s handmaiden.’

‘What woman?’ Carrot asked him.

‘The one we spoke to earlier’ Blunkit replied. ‘Olithia.’

‘My name is Sonya’ the small figure spoke in a quiet voice. She sounded as if she was not used to talking, only being spoken to.

Flunkit rose from where he sat, moving closer to the bars that caged them.

‘I um…’ Sonya mumbled quietly, ‘this food is for all of you.’

‘That is very kind of you’ Flunkit said to her.

‘My masters wish for me to bring this to you.’

‘So they want to keep us alive’ Farrell said not in the least bit relieved. ‘At least for the meantime.’

‘The prince said he would offer you drinks but you’ve probably already helped yourself to his wine’ Sonya spoke. At this Barrel began to cackle.

Sonya placed the tray on the floor, just far away enough for her to be at a safe distance from their reach. She turned to leave.

‘Wait!’ Flunkit called after her.

The others gave him a strange look as Sonya hesitated, glancing fearfully up the stairs she had come from as if expecting an order to be thrown down at her, or to be scolded for being late. She looked back at Flunkit nervously.

‘I’ve brought you food’ she said. ‘What more do you want?’

‘What is such a young creature like you doing working as a slave?’ Flunkit asked her.

‘Hey that’s a good one’ Woodworm said. ‘Gain her trust, convince her to help us then rip her throat out. I like it.’

‘God will you just keep your mouth shut’ Carrot sighed. ‘You’re as bad as Barrel.’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘Listen.’ Flunkit said to Sonya. ‘Ignore the rest of them. They’re not worth listening to.’

‘Thanks’ said his brother Blunkit.

‘How did you come to be here?’ Flunkit asked her.

‘I…’ Sonya began uncertainly.

‘Speak girl’ Flunkit said kindly. ‘Don’t be afraid. You can speak to me. How did you come to be here, in this retched place?’

‘It was not by choice’ the quiet girl spoke to her feet. ‘My family were struggling with dept……and…’

‘They gave you up?’ Woodworm said loudly. ‘Ha! That’s unfortunate. HAHAHA!’

Sonya took a step back.

‘No’ Flunkit said. ‘Please wait!’

But the poor girl could take no more. She turned and fled back up the stairs she had come, with tears in her eyes.

‘You idiot!’ Flunkit snarled rounding on Woodworm. ‘What did you have to do that for?’

‘What?’ Woodworm shrugged carelessly. ‘I didn’t do anything.’

‘She could have put the food a bit closer’ Carrot complained, reaching through the bars to grab the metal tray. ‘Got it’ he said triumphantly after a few seconds of trying. He pulled it closer.

The tray could not be pulled into the cellar without tipping the food, and so the others gathered around to eat the small portions given to them by reaching through the bars.

‘Wait a minute’ Woodworm spoke slowly as his thoughts processed. ’Are you…saying we can gain this girls trust? And….maybe……and you’re serious about it?’

‘I’m saying’ Flunkit said through gritted teeth, ‘that the next time she comes, you would do well to keep your mouth shut.’

‘Wait, you are serious about this, aren’t you?’ Farrell spoke up. ‘You really think it’s possible to convince her to let us go?’

‘It’s the best hope we’ve got’ Flute Stick grumbled at the thought, chin resting on his knees.

‘She’s quiet, submissive’ Carrot said. ’It might be possible to sway her.’

‘I think it’s worth a shot’ Blunkit shrugged hopefully. ‘Good idea’ he nudged his brother. ‘It’s not great, but it’s the best we’ve got.’

It was several hours later that Sonya returned. She faltered with the tray in her hands, gazing back at the faces of the men behind the bars. They all stared at her now, smiling unconvincingly, all except for Flunkit, who appeared nervous.

‘I’m sorry if the others scared you before’ he said to her. ‘Please forgive them for their crude soldier ways.’

Sonya said nothing, but stood there uncertainly with the tray in her hands.

‘What time is it?’ Flunkit began.

‘The sun is setting’ Sonya told him weakly.

‘Is that it?!’ Woodworm complained loudly. ’Just one day we’ve been here? It’s felt like years stuck with you lot.’

Flunkit shot him a dark glare. The others were all glaring at him too.

Woodworm quickly fell silent, folding his arms and turning away.

‘What have you got there?’ Flunkit asked her, reaching to get a better look at the tray she carried.

‘It’s just…food.’

‘You don’t look happy here’ he said to her. ‘Why is that?’

‘My life is very hard’ she said to him sadly. ‘I work hard every day, and my mistress is cruel.’

‘That’s a terrible thing to hear.’

Sonya lowered her gaze.

‘Tell me about yourself’ Flunkit said.

Woodworm smirked to himself, whispering to Blunkit next to him. ‘This is going to be easy.’

