Traveler (31 page)

                Troubled green eyes searched his face as she trembled against her brother, unable to reconcile what she had heard and seen with the man she had believed her father was.  “How could he do something like that? I thought he was...a good man, Darius.” She whispered faintly, her grip on his hand tightening a bit.  “We have to do something...we can’t let something so horrible happen...”

                Darius stroked her forehead softly, his own eyes looking down at hers reassuringly.  “I’m sure that there has to be an explanation, Arielle,” he murmured.  “What do you want me to do, pet?  You name it, and it’s done...as always.”  Darius smiled softly at her.  “We will make it right, Arielle.”  He frowned, glancing behind her.  “Someone else is here.”  He watched Rahim run over to the cell where Bri was.  “Now who could this be...?”

                She couldn’t think of what the explanation for such a thing could possibly be that would keep her faith in her father going strong.  But if her beloved brother wished to give him the benefit of the doubt, she would attempt to follow his lead.  Still she found her gaze drawn back to the cell, a startled look crossing her face as she silently observed the reunion between the prisoner and two men she did not recognize.  

                Arielle bit back a gasp just as one of the men disappeared right in front of her eyes, the girl held securely in his arms.  The other man...the one who had run to the cell first, he was running off into the shadows.  She thought for a moment before looking up at her brother.  “...we should follow that man.  Find out his story...perhaps that will give you your explanation, brother.”

                A deep frown settled on Darius’s features.  “I don’t know if that’s wise, Arielle.  We don’t know anything about this man.  For all we know, it could be a trap.  Following him could put us right into the middle of something bad.”  Darius’s eyes followed the man as he ran off into the shadows.  “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

                “But-” She started to protest when she was interrupted by loud shouts echoing through the dungeons.  “The prince has escaped! Lord Silvertongue wants him caught before he reaches the isolation cells! Leave no stone unturned!”  Arielle lifted wide eyes to her brother’s face, whispering fiercely.  “Darius...we have to help somehow...”

                He ran a hand through his hair, duty and his stubbornness warring together on his face.  “But we have to-Gods, Ari...” he looked frustrated.  “Fine.  This...prince, whoever he is.....we’ll find him.  And we’ll help him.”  He pulled Ari’s hand and dragged her along with him.  “We’ll cut him off at the kitchens.  Come on.”

                A soft gasp escaped her as she found herself being drawn right along with her brother, her slippered feet barely making a sound on the worn stones as she hurried as fast as she could to keep up with his longer strides.  Green eyes darted around, seeking out any possible hints of where this wayward prince had run.  Her free hand lifted to adjust her hood, keeping her face and her blonde hair hidden from sight.

                Well worn boots made no noise on the stone of the castle.  Darius had grown up running these halls, and he knew them like the back of his hand.  He knew where the stairs the prince had fled up led, and he was taking Arielle there.  They came up into a root cellar, shoots from carrots and potatoes hanging down from the ceiling, along with bunches of herbs.  A small smile crossed his face as he pulled Ari into a corner.  “We wait here for him,” he murmured.  “He’ll be by in a few moments, by my best guess.”

                Never having been here before this day, Arielle relied on her brother to lead the way, too disturbed by everything she had seen to really pay much attention to her surroundings. She gasped softly in surprise when she was drawn into the shadow-filled corner, wide green eyes lifting to his face.  “How do you know this place so well?” She asked curiously, her voice no louder than a whisper.

                Arielle looked so cute when she was lost, and Darius couldn’t help making fun of her a little.  “I used to play here when I was little,” he murmured.  “So I know these halls really well.”  He stroked her cheek softly.  “Now shh...I think I hear footsteps.”

                Unconsciously she leaned into his touch, a hand briefly gripping his forearm.  Perhaps one day she would get the chance to truly explore this place without the fear of being caught.  But for now, she would have to be happy that Darius was indulging her for the moment.  She only hoped that this mysterious prince would come this way soon.

