Carmine

My eyes blurred. Arms fidgeted to the ever-leaving spirit of my stride in the night. The road to the capital was a dire one. We had one path, yet our luck ran out so quickly.

Valor and Five stopped their horses. I slowed my horse behind them. It was still rather dark, so I struggled to make out Valor's face.

I turned to Janilla. She smiled at me and I returned mine. It was not like I could do anything other than keep positive. I saw a light. It was from a candle Valor held.

Then Five said something that chilled me to the bones. "I sensed no lifeforms."

That was what he called anything that was like us. He could not only read people's thoughts, but he harbored the ability to detect any living thing within a large range.

It helped us avoid anyone up until now and we all knew those evil bastards were following us. When they would attack was another thing entirely.

Valor twirled his horse asking Five, "Funny for a body to be here. Let’s move on."

I was looking down the beaten path. Sparse rotten apples graced the cracked dirt.

Beyond those, I saw figures sprawled on the ground next to broken wood and splintered boards. Dead bodies, I cut my eyes away and said, "No, I want to see what happened here. Five go. Check for gold and any valuables”

“Yes Mother,” Five answered. He descended from his horse.

Valor said, “Five stop right there.”

Five paused on his way down. "Yes, brother."

Valor turned around. He gestured with his hands. “Problem Princess?”

The fire provided Valor’s scorn very clearly to my eyes. He and I exchanged displeasing stares. I said, "We need supplies. There might have some there."

Valor said, “Carmine, you have me. Let us move on. I do not feel good about this.”

I had you for now. What about when you were gone? "You will not be around forever."

Valor opened his mouth, but hesitated.

I said, "Five?" Five had gotten off his horse.

Valor said, "Five stop."

I said, "Five from now on, you will not heed the orders of Valor."

Valor stared in ire. "What are you doing? We don't have the time for this. We need to get to Tiam as quickly as possible."

"All the time you are spending arguing with me, we could have finished this task by now."

"Maybe we wouldn't be in such a rush if we weren't always stopping to eat and rest, and—"

"Wood berries, and plant bark cannot fill my gut, and honestly I am tired of it. I need a good meal. You should have bought more food at that hamlet."

He snorted, whipping his head in disgust. "I did."

"And we are rationing it?" I struggled to hold back the anguish in my voice.

"Because you brought friends! They are eating your share!" There were strong points of his finger at Five and Janilla to emphasize his point.

"A poor assassin, ain't this something."

Valor bellowed, “Listen to me, you spoiled despot. I am in charge!” He slapped his chest. “You eat what I give you and do as I say!”

This arrogant, self-loathing, disgusting, ugly, smelly little weasel mouthed hard rock-headed of a man. How dare he talked to me in such a manner!

I composed myself and with calm and pose spoke, “I'm sorry? You are not my father. You are a simple sell sword carrying someone of worth."

“I am trying to keep you safe. You forget that."

I snorted. “They're still following us, they been following us, they have not attacked yet. Even Janilla has not eaten a good meal, leaves and berries are not a good meal. We are not like Five and you.”

“I am fine really," Janilla cut in.

I kept going. “Listen, let's find a town. You need not famish us for the urgency of coin."

Valor replied, "No, we are not doing that lass.”

Something slammed into my head and I fell off my horse. Hitting the ground hard, leaves sprung into my face, and dirt squashed under my clothes.

"Carmine!" I heard Valor's voice overpowering my senses. I lifted myself as cries and grunts overpowered the area. The thuds were heavy on this gloomy night. A scream from Janilla penetrated the darkness.

I shifted uneasily as shouts echoed in the distance.

My horse got wild as it threw a man off, and its legs went up. It galloped on the spot, slapping me to the side with its hoofs.

"Carmine!"

I shifted to the resounding thud. The tree behind me held a sharp and long knife lodged into it. I twirled my head in shock.

Liquid was on my forehead, I touched my head and saw my reddened hand. Men dropped from the trees around us. Something passed me. An arrow was lodged into the tree next to me.