‘There is nothing about me that’s worth telling’ Sonya said.

‘Nonsense’ Flunkit told her. ‘Everyone has something interesting to tell.’

She didn’t answer him, merely stood there still holding the tray.

‘There is a big wide world out there’ Flunkit told her. ‘You could do so much more.’

Sonya’s eyes lit up.

‘What do you mean?’

’Surely you don’t want to serve cruel masters for the rest of your life. What do you want to do? For yourself?’

‘I…I never really…’

‘Let me guess, you’ve never considered the possibility?’

Sonya glanced at him briefly, before her eyes flickered down to the ground again.

‘Just think’ Flunkit spoke, ’of all the wonderful things you could do for yourself, if you were free.’

He spoke these words, aiming at the one thing that was most important to any slave in life, the one thing that to her felt so far out of reach.

‘Free’ Sonya repeated weakly.

‘You would like that wouldn’t you?’ Flunkit told her, pressing his advantage. ‘To be free.’

‘I’ve never wanted anything more.’

‘It can happen’ Flunkit went on. ‘You could be free…if you wanted….if you tried…’

‘How?’ Sonya pleaded. ‘I’ve been a slave for so long. I know little else. I can’t do anything.’

‘You can’ Flunkit said, ’if you tried.

‘But…’

‘It all begins’ Flunkit said, reaching towards her, ‘with one small step of courage.’

She drew back fearfully, staring wide eyed at Flunkit’s hand.

‘Take it’ he told her.

Sonya put down the tray, and took the item he offered from him.

‘Give this back to me’ Flunkit told her, ‘when you decide you want to be free.’

‘How will I be free?’ she asked him.

‘I will help you.’

‘But…’

‘If you help me escape’ Flunkit said, ‘and help the rest of us escape’ he glanced behind him at the others,’ we will help you in return. We will all be free, and you will be able start a new life for yourself, just like you always wanted.’

‘It’s so risky’ Sonya said hopelessly.

‘Freedom is worth the risk’ Flunkit told her. ‘Just think about it.’

At that moment a shrieking call came from atop the stairs, it was Olithia, commanding Sonya to return.

‘What’s taking so long you wretched girl?’ came Olithia’s voice. ‘Must I follow you to make sure you’re doing your work properly?’

Sonya tucked the item Flunkit had given her away, turning and rushing as quickly as she could back up the stairs.

‘What did you give to her?’ Farrell asked Flunkit when she had gone.

‘A knife.’

‘Where did you hide that?’

‘I’m not saying.’

‘You know’ Woodworm said with hope in his voice, ‘I think this might actually work.’

‘The girl is….unbelievably impressionable’ Flute Stick mused, leaning back and folding his arms behind his head as he lay down. ‘I predict we will be out of here by tomorrow. God I miss daylight. This is just like being in that awful cave.’

‘It feels wrong to exploit her’ Farrell was saying regretfully to himself. ‘She seems….so desperate.’

‘The strong pray on the weak’ Blunkit shrugged. ‘That’s just the way it’s always been.’

Farrell turned away from all of them, looking up towards the stairs where Sonya had fled. He wondered what would happen to all of them in the end.

‘That girl took an awfully long time taking the prisoners their food’ Olithia told her husband casually, the instant she had sent Sonya away to perform another petty task. ‘I think they’re planning to escape and using her to do so. I’d keep an eye on them all if I were you.’

Tristan made a noise of agreement at his wife’s advice, but really he wasn’t listening. Just like most things she said to him, he barely noticed she was even there, let alone what she said.

‘Yes’ he mumbled not looking at her. ‘I’ll see to it.’

Olithia smirked in amusement, before walking away.

Sometime later, Tristan stopped what he was doing, and sat back in his chair to think.

‘I should see them’ he said to himself, ‘I have to decide what to do with them.’

‘We don’t know where she is’ Farrell said to him. ‘That’s why we came here in secret.’

‘Yeah’ Woodworm added. ‘We don’t trust you. You’re a liar.’

‘You say I’m the dishonest one here?’ Tristan asked in mock amusement. ‘I doubt that, a comment like that is a bit rich coming from the likes of you. Who are you anyway?’

‘I’m not about to tell you anything about myself’ Woodworm quickly retaliated.

‘In any case’ Tristan shrugged. ‘I have ways to make you confess to anything……if I wanted.’

‘Make your threats scum’ Woodworm growled through the bars. ‘You don’t frighten me.’

‘Stop it’ Carrot snarled at him. ‘It will only be to our disadvantage to anger him.’

‘So you thought you’d interrogate my wife’ Tristan said to the others, ignoring Woodworm. ‘And you planned to kidnap her I imagine, perhaps use her as a bargaining tool, perhaps a ransom even. You would have been wasting your time. I would have been glad to see her gone, and you would wish you had never taken her in the first place. I’m disappointed you didn’t succeed.’