                Rahim took the stairs a few at a time, trying to move as quickly as his feet allowed without getting caught.  He had really landed in the viper’s nest this time, it seemed.  Now he needed to figure out how to get out of it.  At the top of this set of stairs was a root cellar; his eyes narrowed.  This may be a good place to hide.  On this train of thought, Rahim continued just a little further, peering into the shadows to ensure it wasn’t a trap.  

                Darius watched this mysterious prince’s every move.  He looked suspicious, like someone who had his life on the line quite more often than he should.  He moved away from his sister, not wanting her to get injured when he grabbed the fugitive.  He gave her a reassuring smile as he disentangled herself from her, placing a finger to his lips to indicate she needed to be as quiet as a fieldmouse.

                Arielle nodded slowly, giving her brother a faint smile.  She pressed further back in the corner, the dark heavy folds of her cloak hiding her quite well.  Her eyes remained upon her brother, just watching silently.

                Darius reached around and, with a swift move of his arms, grabbed the prince from behind, pulling him back against his chest, his voice soft and urgent.  “Stay silent, if you value your life,” he hissed.  “We are here to help you, not to hurt you.”  

                Rahim struggled for a moment, his dark eyes blazing and then just as suddenly he stopped his struggles.  He glanced back at the other man, staying silent for the moment.  Darius froze, too, hearing footsteps running above and then beyond them, delving into other parts of the castle.  With a satisfied smile on his face, Darius stepped out of the shadows, his prize in tow, moving towards Arielle.  “There, Ari...I told you I’d save him,” he whispered.  

                Rahim watched him like he was mad.  “You said you could get me out of here...how can you do that?” he demanded.  

                “Easy,” Darius grinned.  “You just have to be smarter than the castle.  Ari and I...we have a special ability to sneak about, don’t we, Ari?”

                The slender girl stepped forward from the shadows, a bright smile curving her lips.  She happily approached her brother and leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek lightly.  “Thank you, Darius.”  Then she glanced over towards Rahim, her green eyes sweeping over him curiously.  “We certainly can and will help you.  But if you don’t mind me asking, why are they pursuing you so fiercely?”

                Darius smiled at his sister indulgently, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Anything for you, Ari,” he murmured before watching the other man as well, just as curious.  “I’d be interested to find that out as well...”

                Rahim ran a hand through his messy black hair, a soft sigh escaping him.  “It’s much too much of a story to tell right now,” he murmured.  “Can I tell it when we escape?  Please?  I need to find the girl that was taken as quickly as possible.”

                “The man you were talking to...he disappeared with her.  I wonder how he did that.” She murmured softly, a curious look briefly crossing her face.

                Darius shook his head.  “We don’t have time to reminisce, Ari,” he said gently.  “Let’s get him out of here, hmm?”  Darius pulled Rahim along with him, gesturing for him to follow.  He would use the sewer exit to get out, and bring Ari with them to keep an eye on their rear.  

                The underbelly of the castle was a dangerous thing, secret passages for servants and their masters both to use.  Darius knew these well, having snuck through them to see many a woman, many a night.  It had been his pride, and his shame, to sneak through them so easily.  Now, though, it was to save a life.  His steps took him hurriedly towards the sewer exit.  No surprises so far.  

                Her slippered feet made no sound as she hurried behind her brother and the mysterious man they were helping.  She silently wondered just how her brother knew so much about these parts of the castle.  It was something she would have to ask when they were away from here.  As they passed a doorway, she paused for a moment, her green eyes sweeping over it critically.  Arielle shook her head at her own paranoia and took a step forward, only for hands to come out of the shadows and grab her.  Her eyes widened fearfully as the hand on her mouth muffled the cry that escaped her, the other hand pulling her back into the shadows.

                Darius heard his sister’s cry and swore softly.  
Shit.
 He moved around the mysterious man they were helping, diving into the shadows.  His sister had been grabbed by one of the guards, incompetent bastard that he was.  With a bloodthirsty smile on his face, Darius stalked closer.  “Let go of my sister, cur,” he growled.  The answer was a tightening of the grip the man had on Ari’s mouth.  Darius growled low in his throat and then moved, as if the wind were at his heels, not waiting for a reply before he had darted in and snapped the other man’s neck, the foolish man who had thought to follow them.  He spit on the man’s corpse and then turned to his sister, worriedly placing his hands on either side of her face.  “Are you all right, Ari?” he asked softly.

