The Lady and the Prince
Chapter 26

The next day was spent quietly. The Anglian army stayed camped, and so did Nick, Elizabeth, and Ralph. The only activity they could see was the arrival of Duke Winslow and the Glenriver contingent of the Anglian army. They made a brave showing as they marched into the Anglian camp under the duke’s green and blue banners.

Nick had been on watch and called the other two to the top of the hill when the banners came in sight. The three watched the arrival, and Ralph commented, “They’re exhausted. They must have been force-marching for days. I really hope the Francks don’t choose today to reconvene the war.”

“There are quite a lot of them,” Elizabeth said as the force continued marching in.

Nick responded, “Glenriver used to be an independent kingdom. They have a warrior tradition, and I doubt any man who could walk and swing a weapon stayed home.”

“And there are probably women over there as well,” Ralph added. “It wouldn’t be the first time Glenriver women took up arms and fought off invaders.”

Elizabeth asked, “So there’s no one left to defend Glenriver if needed?”

“Just women, children, and old folks,” Ralph said. “But if the Francks invade, they still wouldn’t have an easy time of it.”

“Well, assuming they don’t do anything before tomorrow, they won’t have an easy time of it right here either,” Nick said.

Ralph waved them both back toward the camp. “It’s nearly my watch, I’ll take over now. Nick, you still have some practicing to do, don’t you?”

Nick sighed, and he and Elizabeth walked back down to their camp together. He wandered off a little way and went back to improving his control of moving air around, while Elizabeth checked over her chain mail to make sure it was clean and all the links were still sound.

When the prince got tired and hungry, he came back to their camp. Elizabeth had finished her chore and poked up the fire a little. The day was cool, even in the afternoon. Nick snacked for a while and then got his magic book out and read. Elizabeth noticed he was playing with something in one hand at the same time and realized it was his signet ring.

“I was wondering where that went; I haven’t seen you wear it for quite a while. I thought you might have lost it or left it back with our baggage,” she commented.

“I had it in my saddlebag, but after that first skirmish, I realized something could happen to my horse, so I put it in my pocket. I worry about losing it though. I can’t wear it, it’s too recognizable, and I don’t want anything on my fingers when I’m using magic.”

“I could make a leather thong for you, and you could wear it around your neck like this.” Elizabeth pulled out the necklace he had given her from inside her shirt. Besides the delicate chain, she had woven a thin strip of leather through it to be doubly sure it would be safe.

“You brought that with you? I thought you would have left it with the rest of your jewelry.”

“The rest of it can be replaced, this can’t. It’s precious to you and to me too. Wherever I go, it goes.” She moved next to him with a strip of leather and measured how long a piece would be needed to hold his ring. Then she cut three long strings of the right length and braided them together, slipping it through his ring before she tied it off and handed it to him.

Nick put it on and concealed it under his shirt. “Thank you. That’s not going to come off, and even if the leather gets damaged, the ring would fall inside my shirt and I’d feel it.”

Elizabeth was still next to him and he reached over and gave her a hug and a kiss. “It’s too bad we can’t get married now,” he murmured between kisses and nuzzles. Elizabeth liked the way his lips roamed over her neck and up to her ear, and she returned the favor with whatever she could reach until their lips met once again. Her whole body was starting to respond until there was a loud “Ahem!” from above them.

Nick pulled back a little and grimaced. He said quietly, “I know Winkershime is only doing his job, but I wish he would go take a long walk or something.”

“I know what you mean, but we are on an open hillside in the middle of a war besides not being married. How long until you turn sixteen?”

“Less than two months. I can’t do an exact count of the days until our wedding because I’m supposed to get my knighthood first too. But not that long in any case.”

“Hopefully in two months we’ll have kicked the Francks back across the channel.”

“Don’t forget our northern traitors. I know what to do with invaders, but I don’t really want to fight other Anglians. Their leaders may be traitors, but most of the people with them will just be following their lords like they’re supposed to. I don’t know if I would feel right using my magic against them,” Nick said, frowning.

“I understand. I feel a little bad about the Franckish conscripts too. They didn’t ask for a war either, but having come across the water they know they’re invading Anglia. The Anglians following Denland and Ulle probably won’t have so clear of view of the matter. We’re just going to have to figure out what to do when the time comes, Nick.”