‘It’s like that is it?’ Woodworm groaned. ‘You’re not the only one who’s disappointed.’

‘So’ Tristan spoke to Farrell, ignoring the others now. ’There is nothing you can tell me that may help me replace Amaia?’

‘We seem to know as much as you at this point’ Farrell admitted. He waited for a moment, considering the prince. ‘Are you going to kill us?’

‘That remains to be seen’ Tristan spoke slowly.

‘But think of how Amaia would feel’ Barrel said, speaking for the first time in ages, ’if you kill him’ he jabbed a finger towards Farrell. ‘I doubt she would be very pleased about that.’

‘I don’t like you’ Tristan narrowed his eyes at him. ‘You laugh too much, and anyway’ he went on. ’She needn’t know. It will be as if you never existed’ he said to Farrell.

‘You would lie to her?’ Farrell asked with a level voice, face expressionless.

‘I would do anything to protect her, after all, she is my daughter.’

‘You’re wrong!’ Farrell called after him as he made to leave. ‘She has nothing to do with you! You’re meddling in affairs that are none of your business. You are causing her more harm than good.’

‘I am the one who protected her for most of her life’ Tristan replied calmly back. ‘If only you had done the same.’

Sonya continued with her boring and repetitive task, the knife she was given by Flunkit was hidden from view beneath her dress. She couldn’t take her mind off it, the constant press of its steel touch against her skin was keeping her from concentrating on her work, and her mind began to wander.

She paused what she was doing for a moment, seeing a figure strolling through the room she worked, moving casually, a handsome figure, tall and lean and muscular. He approached Olithia, who was preening herself in the mirror. She jumped in surprised as the figure appeared suddenly behind her, turning and beaming up at him.

‘Alan’ she said rising to her feet. ‘You’re back. Did your hunting trip go alright?’

Alan gave her a quick hug, and Olithia embraced him lovingly back, sighing happily into his chest as he towered over her. He was the only person in the world Olithia truly cared about and trusted. Olithia always felt safer with him around. Her son.

‘I’ve brought you a gift’ Alan said to her, producing a beautiful fox-fur scarf from beneath his coat.

‘Oh’ Olithia exclaimed, hands going to her cheeks as she gazed upon the thing. ‘How thoughtful of you’ she said as she examined the scarf. ‘My dear boy.’ She caressed him tenderly, reaching up on her tip-toes to kiss his cheek. ‘Thank you…’

Sonya watched the interaction between mother and son, feeling dead in her heart, and wishing more than anything for a better life. There was nothing in the world she wouldn’t give to be someone else.

‘Don’t stop working’ came a sharp bark from behind her. ‘You’ve got plenty to do; you don’t have time to dawdle.’

The order came from another servant, an older more experienced lady. Near enough everyone around her had the right to give her orders as the hierarchy amongst the servants in the house was based on age, and Sonya was one of the youngest here, in body and in mind.

Sonya glowered as she listened to the order, obeying silently but feeling resentment and anger stirring in her heart. It was at this point she took Flunkit’s words more seriously, and she thought again of what he had said, but this time, considered it as a true possibility.

‘Oh this is an exciting turn of events’ Barrel chirped happily the moment Tristan had gone. ’Which of them do you think is the real father?’ he asked the others.

‘I don’t care’ Blunkit droned.

‘Oh I can’t wait to see how this turns out’ Barrel went on gleefully, rubbing his hands together.

‘How it turns out?’ Flute Stick repeated. ’We could all be killed. That’s how it could turn out.’

Barrel began to laugh hysterically then, the others simply turned away from him, even Woodworm who normally rose in anger to this sat quietly ignoring him. He was just too tired.

They all kept to themselves mostly from then on, each brooding on their own thoughts and feelings. Farrell sat alone in a corner, feeling thoroughly depressed, and wondering what Arlen, Shawn and Annabel were doing at this time. He was glad at least they were all far away from here and safe.

Sometime later, Sonya returned again, carrying another meagre tray of food.

The others were ravenous, and began to fight amongst themselves even before she had placed the tray on the floor. Flunkit however ignored to food completely, and spoke instead to Sonya.

‘Have you decided what you will do?’ he asked over the bickering voices of the others.

‘My mistress is watching me’ Sonya said fearfully. ‘I…I can’t…’

‘Give it time’ Flunkit said not giving up. ‘Things will get better.’

‘Well they can’t get much worse.’ She lifted her eyes to his and held his gaze, looking at him properly for the first time. ‘You’re the first one in years to show me true kindness.’ She lowered her eyes to the ground again. ‘Thank you.’ Sonya glanced quickly behind her and back up the stairs. ‘I have to go, my mistress will get suspicious if…’ she left hastily before Flunkit could say anymore.