It was a trap and I needed to go.

Five drew back his horse, causing one assailant to fall off his horse. He tried to ward off the attackers on foot.

Two men were coming at me. My horse ran off. I chased it. The men followed close behind me. The tug on my robe pulled me wide. I ripped my shoulder free of their hold.

My feet sped up. I jumped, and grabbed the strap off the side of the horse. The horse sped forward and dragged me with it.

"Carmine!" Too many people called my name.

My head passed close to the ground when the strap slacked. I almost stumbled, then it turned. My body slammed back into the horse. I tightened my hand on the strap as much as my resolve.

Planting my right foot into the grove of the strap, I recoiled and grabbed the strap two-handed, and pulled myself behind the horse.

The horse kicked up which sent me airborne. Slamming into his back, I almost slipped off. Then I saw a blade and rolled to the other side avoiding it.

Someone tried to shout, "Get her you idoi—ahhhhhh!" Emphasis on tried, he was dead I think.

"Carmine get out of here!"

I know Valor. I'm working on it.

The horse spun again. My hands bit hard on the leather in my dismal attempt not to fall off. I kicked up my legs and tried to balance myself properly.

A man grabbed onto the front of the horse. The horse spun and tried to throw both of us off. I tried to move back, but he immediately grabbed my neck pushing me down on the tanned skin.

The man's glowing blue eyes burned a somber red that twisted as mercilessly as his grip. My breath was lacking, while my hands grabbed and slapped his arm to no avail.

There was no pain. His hand tightened and, yet no suffering.

I heard cracking. Air escaped me. I needed to get out. My arm reached for my spear, but I found something else, the gun. I lifted my body with all my might into the force of his clutch.

I pushed it into his side and pulled the trigger. He flinched.

My sight blurred. Was I dying?

Was someone calling me or was I dreaming?

I flung my arms out drawing myself back to lessen the damage, to lengthen my life for just a little longer. I was not dying out here, not here.

My foot stomped into his chest, ripping his hands free. I fell forward hitting the neck of the horse. My head throbbed with a resounding ache, but it was like joy in my life, brief. The gun was gone, but so was he. He was dragged off me into the ground.

Five was on his horse before me right now. He held the gun. The man immediately stood up and rushed the horse. Five somersaulted off. The horse ran and twirled backward instantly dragging the man off his feet.

Oh, Five had left the gun under the belt strap on the saddle of the horse. That was smart. Five spun and swung down cleaving into the downed assassin.

He then removed the arrowhead from the body.

I heard rustling noises. Five stepped pass me. He breathed in, waved his arms, and punched forward releasing a heavy gust of wind that rushed pass me.

Nearby yelps and screams shook me. Five jumped back onto the horse, and motioned at me. He rode off. I kicked into my horse and soon I was right behind him.

I looked back and saw the flare. "Wai—"

Five knew what I was about to ask and intercepted it. "Valor said, he will deal with it. We are getting you out of here Mother. Janilla has already ridden off. We need to find her."

I was about to speak, but I decided against it and focused on pushing forward. We galloped through the dark arms that held us prisoner.

The soft wind pushed around us as we charged through, while the snaps of branches echoed from our furious stride. I looked around and saw enemies.

Lower my eyes went, the skins of their steeds were not tanned skin. It was hairy and ferociously so. Their eyes were monstrously large and carried a deep yellow tint.

I would have thought them wolves, but I never knew wolves to be that large and have the strength to carry an adult man.

No, those were worse than any wolf. The two riders dressed in dark clothing came up behind us as I turned my head to some screaming.

It was Janilla. She was not doing so well. Her horse was not at her control, but was doing a good job turning and weaving around the trees.

One rider was chasing her.

Carmine see that hill?

This was Five's voice. I looked ahead. I saw a tall layer of shadow far ahead of me. I could not distinguish it much, but it looked like a hill or mountain of earth.

Go there, between the tall trees!

I swerved right. My horse dropped low as it went down a lower path than initially imagined. I heard the growling snarls behind me. The wolf jumped further forward than me and its jaw arched out with sharp teeth.