“Right, one problem at a time. Isn’t it time for dinner yet?”

“You just had a snack.” Elizabeth relented at the hungry look on his face. “I could start cooking, unless you want to? I should be taking over watch soon.”

Nick shook his head. He could cook if he had to, but he tended to get distracted by other thoughts and not notice when something started to burn until he smelled it.

Elizabeth went up the hill and fetched Ralph to cook. He was better than she was at campfire cooking, so she took up the watch while he whipped up dinner. Nick took two loaded bowls up to her when it was ready, and they ate together near the top of the hill. Ralph considered chiding them since neither was paying much attention to the Anglian camp, but then shrugged and let them be. It was only a few minutes, and it was already dark. The army wouldn’t be going anywhere until tomorrow at the earliest, although they would still keep watch on it through the night.

In the morning there was no doubt that the Anglian forces were going to move. They could hear the increased level of activity down in their camp in addition to the report of the person on watch, so Nick and Elizabeth packed up their camp too. Ralph took a horse and went to visit the Anglian army to see what he could find out.

By the time he returned, they were packed and ready to go. “The Francks are moving toward Londinum,” Ralph reported. “I couldn’t get much on the Anglian strategy, just a lot of conflicting rumors. The most likely was that Prince Arthur has sent units to defend the bridges over the Soltest River and plans to trap the Francks between his forces and the water.”

Nick shook his head and said, “Which might work if he sent enough troops to defend the bridges. If he didn’t, then the Francks will cross and hold them against his forces or even destroy the bridges behind them.”

Elizabeth added, “So it could backfire and end up giving the Francks the advantage.”

Ralph replied, “That’s true of almost anything in war. Will the Francks send Frais to take the largest bridge or use him to hold off the Anglian army? None of us knows, but a lot of the Anglian soldiers are hoping the Gray Witch shows up and helps out again.”

“The what?” Nick asked.

“That’s what they’re calling you, my boy. Let’s not disappoint them. By the way, the rumors are evenly divided between you being male and female; you do need a haircut.”

“Female? Some of them think I’m female? My hair’s not that long.” Nick wasn’t sure whether he should be pleased at the misdirection or angry at the mistake.

Elizabeth mollified him somewhat by saying, “You’re enveloped in a cloak, you have your hood up most of the time, and you’re my height. How could anyone be sure from a distance?”

“I’m tall enough,” Nick muttered, but then conversation ceased as they sped up. Ralph wanted to get to the river before either army. Armies didn’t move very fast, but an advance mounted party could arrive at the Soltest fairly quickly.

They reached the river north of where they expected the conflict to be. As they headed south, the first bridge they came to had been destroyed. The wooden span had been burned from the center, and nothing remained except a few large pilings on either bank.

They traveled south. As they neared it, they could see that the wide stone bridge on the main road stood undamaged. There were Anglians there, men with pikes and swords and archers on the far bank. They reined up to consider the situation.

“What do you think, Nick?” Elizabeth asked. “You could be on the far bank and defend the bridge from there.”

“But what if Frais doesn’t come? If I’m trapped across the river, he could decimate the Anglian army before I would have a chance at him. I don’t think this is a good idea.”

Ralph considered the bridge. “Maybe the bridge itself isn’t a good idea. If the Anglian army wins, then it doesn’t matter if it takes longer to return to Londinum, but if the Francks win, delaying them a few days might make a difference.”

Elizabeth protested, “It’s a beautiful old bridge. It would be a crime to destroy it.”

“Can you destroy it, Nick?” Ralph asked.

“If you move all the men off of it. They’d best go to the far bank. On foot, they might be trapped between the Francks and the water. If the Francks are pushed up against the river, the archers can take their toll, and the rest can take care of any enemy soldiers that make it across.”

“I’ll just have a little talk with whoever is in command,” Ralph said and rode off toward the bridge. Nick dismounted, handing the reins of his horse over to Elizabeth, and walked down to the shore. He stepped out on a small bar of land that stuck out a few feet into the water and waited.