                Pale and shaking visibly, the girl stared at the dead guard for a moment before she finally tore her gaze away to look up at her brother.  “I...I...no...Darius...I want to leave here...please...”  She didn’t say any more or care to elaborate, just wanting to get away from the body on the floor.

                Darius nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, ignoring the surprised and impressed glance Rahim sent his way.  “Let’s go, prince,” he grumbled.  Daylight was visible.  He kicked out the loose stones, the ones that blocked their way, and gestured Rahim forward.  “There you are, traveler...your freedom.  The body we left behind they will think was just you...so there are no worries there.  I wish you’d tell us who you were, now, so we could help you find your woman.”  

                Rahim looked at the sunlight like a man starved.  Now, he just needed Brileia.  “My name is Dragon,” he murmured.  “But most people call me Captain.  I am, was, the captain of a pirate ship, the
Maiden’s Voyage
.  But, I am much more than that.  An enemy of the state, you might say...but more detail I can’t give you, for the sake of your lives.  That woman...she was my wife.”  Better to be out with it now.  “And I don’t know where he took her...only that she’s safe.”

                Delicate fingers curled tightly in the fabric of Darius’ shirt as Arielle remained silent at his side, trembling still from her experience.  She frowned slightly, her curiosity dampened for the moment.  It was sad and disheartening that their father would be part of something like taking a man’s wife from him.

                Darius nodded.  “I see....well.  If you don’t mind traveling with us for a time...we can get you to a safe place, and maybe hear some information about your wife then.  We don’t have any magic per se between the two of us, so unfortunately we will be of little help.  But if you’d like answers...I think we’re the people to help you.  What say you?”

                Really, what choice did Rahim have?  He needed to find Brileia.  “I will go with you,” he said somberly.  “If only to get her back.  And who are you...my new found travel companions?”

                “My name is Darius, and this is my companion, Arielle.  We are mischief makers, you see.  Common folk, but lovers of a good thrill.”  He glanced at his sister significantly.  “Do you think he could travel with us, Ari?  Would it be safe?”

                She gave Rahim a searching look before nodding in agreement.  “I think so, Darius.  He would never expect it...” She murmured softly, still leaning against his side.

                Darius nodded.  “Then that settles it, traveler.  You’ll come with us...and we’ll find your bride.”

***’

                “Rahim!” With a startled cry of her beloved’s name, Brileia came awake, dark curls flying wildly as she sat straight up. Cerulean eyes darted around wildly, searching for the man she had claimed as her husband.  Her hand landed up the clean sheets of the bed she had been laid upon, the long sleeve of the worn shirt sliding down to cover her hand.  She bit her bottom lip nervously, uncertain of where she was or if she had simply been dreaming.

                Her eyes landed upon a wooden chair, a dress of dark blue silk laying across it.  Scrambling out of the bed, she grabbed the dress.  If she was still in the grips of Cedric and Silvertongue, she wanted to be dressed in something more substantial than an old shirt.  As she pulled the shirt off and dropped it to the floor, something small swung against her bare chest.  She blinked in surprise, glancing down to see the silver dragon pendant around her neck.  It was the one Rahim had given her so long ago, the same one she had returned in a fit of anger not so long ago.

                A sense of hope filled Brileia as she remembered the promise he had made...the promise to find her.  Feeling revitalized, she hurriedly wriggled into the dress that had been left for her., tugging the corset laces as tight as she could manage by herself.  She slipped her feet in the matching slippers that had been left as well, glancing around for anything useful.

                There was a knock on the door, which soon opened to reveal a tall, dark-haired man, similar to her beloved in height and looks.  She blinked in surprise, staring for several moments before she recognized him.  “You!  You’re the man who saved me on the Island!  Who are you? Where am I? Where is Rahim?”  She asked quickly, barely breathing between each sentence.