I almost shrunk forward, but I dragged the reins rolling my horse left. The wolf skirts wide. The crunch of pebbles hit each other in tandem. A loud crashing of leaves as I turned away.

I jumped through the trees. I heard a sharp whistle. The thud of an arrow, for that, must be Five.

Yelps and loud cries exclaimed. The horse rode up. I leaned forward to keep my balance. I turned, then saw one wolf running off without a rider.

The other wolf was rolling. His rider already on the ground cried out. The other looked lifeless prone on the ground.

Do not go back that way. The string will cut you. Five whispered in my head. He must have fired the arrow with that thread in the pit.

Oh, that thread was that sharp?

If you hit it with enough force. Come around, take Janilla.

I knocked my feet against the horse and shot down the incline into the forest.

Five raced towards Janilla. The dark rider inched closer, Five swerved to the side and grabbed Janilla off the horse.

The wolf swiftly jumped at Five's horse, but the horse cleverly sidestepped the wolf's wayward claws. It turned quickly giving chase.

Five turned again and came towards me.

What's the plan?

Five answered. Not sure, I can't fight with load.

Do you practice any jousting?

We Champions are made for every eventuality of war.

Throw her to me.

That is a risky idea.

Tell that to the wolf the size of my horse. Throw her and kill that fool!

Yes, Maiden Mother.

Five moved close. Janilla grabbed onto his vest for dear life. He was pushing her to the side and she noticed as she tried to push herself back onto him.

But he was stronger. She was propelled and with a heavy thud that almost pushed my horse off his straight run; she landed in my lap. I recoiled from her body being dropped into mine.

Janilla screamed. I grabbed her robe and dragged her dangling legs up onto the horse as we veered wide. She quieted down seeing it was me.

I sped off. The rider turned. Five crushed into them. Five jumped back onto the ground and jumped forward.

A yelp escaped as Five dragged the rider off the thrashing wolf. He sliced across his neck and threw him forward. Janilla blocked her eyes, which I already saw, unfortunately.

Five, find Valor.

We met up back with Valor. He was standing in the center of a sea of dead bodies. Valor's eyes drooped. His movements were slow and tense. I noticed the many bruises in the glare of the light.

I asked, “Are you okay?”

His authoritative words hit me though. “I did my job, Princess, we leave, now.”

Five came over. Janilla was behind him, but shaking as if standing in an imaginary blizzard. "Lady Carmine, your head," Janilla said.

My hand wiped across my forehead, blood filled my palm. No pain, I felt not an ounce of it.

Five came over and wiped away the blood with a rough brush of fabric. Janilla said, "No, no, no, don't use that. Hm, use this. Hold on." A much softer textile traveled along my bloodied skin.

My fingers rubbed the blood that once scared me. The once tender palm of mine crushed inward and I said, “Everything will be fine.”

Valor said, “No, it won't. She has no sector bloom.” He gestured with a motion of his head at Janilla. “They are tracking you.”

Janilla stepped back. Valor motioned at his smooth silver-sheened belt buckle with the embossed image of a bull. "That is mine." He said, “Five needs none, he can block it naturally. We should leave h—“

I said, “Absolutely not. You never gave me any sector bloom, back then so—”

Valor laughed out aloud. “The dagger. Too bad you lost it. I just don't… want to see you die."

My eyes shifted to Five, and he instantly understood saying, "There are other ways to track us. Plus Corona knows Valor wanted to bring you to Tiam."

Valor sighed. "I am talking about our exact location."

I nodded. “Valor, I understand, but we are not leaving her in the middle of nowhere for the sliver of a chance, and that is final.”

Valor said, "You are living on one coin."

"I know, and I will ride it until the day I die with Five, Janilla." I reached for him. "You included."

He stared at my hand and walked off. "We have to go," he said. My hand fell in slow despair.

“Valor!” I called, he had not stopped. I chanced a look at Janilla. She avoided my glare. I sighed, wondering if I was making the right choices.