They saw Ralph talk to the men on the bridge. One went back over the bridge to the far side and then returned behind a man on horseback. The mounted man and Ralph conversed and then argued. Finally there was agreement, and shouted orders. Ralph rode back toward them as the horseman walked his animal across the bridge chivvying the foot soldiers before him.

When the bridge was clear, Nick raised his hands and threw a ball of force that struck the nearest of the two supports out in the river. Stone exploded, but the thick support held. Nick threw another and another and it fell, a twenty foot section of the bridge falling with it. Nick repeated the process with the second support. Then he lowered his hands and just stood looking at his handiwork for a moment while waves washed out from the fallen stone and a haze of dust slowly settled into the water.

Nick climbed back to the horses and mounted. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth. It was a really nice bridge, but we have to stop the Francks.”

“It’s all right, Nick. I understand.”

Ralph said, “Let’s go see if there are any other bridges in the area, and then we can find Frais.”

They spurred their horses on south along the Soltest. After ten miles without another bridge, they turned back away from the river and rode for a few miles back near the main road and cross-country along it. It was easy enough to find a vantage point where they could see the road, but hopefully far enough back to be out of range of scouting parties.

They dismounted and ate while they watched, but it wasn’t long before the Francks’ advance guard came into view. A small company of horse led and behind marched a solid block of mercenaries. After that came the main army, the Franckish flag leading, followed by all the pennants of the commanders and nobility. The strawberry flag was near the center, and they could do nothing yet but wait for the pursuing Anglians.

It was an hour after the rearguard passed that the first Anglian scouts appeared. The three mounted and began paralleling the road. The army was moving at a fast march, and they had to hurry a little to keep up since they were riding in open country rather than on the road.

They were even with the main army when they saw the advance scouts return in a rush. The army stopped, there was a short conference, and then the drums began to beat. Units peeled off in different directions, and the army spread itself wide and began to move forward at a slow march, weapons drawn.

A contingent from Completon was on the far left of the army and nearest to them. Nick put up his hood when he saw them pointing at the three of them as they advanced toward the river. Someone yelled, “The Gray Witch!” and a couple of the soldiers waved at them. Nick waved back. At least the Anglian army wasn’t inclined to attack them and might actually try to protect them.

Nick, Elizabeth, and Ralph stayed a couple hundred yards away and moved forward at the same speed as the army. They went across fields and through wooded areas. They heard the clash when the center of the army reached the Francks, and Nick charged forward up a rise where he could see. The Completon Anglians passed by them, intent now on their own battle to come as they closed in on the Francks.

They could see a large part of the battle and Frais wasn’t far away. But he was once more surrounded by Franckish soldiers; however, this time none of the army commanders were anywhere near him. Nick dismounted, pointed his horse to the rear, and slapped its rump to get it moving. Elizabeth and Ralph followed his example, and they stood armed a few feet away to either side.

Nick didn’t wait for Frais to acknowledge him; he just sent a long line of fire at Frais’s protectors. The Franckish sorcerer was ready for it this time though, knocking down and grounding nearly all of the fire. Nick shot a lightning bolt while Frais was busy with the fire, but the Franck used a shield to deflect it past him.

Frais shouted orders, and the forty soldiers protecting him formed a wedge and began moving forward across the edge of the battle with him in the center. He began bombarding Nick with wave after wave of fire, and Nick just kept grounding it, but he realized that as long as he was just defending himself the Franckish soldiers kept getting closer nearly unhindered. A few Anglians had engaged some of the sorcerer’s guards, but they mostly just plowed on.

Nick put up every type of shield he could muster, both matter and energy, he hoped. Then he raised his hands to toss lightning and stopped himself just in time. If he really had an energy shield up, it might have reflected the lightning right back into him. He reformed it with a hole in the center. Frais was bombarding them with miscellaneous items from the battlefield that slid past to either side, harmlessly deflected by his matter shield.

Nick had an advantage being on a hill. He aimed low at the Franckish guards’ feet and began tossing balls of lightning. Frais had to stop them almost as they left Nick’s hands since his view was blocked by his own soldiers in front of him. He actually got a few, but Nick was taking down two or three guards with every bolt that got through.