He gave a disappointed sigh, his body deflating as he watched her go.

‘Hey’ Blunkit said to him.

‘What?’ he answered his brother.

‘I saved you something’ Blunkit said lifting a chunk of stale bread.

Flunkit sighed wearily, feeling only resentment towards the bread.

‘I would be far happier with a hot roast, with a stack of potatoes and loads of gravy.’

He took it gratefully from his brother nonetheless, thanking him for the trouble.

‘Do you think we will get through to her?’ Blunkit asked him.

Flunkit shrugged. ‘Only time will tell.’

‘I only hope it will not be too much time’ Blunkit added as he considered the others around them.

Farrell was sitting quietly in the corner as usual, with his back to the room, Barrel and Woodworm were fighting again, having gained some energy to do so at the presence of food, however poor. And Carrot and Flute Stick were half-heartedly trying to break the two apart. After a while they gave up, and went to their own corner. Carrot slept, while Flute Stick sat beside him and stayed awake.

‘What a sorry lot we are’ Blunkit grumbled. ‘I’m surprised we managed to get this far at all.’

‘Luck must have been on our side’ Flunkit replied. ‘At least for a short time...’

Days passed and still they remained were they were. They at least had not been killed yet, but to say that they were alive would be an untrue statement. Days of living on poor food had left them all weak and lethargic. For most of the time now they sat there in listless silence, willing sleep to come, only so that it may pass the time. But it was hard to sleep on a solid floor, and they only succumbed to that blissful state, when their mind could no longer keep them awake, and the discomfort, at least for a short time didn’t seem to matter.

For the most part recently they had simply ignored each other. Barrel, laughed half-heartedly now, even his laughter sounded weaker, and Carrot when he slept woke up screaming more than once, like Flute Stick had done. Flute Stick was there to comfort him, touching his shoulder lightly, letting Carrot know he was there. Carrot would slowly come to his senses and relax, remembering where he was and calming.

Sonya was letting her guard down. She still feared her mistress, but day by day she would dare to spend slightly longer down in the cellar, speaking to Flunkit. The others ignored them, reaching reluctantly for the scraps that had been left for them. The food tasted awful, whatever it was. Sonya didn’t speak again of freedom, and still remained frightened of everything around her. But Flunkit still remained hopeful, long after the others had lost hope.

One day, an unknown number of days after the wine had started to run out, Barrel spoke.

‘I want to die.’

Woodworm slowly turned towards him with hollow eyes; his face like the others had become gaunt.

‘I could help you’ he said.

‘It seems perhaps that Tristan intends us to starve to death’ Carrot spoke, ‘or be driven mad with boredom.’

‘Hey that actually sounds like a good idea’ Blunkit said to Woodworm at Barrel’s words.

‘Don’t say that’ Flunkit frowned at his brother.

‘Oh come now. I’m not scare of death, and neither are you.’

Flunkit only scowled at his brother.

‘Death does sound quite appealing at this point,’ Flute Stick said in a mumble that was barely audible.

‘Who’s first then?’ Woodworm spoke up.

Farrell regarded him silently. He thought nothing.

‘I’m first’ Barrel said rising.

Barrel walked over to where Woodworm sat on one of the empty barrels, Woodworm leant down to the floor, picking up an empty wine bottle. It took him several attempts to break the base, but when it was done he held Barrel by the shoulder, with the other hand he held the bottle, the sharp glass pointed to Barrel’s throat.

‘No don’t do that’ Flute Stick protected. ‘You’ll make a mess.’

‘Bash his brains in’ Carrot suggested.

‘Strangle him’ Blunkit added.

‘Hold on’ Barrel protested, but his words were cut short when Woodworm struck him.

Barrel stumbled back, landing heavily on the floor. ‘You call that a hit?’ he complained, crawling away from Woodworm and heaving himself up using the empty wine rack as support.

‘Kill me properly.’

Farrell sighed wearily as he listened listlessly to the sounds of Woodworm trying to feebly beat Barrel to death.

‘You’re doing it wrong’ Flute Stick whined. ‘Here let me help.’

Farrell closed his eyes, wishing for it all to go away. Behind he heard the sounds of Flute Stick, Blunkit, Carrot and Woodworm slowly pummelling Barrel to death as he lay curled up on the floor. The only one who wasn’t taking part in the long drawn out murder was Flunkit, who sat near Farrell by the bars of the cell, staring out towards the stairs. The exit.

Farrell contemplated saying something to Flunkit, but changed him mind quickly after, choosing instead to remain silent.

Suddenly the door above them opened, and Sonya appeared.

