Chapter 21
“So I walked to this camp, knowing that I’d probably be dead by nightfall. There was little hope that I would be able to convince them to help me and not kill me.” Romeo told Midshore quietly. Lara had fallen asleep by now, exhausted by their travels and whatever part she played in the ceremony. “The closer I got the more I wanted to dessert and make my way back to the last town we had set foot in.”
~*~
As stealthy as he thought he had been, the natives heard Romeo approaching and captured him. There were three of them, two women and three men, all dressed in garb that looked ragged and worn. They threw him into a jail made of solid boards sticking out of the ground. Obviously this was a well used campsite for the natives; If they had been here since Liam was first here, it must be a strong area.
“If you have any sense, you’ll keep your mouth shut until we can send you back to your people. We don’t need more deserters like you coming to try and ask us for our pity and our limited food. You filthy southerner!” one of the men spat.
Romeo dusted himself off, free of his heavy armor. “I’m not here for any of that, and any of the food I brought you can freely have,” Romeo bargained cavalierly. “I’m not a deserter, or I kind of am. No, I’m not- Look, that doesn’t matter right now, what matters is that I have a proposition for you. You don’t want to pass this up.”
“We will take anything of yours we want, including your nice and shiny armor.’ commented one of the women. “You are in no position to be making deals.”
“I have very little to gain from this arrangement, I swear. I didn’t even plan this, my friend did. He told me how to get here.” Romeo claimed.
“Why would a single guard seek out a camp that could overwhelm you?” asked one of the other men.
“That’s what I’m saying. Me coming here makes no sense. I have important information, and I think we can mutually benefit from a temporary alliance.” Romeo gushed. He was feeling nervous.
The group recoiled away from him and started yelling.
“Are you out of your mind? We barely know you, and you want to be allies?”
“You’re really more trouble than most wandering stupids, that’s for sure!”
“I’m not aligning myself with you!”
Romeo continued. “I wear golden armor for a reason, I’m one of the King’s personal guards. He’s coming to the north to rally his troops and show them how well the kingdom is doing. However, my friend is the father of the child within the queen, and he wants to make an escape while everyone is confused by the rucass. You can take the king, the guard and the queen can escape, and that’s all. Oh, and don’t hurt the other young woman with the brown hair. She is… Not involved in the king’s wrong doings.”
They stared at him. “This sounds too easy,’ said one of the men.
“Unfortunately, there are about six templar knights accompanying the king as well. They’re trained, but they’ve been in the capital for too long and haven’t known much battle lately.”
They considered the details. “So we have a chance to potentially kill the king and six Templar knights, and all you’re asking for is a distraction?” Asked one of the men.
“That’s right. I’m due back the day after tomorrow. You have nothing to lose, the guards with the king are all sympathetic to the queen and her guard. Anyone in golden armor won’t attack you.”
“You say your friend told you how to find us. What is his name?” asked one of the women.
“His name is Liam Reed,” offered Romeo, not knowing what significance it would have.
“Oh, Liam! Why didn’t you just say so!”
These natives seemed rather easy going for a people full of rocks for brains and barbaric behavior…
They opened the door and let Romeo out. “Liam used to hunt with us on his leave days. We weren’t sure how he was able to slip away from the other soldiers, but he was a great help to our small community and he never told anyone how to find us here. It’s a bit far from the road, so we rarely had visitors. I don’t remember too well how we came to trust him. I almost wish we hadn’t become friends, it was too hard on him when it came time to battle.” the woman turned solemn. “Poor man had to fight a people he didn’t hate, with a side that would kill him for not killing. I almost wish we had made it easier for him to hate us.” she said with a sad tone.
“Liam has talked about the red-stained snow, the horrors of war. He never mentioned any of you though.” Romeo said.
“He wouldn’t have. I suspect that Liam doesn’t trust as easily as he used to, and there are more foes in the army than allies. To associate with a Northerner is on the same level as treason. He did it to protect everything; him, us, anyone who knew.” one of the men said.
“And we’re ordered to kill you on sight…” Romeo pondered. These people, they didn’t seem organized. They were a band of survivors, scraping together a life that had been hunted and extinguished. He had never thought much about the validity of the war, what were they even fighting over?
“Get some sleep, we’ll have breakfast tomorrow and from there we’ll plan out our attack.” one of them encouraged. “A friend of a friend is a friend of ours.
~*~
The night was dark, and the lone Templar knight who had been tasked with sitting watch was nodding off, soon to be snoring. Romeo had traveled as lightly and quietly as he could, the other five of them waiting just to the east to spring in the morning.
He had to inform Liam to be ready though, or else he would be unprepared.
He stalked at a range of ten yards outside the edge of the camp, watching by the light of the moon that he didn’t disturb any dried twigs on the ground. He made it to Liam’s tent (He recognized the little stain on the top) and knelt by the back, outside of the tent.
“Liam, Liam you better not be sleeping now. Wake up.” he whispered in the softest he could. The other tents were closer than he would like. One of them held Briella, and his heart began to race. She was in there, in a nightgown, her hair probably lose against her pillow, her round face relaxed and smiling-
Liam peaked open the tent, and then slid out, signaling to follow. He walked casually to the tree line and then after a moment Romeo followed him quietly. They walked to where they were out of sight of the camp and the lazy knight.
1“Romeo, you’re back? Where’s the trope?” he asked frantically, tired eyes running wild.