Frais tossed his green smoke, and Nick tried to whip it back at him, but only succeeded in making it go straight up. With both of them applying opposing force, the smoke just dissipated. The Franck tried again, and Nick blew it off to the side off of the battlefield entirely.

But the guards were getting close, and there were still nearly twenty left. Ralph suddenly shouted very loudly, “Completon! To me! Completon!”

A few of the Anglian fighters turned and saw the thinned wedge of Francks and attacked those nearest to them. Elizabeth looked at Ralph, but he motioned her to stay. The Francks were at the bottom of the hill and coming up, but as long as the two of them didn’t engage, Nick had a clear shot at them.

Nick threw a much weaker bolt of lightning, letting it crackle into numerous arms that reached out for the armored guards. Two went down smoking, one staggered and fell, and two more sat down, dazed. He had time to do it once more, and then they were too close. Ralph and Elizabeth closed in on the remaining half dozen.

There was nothing between Frais and Nick. The prince readied himself, but Frais called out, “You’re just a boy. You know the Anglians will burn you? They don’t care if you’ve fought for them, they’ll kill you anyway. Surrender to me now and come to Franck. You’ll be treated well there, given everything you want. This is your only chance!”

Nick pulled in all the energy he could and threw it at Frais, who grounded most of it and just staggered back a few steps from the rest. Then the Franck returned the blow, and Nick felt his shields ring and collapse into him, hitting him hard and knocking him down. He scrambled up and tossed his concentrated fire with one finger and with his other hand used his trip line to knock the feet out from under the three guards overwhelming Elizabeth.

Frais grounded the fire, but Nick could see smoke and caught a whiff of something burned that told him some of it had gotten through. But Ralph was down, and the two remaining guards on his side were about to kill him. Nick ignored his sorcerous opponent and burned them to a crisp.

Frais took the opening to toss a massive amount of force again. Prince Nick only stopped a part of it, and the rest tossed him back fifteen feet. He landed hard and lay still. The Franck advanced in triumph, raising his hands.

Elizabeth didn’t know any magic, and she knew she couldn’t get close to the Franckish sorcerer, but she had a big heavy shield and she put herself between Frais and Nick and sheltered behind it. He threw fire. The heat was intense, and she could feel her left arm starting to blister where it was close to the metal. And then the fire stopped, and she dropped the glowing shield in time to see Ralph charging the Franck.

It was hopeless, no more than a momentary distraction. Frais just blew him aside like a child’s toy. But behind her Nick was up again and Elizabeth moved aside. The prince threw up a cloud of dirt at Frais. His shield deflected it, but it left him momentarily blind. Nick was tiring and knew he couldn’t penetrate his opponent’s shields, at least, not from the front, and there wasn’t much he could do from the back except…

Nick formed his trip line, slithered it around in back of the Franckish sorcerer and brought it forward hard and low. The ends of the trip line hit shield and stopped, but Nick awkwardly pushed the middle forward and hit Frais behind the knees hard enough to dump him on his back, swearing loudly.

The prince moved forward, and so did Elizabeth off to the side. As long as she wasn’t actually trying to attack him, Frais was ignoring her. The Franck got to his feet, and Nick tossed his strongest bolt of lightning, not at Frais but into the ground just in front of where he judged the sorcerer’s shield to be. The bolt plunged into the ground and blew up the earth inside of the shield, spattering Frais and knocking him down again. Nick had wondered if his shield extended into the ground, and now he knew it didn’t, at least not very far.

Frais was getting angry. He dropped his shields and used all his power in one concentrated blinding white bolt of energy. Nick could only quickly pull in enough magic to stop a portion of it. The rest caught him squarely.

Elizabeth had waited for that moment. Frais was unprotected by guards and by his own magic, and all his attention was on Nick. Elizabeth leapt at the Franck from the side, swinging her sword. Frais saw her out of the corner of his eye and raised his hand to attack her, but he was a heartbeat too late; she cut off his hand.

The sorcerer screamed and staggered back, clutching the stump of his wrist that spurted blood all over. Elizabeth stepped forward and with another swing of her sword cut through his neck, nearly severing his head from his body. Blood pumped out in a long arc, and Frais fell, dead.