‘What are you doing to him?’ she whimpered at the sight of Barrel on the floor.

‘Is he dead?’ Carrot asked.

Flute Stick shoved his head with his foot, staring down at him closely. ‘He’s still breathing’ he said. ‘I’m exhausted. We’ll have to try again later.’

Woodworm turned to Sonya, reaching his hand towards her pathetically. ‘Did you bring us some food?’ he whimpered in a distant voice.

‘No.’

‘Why not?’

‘I’m going to let you all out’ she said.

Woodworm’s eyes instantly lit up. ‘Really?’ he said hopefully, feeling suddenly full of life.

Upstairs Olithia woke from her sleep. She left the bedroom, heading downstairs to the kitchen to satisfy a growing hunger. On the way, she hesitated, noticing the wall just inside the kitchen doors where the keys were hung. Something was missing. It was the key to the cellar, the one the prisoners were kept.

‘I heard my mistress talking to her husband today’ Sonya explained in a hushed voice. ‘She asked the prince what he plans to do with you. He said he’s decided to kill you all…tomorrow.’

‘What time of day is it?’ Woodworm asked her as if he hadn’t heard what Tristan planned to do to them.

‘It’s night-time’ Sonya replied. ‘It’s very late. My mistress would be in bed by now.’

‘Why have you decided to help us then?’ Farrell asked her flatly.

‘Because of one small step of courage’ Sonya said smiling weakly to Flunkit. The action seemed to be unfamiliar to her. ’I want to be free.’

‘You made the right choice’ Flunkit told her urgently. ‘But you must hurry.’

Sonya drew a small key from her person, sticking it in the lock and turning.

The door swung open.

‘Wait’ Sonya whispered urgently to the others as they hurried past her, out of the cell and heading towards the stairs. ’What about him?’

The others hesitated, staring down at Barrel who lay on the floor still, seemingly knocked out but alive.

‘Leave him’ Woodworm said.

‘What?’ Sonya hissed.

‘We can’t take him with us. And we can’t hang around here’ Woodworm added. ‘We have to get out of here.’

Sonya glanced uncertainly back at the still form of Barrel on the floor. She hesitated briefly before turning away to follow the others up the stairs, leaving the cell door open, and Barrel where he lay.

‘I’m not familiar with this place’ Flunkit said when they had reached the top of the stairs. ‘Where are we?’

‘Quickly’ Sonya told them, skipping lightly past. ‘Follow me, but you must be quiet, my mistress is a light sleeper.’

Sonya led the six of them down the dark corridor, all of them keeping as silent as possible as they made their way. On several occasions Sonya whispered to the others to stay where they were, creeping forwards to check the rooms and make sure they were clear before proceeding. They walked in single file after her, glancing from side to side at the adjacent corridors, scared that someone was going to emerge from one of the rooms or corridors at any moment and replace them. But no one did, it seemed that they were the only ones awake.

Or at least it seemed that way at first.

When Sonya rounded the final corner leading to the front door, she faltered, seeing a figure standing before her, a figure that had been waiting for her.

‘Hello Sonya’ Olithia purred. ‘Fancy a late-night walk did we?’

Sonya’s heart dropped to her feet, and she instantly paled, feeling nothing but stone cold.

The others behind her came around the corner, slowing to a stop they stared at Olithia uncertainly.

‘My my’ Olithia continued. ‘You lot are becoming quite a hindrance.’ She leant back on the front door, resting on the handle. ‘This door is locked by the way’ she said casually. ‘It’s usually left open, but I’m sure Sonya already told you all that.’ She fixed the terrified handmaiden with a cold hard stare. ‘Didn’t you?’

Sonya whimpered pathetically, her breath quickening as Olithia took several steps forwards, coming to stand before her.

‘What did they promise you?’ Olithia asked in a deadly voice. ‘Freedom? You won’t get it.’

Something inside Sonya snapped then. Her face contorted in rage as she made a lunge for Olithia, intending to attack her, to hurt her, and release all the anger that had been bottled up inside her for all these years. All the suffering and pain and fear. But Olithia grabbed Sonya’s hand in which she held the knife, hands clasped around the weapon, keeping Sonya’s hand closed and forcing the point away. Sonya screamed in both fury and terror, struggling with Olithia who still held her tight in her grasp. Sonya whipped around to the others, still caught by her mistress in the struggle.

‘Run!’ she screamed. ‘Run!’

They scattered.

‘Sonya!’ Flunkit hesitated, moving forwards towards her.

‘Go!’ she screamed at him, struggling with Olithia who refused to let go

‘Come on brother’ Blunkit urged him, grabbing his arm roughly and pulling him back. ‘We have to go!’