“They’re about a half mile to the east, waiting until first light to attack. That’s what I’m here to tell you, they’re going to attack at dawn. You should be ready if you plan to leave.” he assured.
“Oh, how many are there? Last I knew there were five of them, are there still five?” Liam asked, worried.
“Yeah, there are five, and you could have told me you knew them!” he hissed. “They threw me in jail for a hot minute. I had to use your name to get me out, something I would have liked to know sooner!”
“I didn’t know if they remembered me, or if they would even be the same people at the camp. But yes, I should have told you that I had a friendly relationship with them. I’m sorry.” he said.
Romeo breathed out, setting aside his anger. “This will all be over soon, and then you can live your life as whatever you choose to become, with Anwyn, and your child. I wish you luck, good friend. This may be the last time we speak. I hope to stay with Briella.” he paused, smiling. “You know, they say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, and I’m sure it’s true now. I thought about her all the time over the past few days.”
“It’s been two.” Liam said bluntly.
“It’s only been two days? It feels like forever. Like I haven’t seen her in a month.” Romeo claimed.
“Romeo, there are some things that you should know before- Briella isn’t all you think she is.” Liam started.
“What are you talking about? She’s a loyal girl, concerned with the care of her lady and is faithful to me, surely. You- you aren’t seeing her behind my back, are you?! Briella isn’t a loose woman!” he almost started shouting.
“Keep your voice down!” hushed Liam. “Romeo, Briella is a loose woman. That’s exactly what she is. I know you wanted her to be the wife you’ve always wanted, but she is the furthest thing from it. The duchess thought that you and Anwyn were having an affair, so she had her sister hired and act as a spy. The night in the guards’ wing was a ploy. She played into your every insecurity and got you drunk, then asked you if you were with Anwyn. You said that you weren’t with her and to ensure that you weren't you told her that I was! They know about us because of Briella and she will leave you as soon as she is told to by the duchess. I’m to be executed at the front for treason.” Liam told
Romeo stood staring at him with disbelief. “You’re lying-” he sputtered, “You must be. You can’t let me have anything, no happiness. Briella is a kind girl, a funny girl, and you can’t stand that we’re happy. I told her that I wasn’t with Anwyn, and that you were, yes, but she wouldn’t tell the duchess. She’s not like that. She wouldn’t-”
“Romeo,” Liam stepped forward, “If I hadn’t heard that she had told the duchess about you telling her, how would I have known you told her at all? I don’t talk to her, I never really have. Not since she tried to make you jealous at the get together. My head is on the line, and yours may be too because you knew about us and did nothing. If they can’t find me to execute and you’re standing around, who’s to say they won’t murder you in my sted?”
“No, you’re wrong!” hissed Romeo. He threw his arms down in disgust and finality. “Tomorrow, at dawn, be gone. I won’t hear more of this, and I think it’s time that we parted ways. Too long have I fought to have what’s rightfully mine, untainted by your view on the world. Farewell, Liam Reed, your memory will be missed.” he chewed his words and turned on his heel, making sure that he was quiet as he left the campsite.
Liam stalked back to his tent and lied on his back thinking. Romeo didn’t see reason anymore. But could Liam blame him? The man was in his prime, seeing it start to drift away from him, and Liam had found his love. He had had flirtations with the other entertainment that the king had brought back to the palace too, and Romeo kept waiting for the perfect girl and the perfect opportunity, but it never came. Here comes along a pretty young woman and of course Romeo would fall in love, ready to give her anything to make her stay with him. He was a fool at times, not knowing when to not say something to a pretty girl, but all the same he didn’t blame him. He just hoped that he wouldn’t be too hurt when Briella dropped him like a stone into water.
~*~
Romeo walked back to the native’s temporary camp fuming. How could Liam even think that of sweet Briella? She was a woman of high breeding, she wore fine clothes, and she was sweet and kind. She thought that Romeo was interesting and charming, and of course he was, but that wasn’t the point. He waited for so long for the Creator to bring him the perfect girl, and here she was. She was a bit closely affiliated with the duchess for him to be truly comfortable, but every relationship had its positives and negatives. Briella was just an innocent link.
She would never tell. Why would she? What did she have to gain? Who would hurt someone like that, to have them open their heart to you and then to step on their trust like Liam was suggesting? Romeo could think of at least two people he knew who were tyrannical, the king and the duchess, but Briella wasn’t. She did look a bit like the duchess when they stood next to each other, but that was just coincidence. It had to be. They weren’t actually sisters. The duchess wouldn’t let her family be a loose woman.
Romeo kept running through the same lines over and over again, convincing himself that he was correct and that nothing that Liam said could be true.
~*~
Romeo stood up from his bunk and walked around, restless. Midshore looked up at him, patient but expecting the rest of the story.
After pacing for a few moments, he sat back down, jittery. “I didn’t believe him. I was so blind, I couldn’t believe him. Not if you had held Briella in front of me and had her tell me that it was true, I would have said that she made her say that. That they were forcing her somehow to lie to me. I can’t believe I was so blind.”
“You’ve been blind before. A pretty girl is all it takes for you, apparently. Just don’t get any ideas about my wife.” she lightly teased.
“I would never get an idea about a married woman, that just doesn’t seem right to me.” Romeo defended himself a bit too seriously.
“I almost told the group that Liam had called it off, I was so angry. I felt betrayed by my best friend that he didn’t bless my match. The group looked at me when I came back, wondering how it had gone, and I wanted to blow the whole thing, but I didn’t. While I felt that he had betrayed me, I couldn’t betray him.”
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