Elizabeth stood over him for a moment, drenched in his blood. Then she heard footsteps and looked up to see Anglian troops running up to her, cheering, clapping her on the shoulder and pounding her back. They were shouting, “You did it! You killed the sorcerer! You’re a hero!” and a jumble of congratulations.

She didn’t care. She wanted to go to Nick, she wanted to find Ralph, but they gave her no chance. They began to hustle her away, and Elizabeth struggled a little, but they outnumbered her and she had no choice unless she wanted to use her bloody sword on them. She looked back and saw some of them pick up Nick wrapped in his gray cloak. He was completely limp, and she couldn’t tell if he was dead or alive.

They took her across the now quiet battlefield to where the Warwick banner stood. The battle was over, and there were only Anglians standing among kneeling Francks and the dead and wounded. Arthur was there surrounded by a few of his generals and some of the nobility. Several had minor injuries, but Arthur seemed to be completely unharmed. Connidian was there too, and Elizabeth ducked her head. She doubted Arthur or the men she had only met socially would recognize her dressed as a fighter and covered in blood, but Connidian might.

The group that had her took her directly to Arthur and announced that here was the hero who had bravely fought and killed the Franckish sorcerer and that they had the Gray Witch as well.

Arthur looked at her tiredly and said, “What is your name, brave fellow?”

Elizabeth made her voice as low as she could and said, “Elias, Your Highness.”

“Well, Elias, Anglia and the Warwicks owe you a great debt.” Arthur paused, and Connidian started whispering to him. Arthur frowned a little and then said, “It is only right that your reward come from the king himself.” He turned aside and asked, “Is that the witch?”

Two men brought Nick forward and laid him at Arthur’s feet. Nick was still limp, and Elizabeth could see his face was badly bruised down one side from forehead to chin and that his lip was split; he looked like someone had beaten him. Arthur stared and then knelt down. “This isn’t possible. This is no witch, this is Prince Nicholas.”

Elizabeth wanted to ask if Nick was alive, but she knew it would be out of character for Elias. Looking closely, she could see that he was indeed breathing though unconscious.

One of the men crowded around said, “Your Highness, he is the witch. We all saw him with fire and lightning coming out of his hands. He fought the Francks and the sorcerer bravely, but not with any mortal weapons.” There was a murmur of agreement. Elizabeth realized with a sinking heart that too many people had seen Nick, and there was no way to deny it.

Arthur stood up. It was apparent to her that he had no idea what to do. If Nick was a witch, he was supposed to be burned, it was the law. But the Gray Witch at his feet was his little brother and a prince and had fought for Anglia.

Connidian whispered to him again, and Elizabeth waited tensely. The weapons master liked Nick, didn’t he? Or was he more afraid of magic?

With relief, Arthur said, “This is above me. I cannot judge someone of my own rank; this must go to the king as well. Bind him with iron, but remember he is a prince of Anglia and treat him with the respect and kindness that anyone who has fought bravely this day deserves.”

Hands picked up Nick and went off with him. Connidian took Elizabeth’s elbow and walked in the opposite direction with her. When they were alone, he said quietly, “Lady Elizabeth Stratton, what are you doing here dressed like that?”

“Defending Anglia and killing a Franckish sorcerer.”

Connidian released her arm and said dryly, “So I see. I don’t know where you’ve been hiding up to now, but I suggest you go back there immediately. An army camp isn’t a safe place for you, and skill with a sword won’t help you a bit if you’re found out.”

“But Nick—”

“Is out of your hands now. If you are identified, you will be accused of assisting a witch. That could get you executed as well if the king decides to follow the letter of the law.”

“I need to find Ralph Winkershime.”

“The valet? Then find him and disappear. Oh, and make sure you get all the blood off of that sword and out of your chainmail,” he instructed.

Connidian picked up a torn cloak from the dirt and handed it to her. She found a relatively clean spot and wiped off her face and her sword and sheathed it as he walked away. Then she trudged back across the battlefield to find Ralph.

She had thought she had seen where he had been thrown, but no matter how hard she searched, she couldn’t find him. Teams were going across the area picking up wounded Anglians and taking them to the physicians, while others were digging a trench for the dead.