Upstairs, Tristan heard Sonya scream, heard the commotion downstairs. Throwing back the sheets he tore down the corridor towards where the sound had come from. When he reached the front door, he saw Olithia holding a knife and standing over Sonya, who lay curled up and terrified on the ground.

‘Olithia’ Tristan said rushing up to her. ‘Are you alright? Are you hurt?’

‘I’m fine’ she said pushing him gently away and smiling.

‘Why are you holding a knife?’

‘She attacked me’ Olithia said glancing down at Sonya casually as if nothing serious had happened.

Tristan rounded on Sonya with a snarl, pure rage filling his heart and soul.

‘You would harm my wife and child?’ he spat.

Sonya trembled beneath him in horror.

‘She helped the others escape’ Olithia told Tristan calmly. ‘They’re gone.’

Tristan tried to look for them, but they were already gone, escaped through several different windows and doors after they had scattered.

They were now lost in the night.

Tristan returned to the cellar. It stank, and the air was heavy.

Creeping down the stairs Tristan saw a single figure lying face down inside the cell. He reluctantly entered, turning the figure over with a foot, and saw to his surprise that the man was still alive.

‘The others have escaped’ Tristan told Barrel. ‘They left you.’

Barrel blinked in confusion back up at Tristan, trying to understand what had happened and what he was saying.

‘How are you still alive?’ Tristan asked Barrel, noticing the state of him, the malnourishment, the fact that he had for some strange reason been attacked and beaten by the others he had shared his cell with.

Barrel did not answer him.

‘You know where the others have escaped to, where they are heading from here’ Tristan said to him. ‘I will let you live if you tell me where they are.’

Tristan waited for an answer.

‘Will you help me?’

Barrel closed his mouth, swallowing hard. His dry throat felt sore as he did so.

‘Yes’ Barrel rasped. ‘I will.’

Days later

‘What happened to you?’ Shawn exclaimed at the sight of them. ‘You all look like death.’

‘Oh Shawn’ Farrell groaned. ‘It was horrible.’

The six of them once they had escaped, had spent several hours trying to replace each other. After that, the small group had travelled on foot back to the town where Arlen, Shawn and Annabel waited, along the way they had stolen from wherever they could to replace food. There wasn’t much, but it was enough to keep them going.

‘To think that I’ve been reduced to stealing just to stay alive’ Farrell moaned unhappily at one point, as they lingered on the edges of a small village.

‘Oh you’ll get over it’ Blunkit had said dismissively. ‘We all need to do what we must to survive, and we need it more than they do’ he said, indicating the peasants that cowered from them.

Even without weapons, even in a state of malnourishment, the mercenaries were intimidating, perhaps even more so in their state of hunger. They were driven now by primal instinct, the need to live, to survive; to eat.

Woodworm snarled at a nearby child, and the boy had instantly burst into tears, running away in the opposite direction from his mother whom he had been clinging to.

It was no surprise that when they did finally return, Arlen, Shawn and Annabel were all shocked at the sight of them.

‘We were captured’ Blunkit explained more specifically, speaking to Shawn. ‘For days we were trapped behind bars.’

‘How did you escape?’ Arlen asked them all in a level tone.

‘We had some help’ Carrot replied, speaking in his accent. ‘But…I’m afraid we lost Barrel.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Arlen asked them raising an eyebrow. ‘He’s right here’ he said indicating behind him.

The others looked past Arlen, their gaunt faces with mouths open in shock. Sitting atop a fine horse was Barrel. Beside him sat Tristan, mounted on his own white steed. Annabel nervously clung to Shawn at the sight of the prince, keeping her guard up.

‘Barrel?!’ Woodworm exclaimed. ‘You’re alive!’ But his joy at the sight of him was short lived. ’How could you lead him here?’ he said accusingly, pointing a finger at Tristan.

‘How could you leave me behind?’ Barrel replied calmly.

‘We’ve just arrived here’ Tristan told the others casually. ‘It took a while for Barrel to heal. When we eventually got going, our journey was pleasant. We took our time.’ He glanced at Barrel. ‘He was only too happy to help me replace you. I couldn’t be sure if you had moved onto another town.’

‘It’s true’ Barrel added. ‘I was only too happy to help.’

‘Traitor’ Woodworm snarled under his breath, glaring up at Barrel.

Barrel smirked down at him. Beside him Tristan gave a signal. Instantly soldiers, bearing the crest of the prince, a wolf running up a mountain, stepped out from the alleyways adjacent to the road they stood on. The soldiers grabbed them roughly, subduing them and forcing them to their knees.

‘Leave the girl’ Tristan called over the heads of his men. ‘And the other two’ he added, meaning Shawn and Arlen.

The three were quickly released; Annabel composed herself as Shawn rounded on Tristan.

‘What are you doing?!’