Elizabeth went to the pile of dead soldiers being lowered into the trench, but she couldn’t see Ralph anywhere; some bodies had already been covered with dirt. She went to the tent where the wounded were being tended and walked up and down the aisles of pallets. Others were doing the same, looking for friends or relatives, and a few were sitting on the ground next to a wounded man. But as carefully as she looked, she couldn’t find Ralph. She was on her own.

She was exhausted and thirsty, and her burned arm was starting to sting. She went back to the hill where she had fought and walked down the far side looking for their horses. She found four of the six, including the three they had been riding. She walked the animals a short distance away into a wooded area and made camp by a creek.

Elizabeth took care of the horses first, watering them and taking off their tack and hobbling them. She drank long at the creek with the animals, gathered firewood, ate a little, and then went back down to the water. She stripped to the skin and went in. The water was cold, but she didn’t care, all she wanted was to get the blood off of herself, to be clean, and then rest. She dressed in clothes that were at least cleaner and not bloodstained and then washed and cleaned everything she had been wearing.

Burn treatments weren’t hard to find. She gathered some leaves and made a poultice for her arm, started a small fire to keep her warm, and finally was able to lie down to sleep. But as tired as she was, it was just too quiet without Nick and Ralph. Her mind kept trying to come up with some way to rescue Nick, somewhere that she had forgotten to look for Ralph. It took a long time, but she finally fell asleep.

She woke in the dark. There had been a sound…and there it was again—someone was moving quietly toward her through the leaves. She put her hand on her dagger without having to look for it; she’d learned Connidian’s lessons well.

The footsteps approached the remains of the fire, and just as she was about to leap up and attack, someone said, “Elizabeth?”

She recognized the voice and did leap up, not to attack but to hug Ralph. He said, “Ouch!” when she pulled him to her, and she backed off. He held up a bandaged wrist and said, “Just badly sprained, not broken, thank goodness. Are you all right?”

As they sat down, Elizabeth poking up the fire and adding wood, she could see that Ralph looked a bit battered too, and his helmet was dented. She replied, “Yes, I’m fine. Where were you? I looked everywhere.”

“I woke up in the tent with the wounded. I don’t really remember how I got there. I think I hit my head when I landed. I pulled a bit of rank, sort of, and got my wrist wrapped and then went out to find out what happened. The Francks were soundly defeated, and when they tried to retreat past the river, the remainder of their army got chewed up by the archers on the far bank. So most have been captured or killed, although I’m sure it will be weeks before the last of them either return to Franck or are rounded up.”

“Nick was captured and identified as the Gray Witch.”

“I know, but we don’t need to worry about him for now.”

“Ralph, they know he used magic. He was seen. They’ll take him to the king to be sentenced to death. We have to rescue him!”

“No, we don’t. The boy is bruised from head to foot, but nothing is broken. They have him in a covered wagon on a fat feather bed with plenty of pillows and blankets. He has a lantern and a couple of books some noble produced and a soldier to fetch him food and empty the chamber pot. He needs to rest, and he’s in the best place he can be right now.”

“But they have him in chains.”

“Yes, but they’re padded, so he’s in a little discomfort from them, but not in pain. There are a dozen guards around him. He’s very safe.”

“Until they get him to Londinum.”

“Elizabeth, I spoke to him. He doesn’t particularly want to be rescued. If he flees he’ll be a fugitive for the rest of his life, and there’s still Ulle, Denland, and Montexter to deal with. He wants to face his father and attempt to get him to change or moderate the laws against witchcraft.”

“But he’ll be risking his life. Do you think there’s any chance King William will listen?”

“Honestly, no. If Nick wasn’t his son he might, but as it is, any leniency would be seen as self-serving. But Nick wants to try, and if he fails then you and I will rescue him somehow.”

Elizabeth looked at Ralph doubtfully. “The palace dungeons are very secure.”

“I know a trick or two, but we need to talk about what you and I are going to do. Tomorrow young hero Elias will join the train going back to Londinum. They’ll be taking the most high-ranking Franckish prisoners and Nick to see the king, and you should go along and keep an eye out to make sure they keep treating our boy right. Besides, Elias would certainly want to go get his reward.”

“And what will you do?”

“Go to Londinum as fast as I can. There should be birds coming in from the north if our traitors start moving. According to Denland’s plan, they should be coming soon, if they’re not already marching.”

Elizabeth said wearily, “It’s almost dawn. I don’t suppose there’s any point of going back to bed.”

“Probably not since I expect the prisoner train to be moving out early and you should be there. Don’t worry though, there will be a twenty-mile detour to an undamaged bridge, so it will take four or five days to arrive. You’ll have plenty of time to catch up on your sleep. Just camp off by yourself, and when you get to the palace, Elias can disappear and become Elizabeth again.”

“Will I be able to see Nick?”

“If he wants to see you, and I’m sure he will. Just remember, Elias is not going to want to hold his hand or kiss him, and the guards will be able to hear pretty much everything you say.”

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Ralph stood up and stretched. “I’m glad you found the horses. I’ll repack the food into two bundles for us. Come see me when you get to Londinum. I’ll be back to being Prince Nicholas’s valet.”

Ralph saddled up the fastest-looking of the four horses and redistributed what was in Nick’s saddlebags. He rode off in the predawn light, and Elizabeth followed shortly with the rest of the horses and supplies.

When Elizabeth reached the army camp, the train was still forming. There were a half dozen Francks loaded in one supply wagon and another two dozen walking behind the wagon with their wrists bound in front of them. It was obvious which wagon was Nick’s, as it was the only enclosed one, having canvas stretched over a frame around the bed.

She turned in one of the horses as an extra she had found; one pack horse was plenty since she was wearing her armor. She settled herself into line behind the guards around Nick’s wagon, but had no time to try to see him before the soldiers and wagons started out.

The guards around Nick’s wagon were the Completon men who had fought next to them on the battlefield. They joked and laughed as they rode and included her in some of their rough banter. Elizabeth heard some stories and words that made her blush, but the men assumed she was a young lad lacking in experience and just kidded her about her reactions. She said as little as possible while still being friendly.

Nick obviously could hear what was being said too and occasionally called out a comment, some of which were more ribald than she expected. But just hearing his voice and knowing he was well enough to join in made her feel warm inside.

They stopped for lunch and to allow the walking Francks a short rest. Elizabeth asked the guards if she could see the prince. They seemed surprised, but when one of them took in a meal for their prisoner, she could hear their voices. When the guard returned, he lashed up the canvas across the back of the wagon and made her give up her weapons and then allowed her in.

Ralph had been right—Nick looked very comfortable. His eyes went wide, and he stopped eating his lunch when he recognized her. “Eliza…Elias! I didn’t know you were here. How long have you been…that is, have you been close enough to hear what I’ve been saying?”

He turned a little pink beneath the purple marks on his face when she said softly, “Yes, I’ve heard every word. It’s been quite an education, Your Highness.”

“You’re the one who killed Frais?” Nick asked, changing the subject.

“Yes, and I’m to get a reward from the king. I’ve been thinking about what to ask for if he gives me a choice. Do you have any suggestions, Your Highness?”

“Uh, no, not really, but I’ll think about it. Maybe…” Nick rattled his chain attached to his wrist. It didn’t make much noise since the manacles and chain were wrapped up in what looked like bandages. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen though, but you can probably ask for something else.”

Elizabeth smiled, but she felt bad for him. Not only was he badly bruised, but he really thought his father would change the law for him. She hoped he was right, but she believed Ralph had a clearer view of the situation.

“I’ll think about it too, Your Highness. Your valet has gone ahead. He wanted to see to some birds or something.”

“Winkershime is really all right?”

“Yes. Frais knocked him around a bit, but he’ll be fine.”

Nick looked relieved and ate some more. He noticed she wasn’t eating and asked, “Have you already eaten?”

“No, it was more important that I see you.”

Nick bellowed, “Joe, get Elias some lunch!” In a short while, the guard that had brought Nick’s food reappeared with another bowl for Elizabeth. She said, “Well, that’s handy,” and they ate together. Nick might be going to his execution, but at least he was traveling in comfort and well-fed.

When they had finished, they could hear the guards giving a five-minute warning. Elizabeth wanted to give Nick a kiss before she left, but there were too many people in sight out of the back of the wagon, so she took his hand instead. There was a raw scrape across the back, so she squeezed it very gently before she left.