‘You’re going to kill us aren’t you?’ Farrell asked, glaring up at Tristan, hands behind his back as he was held by two soldiers. He leant away from the knife the soldier behind him held, wondering briefly what it must feel like running across his throat.

‘Kill that one first please’ Arlen said politely to Tristan as he pointed at Farrell.

‘Arlen stop!’ Shawn shot at him.

‘You came all this way just to kill us?’ Flute Stick asked incredulous. ‘Why waste your time?’

‘I’m going to replace Amaia’ Tristan explained. ‘I have to get rid of you before you cause me anymore hindrance. You’ll just get in the way and cause complications.’

‘That would not sit well with her’ Carrot called out loudly.

‘She will never know’ Tristan said. He spoke to Farrell now. ‘It will be like you never existed. She is my daughter after all.’

‘You’re wrong!’ Arlen snapped, unable to keep silent now. ’She is not your daughter.’

Shawn froze in terror, realising what was happening. Annabel curled her fists; she raised her head, shoulders hunched. Beside her Shawn quickly took her by the hand, eyes wide and shaking his head at her.

‘Don’t do it’ he whispered, and Annabel relaxed slightly, easing her mind away from her magic, though remaining alert.

’She is my daughter’ Arlen snarled fearlessly at the prince. ’I will replace her, and when I do, I will keep her safe. And away from you.’

Tristan stared coolly back at Arlen. He then spoke to one of his men.

‘Kill him.’

Arlen rounded on the soldier who whipped out a bow and arrow, quickly drawing it and ready to fire at Arlen in the chest at point-blank range.

‘No!’ Shawn screamed, grabbing the bow the soldier held and forcing it away from Arlen.

‘You would dare to interfere?’ Tristan asked Shawn in exasperation as he was thrown to the ground on his back, staring up at the soldier who had rearmed himself and was pointing the arrow at him now, the bow drawn and ready to fire.

A second later, vines shot up through the cracks in the paving at their feet at impossible speeds, shooting through the air and winding around the bow and arrow that threatened to kill Shawn.

‘Annabel no!’

The soldiers now rounded on Annabel, who stood there calmly controlling her magic. The bow and arrow the soldier held was forced downwards, harmless now and entangled in the vines. The archer cried out in alarm as the vines began to wind around him too. He fought against them, struggling to free himself from them as they began to swarm over him, pulling him to his knees and winding around his chest and neck.

Behind Annabel, one of the soldiers attacked, striking her hard across the back of the head. She fell forwards on her hands and knees, fighting to stay conscious.

Tristan laughed in disbelief at the situation. ‘Should I just kill all of you?’ he asked no one in particular as Shawn crawled over to Annabel, holding her head in his hands.

‘If you kill us you will never replace Amaia’ Arlen said evenly, the only one still standing now.

‘And why is that?’ Tristan asked.

Arlen lifted his heavy black painted eyes from the ground, blinking slowly as if he was merely bored and hadn’t just nearly been killed. ‘It will take all of us to replace her.’

‘I can replace her myself’ Tristan argued.

‘You’re doing a pretty good job of it so far.’

‘Barrel do something!’ Woodworm called out to him.

‘Why?’ Barrel sang back. ‘You all left me to die.’

‘I saved your life’ Woodworm said through gritted teeth. ‘Does that mean nothing to you?’

Barrel shrugged. ‘And then you left me to die. It cancels it out.’

‘So this is revenge?’ Woodworm snarled. ‘What do you think will happen to you after we are killed?’

‘I will let him go’ Tristan said to him.

‘You see’ Barrel nodded to the prince. ‘Everything will work out in the end…well…for me anyway.’

‘And you trust him?!’ Woodworm called. ‘How can you be so fucking stupid?!’

‘What do you mean?’ Barrel asked.

‘You know about Weather Makers. How can he let you live?’

‘Ah.’ Barrel said.

‘Barrel has no reason to cause me more grief’ Tristan explained simply. ‘I will let him live.’

‘Oh yeah’ Woodworm chuckled humourlessly. ‘You’ve been nothing but honest with us so far.’

‘He’s right’ Annabel added, sitting up and holding her aching head. ‘He’s a liar. A liar! He will kill us all!’

‘No!’ Woodworm roared in fury, fighting in vain against the hands that held him down. ’I can’t die! I can’t meet her again!’

‘Don’t struggle’ Tristan sighed wearily. ‘You’ll only make it worse for yourself.’

‘How could this get any worse?!’ Woodworm hollered back.

‘Well’ Blunkit said casually. ‘I’m glad to see at least you’re ok Barrel.’

‘You too’ Barrel laughed hysterically back. ‘I do feel sad that this is the last we’ll see of each other. I was just getting fond of you.’