Elizabeth reclaimed her weapons and mounted. All afternoon, she rode happily; Nick was alive and not badly hurt, and they were sort of together. At a word from the prince to keep their comments clean in front of young Elias, the louder guard comments had become nothing worse than she might hear in the palace stable. There were quieter comments she couldn’t hear, and Nick became mostly silent from inside the wagon. Reading or sleeping most likely, she thought.

She shared dinner with him as well, and they spoke of inconsequential things. Afterward she made her own fire a ways off, politely refusing the Completon men’s invitation to join one of theirs. Nick just said that poor Elias had grown up in a house full of sisters and was a bit shy, so better to just leave him be and the guards did.

The only tricky part of camping with the train as the lone woman was using the latrine. Elizabeth interrupted her sleep to be alone when she did, so she didn’t really get as much rest as Ralph had said she would. During the day, she could just go off the trail and do what she needed to behind a screen of trees and bushes, or better yet on the other side of a hill and then catch up with the slow-moving wagons and guards.

The rest of the days followed the same pattern. The Francks were closely watched at all times and had no chance to even try to escape, so on the fifth day the entire column rumbled into Londinum and then on to the palace.

Elizabeth took the personal things she still had and left the horses and whatever else remained to the stable boys, who were taking care of the rest of the train. Elias had no business entering the palace until he was summoned, so she sauntered back into the stalls with her saddlebags and picked up an empty feed sack along the way.

After a few minutes in an empty stall, Elizabeth emerged. She was rather dirty and dressed in very mannish clothes, but it was definitely Lady Elizabeth. She carried her saddlebags and the large bulky feed sack containing her armor and weapons and entered the palace unchallenged.

She got a few looks as she walked through the halls, some appalled at her appearance and others just curious. But she made it to her own suite, dumped her bags on the floor, and headed for the bath. Sylvie came out of her bedroom after hanging some new dresses, and the two women greeted each other with enthusiastic hugs.

“My lady, you’re back! I heard the war is all won. Is Prince Nicholas back too?”

“Yes, sort of,” Elizabeth said. She didn’t want to explain right now. She wanted a warm bath with soap and truly clean clothes. Sylvie helped her with that, chattering away about her own adventure with the beds and runes.

Once Elizabeth was clean and dressed with her hair done properly, she went to Nick’s suite to see Winkershime. She knocked, and Ralph answered, smiling.

“What are you so happy about? Have Ulle, Denland, and Montexter all fallen in their baths and drowned?”

“No, they’ve gathered their forces and begun moving. I’m pleased because the king directed that Nick’s chains be removed—not the manacles, just the chains—and he’s put him under house arrest here in his own rooms. He’s dressing now, if you’d like to wait.”

Elizabeth waited, although impatiently pacing rather than sitting down. In a few minutes Nick came out into the sitting room and broke into a huge smile when he saw her. They literally ran into each other’s arms, and Winkershime made himself scarce.

They kissed fervently, but then Nick disengaged a little. “I have bruises on my back too, so be gentle with me, brave warrior.”

Elizabeth grinned and took him in her arms much more carefully. His split lip had healed, and the side of his face was more a yellowish green than purple now. Her next kiss was a little off center on the undamaged side of his mouth but still quite enjoyable. Then she took him into his bedroom and closed the door.

He looked at her, confused. She just started unbuttoning his vest and shirt. Nick backed away and said, “Hey, aren’t you jumping ahead? We’re not married yet, and we’re not even supposed to be alone together.”

“I don’t care anymore. I swore to myself when you got knocked out by that green fog that if I ever had the chance again to be with you, I wasn’t going to waste it.” She finished his shirt and reached for his pants, but he stopped her.

“No. If you get pregnant and we’re not able to get married, it would ruin your life. Whatever this is, it stops at the waist.”

Elizabeth wanted more than that, but she gave in. Nick was being sensible, and she didn’t want to be, but she realized he was right. She pushed him down on the bed and unbuttoned her own blouse, and they spent the next hour together exploring each other.

Then there came a knock at the door, and Winkershime called, “Your Highness, a page from the king is here to see you.”

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