‘You’re really going to kill us?’ Flunkit asked.

‘I’m getting tired of this’ Tristan spoke turning to one of the soldier. ‘Just hurry up and ki-’

‘Wait!’ Farrell shouted over the command.

‘Don’t bother. I planned to kill you before you escaped. But that wretched servant heard me say this. That’s why she let you go. If she hadn’t…you would all been dead by now, and I would have been saved the trouble of coming all the way out here and dealing with this nonsense.’

‘What?’ Flunkit spoke up. ‘You mean it was true what she said? She really saved our lives?’

‘Oh yes’ Tristan spoke in a drone.

‘What happened to her? Where is she?’ Flunkit asked desperately.

‘She’s dead.’

‘Dead?’

‘She attacked my wife’ Tristan explained.

‘I thought you didn’t care about your wife’ Blunkit asked in a level tone.

‘She is pregnant with my child.’

‘But I thought you said you didn’t care if we kidnapped her’ Blunkit went on.

‘I lied. Sort of. I care more for my unborn son or daughter than her.’

‘But what happened to Sonya?’ Flunkit asked Tristan loudly.

‘She’s been hung.’

The colour slowly drained out of Flunkit’s face.

‘Now are you going to die quietly and without fuss?’ Tristan asked them. ‘I really would like to get home and sleep in my own bed.’

‘Wait’ Farrell spoke again, quieter now. ‘I think we can help each other. We are both looking for Amaia. We stand a better chance of replaceing her if we work together.’

‘How do you work this out?’ Tristan asked.

‘Well…’ Farrell began, choosing his words carefully. ‘There was once a time when I was the most honoured soldier in the kingdom.’

‘That was a long time ago.’

‘Are you saying that means nothing?’

‘I’m saying’ Tristan continued patiently, ‘that was a long time ago. You are not as good as you could be.’

‘Those are fine words’ Farrell went on, ‘coming from one who is thirteenth in line to the throne.’ He fell silent, letting the information sink in. ’Neither of us are as good as we could be, but if we work together, we have a better chance of replaceing her than if we were alone.’ He waited a moment. ‘Don’t you agree?’

Tristan threw his head back then, laughing to the sky. ‘Those are very fine words’ he said. ‘You make a convincing argument.’

‘So you’ll let us go?’ Farrell asked hopefully.

Tristan let out a heavy sigh as his laughter ended. He thought for a moment before answering.

‘Alright’ he said. ‘You’ve convinced me. Let them go’ he said to his men.

‘Get off me’ Woodworm instantly snapped, jerking away from the soldiers that held him down and rising quickly to his feet, glaring at everyone.

Farrell straightened as he rose, breathing a sigh of relief. ‘So we work together then?’ he asked.

‘Yes’ Tristan gave a nod. ‘We work together.’

‘Then where do we start?’ Arlen grumbled.

Beside him Shawn helped Annabel to her feet; she wobbled a bit, holding her head tenderly where the soldier had hit her. But she seemed for the most part to be alright.

‘There is much you do not know’ Tristan told the group, ‘much that I must explain. I have to show you something.’

‘What is it?’ Farrell asked.

‘It’s a long way from here. You will need your horses. You must prepare to leave now.’

‘Where do we go?’ Arlen asked Tristan. ‘And why?’

‘To a small village north of here, you’ll see why.’

‘I’m not going’ Flunkit spoke up.

‘What?’ his brother asked turning to him. ‘But why?’

‘Sonya’ he said weakly. ‘I must replace her.’

‘She is dead’ Tristan told him heartlessly.

‘I don’t believe it’ Flunkit said glaring. There were tears in his eyes.

‘Go and replace her yourself if you don’t believe me.’

‘I will’ Flunkit snarled. ‘I will replace her, and keep her safe.’

‘Good luck’ Tristan frowned.

‘She can’t be dead’ Flunkit said. ‘She has to be alive.’

He turned from the others, walking away and mumbling to himself.

‘Wait’ Farrell said to Blunkit as he turned to leave also, following his brother. Blunkit hesitated. ‘That story you told me’ Farrell began, ‘about the boy you killed. It isn’t true is it? You are not as heartless as you say.’

Blunkit didn’t answer; he only stared back at him.

‘Goodbye’ he said finally. ‘We will not meet again.’

‘And so we lose two of our company’ Flute Stick sighed, watching the brothers depart.

Farrell looked about them at those that were left. There was himself, Arlen, Shawn and Annabel, the Weather Maker. The four mercenaries that were left, Barrel, Woodworm, Carrot and Flute Stick. And then there was Tristan the prince, and all his men.

Farrell thought then what a strange direction their journey had taken.

‘Let’s hurry up.’ Tristan spoke loudly to the others. ‘There’s no point in hanging around here anymore.’