Hunted Queen

Chapter Thirty Two • Not Safe

"I am taking the queen back north." Loren replied and looked over his shoulder, checking to see if she was sitting properly. When Jade hade given him a quick nod, he turned his attention back to Stroem.

It sounds so simple. Like we aren't being hunted like animals. She thought.

A part of her wished, even though she knew it was stupid, that it truly would be easy to go back north. To go home. She longed for the safety of being behind stone walls, and that her child would get to grow in peace. However, it definitely would not be as easy as she wished. It had not been easy the last time she was on the run with Loren. Something deep within, told her that this time, would be worse. Much worse.

"When you arrive at camp, find the king. Do not speak to anyone until you have given him the news that the queen is safe." Loren instructed while ignoring the obvious confusion spreading across Stroem's face. "As safe as she can be." He corrected himself and cleared his throat after a second. "I will send a messenger upon our immediate arrival at the castle."

Stroem let out a skeptical sigh, watching Loren with doubt glowing in his eyes. "You cannot possibly think that you can get her back on your own? How are you planning-"

"There is no time for this." Loren cut him off firmly while looking around them as if someone was eavesdropping on them. "We do not know how close they are."

Jade scanned their surroundings immediately but could not see or hear anything except the same sounds from before, apart from her guards' quiet argument. The feeling in her gut was back and even harder to ignore now. It screamed at her that they needed to leave.

What is he looking for? Did he hear something? Someone? She wondered to herself as Loren stayed quiet for a while. Did he share her suspicion that someone was following them?

Just as she was about to ask him, Stroem caught her attention. He cleared his throat uncomfortably, like he was about to object and in doing so offend his brother in arms. "With all due respect... the queen would be safer if the two of us-"

"Stroem." Loren cut him short again, now with a darker tone in his voice. "This is not the first time I have been on the run with her grace... Alone, might I add... Do not worry about her safety." Loren said, letting Stroem know that he was not staying long enough for anything else to be discussed.

He gave their horse a nudge with his legs.

"Ride. Now. Stay off the roads for as long and as much as you can. The roads will be crawling with Rowan's men and they will not let anyone past before having asked about us. If you are unlucky, someone will recognize you. Disguise yourself, and if needed; bury or hide your armor. Buy new clothes and try to blend in. If they do not recognize you then, and they ask for the queen... tell them you are a wanderer and have not heard of or seen her. If you speak a word of her, under torture or for coin... I will find you and kill you before your king does." He breathed darkly and gripped the reigns hard. The sound of the leather screaming in his hands was the loudest around them. "Do you understand?"

Jade blinked, shock spread throughout her body. Did he say that he will kill him? She did not have time to react before Loren's horse set off at his command. Stroem nodded in acceptance as they rode past and before he could speak the words "good luck", Loren had given his horse a second command and it sprinted through the woods. She threw one last look over her shoulder and watched as Stroem took a deep breath before turning around and heading the opposite way.

"How long will it take us to get back home?" She asked Loren after a minute or two.

"Longer than you think, your grace." He replied dryly. "Please keep your voice down and try to speak as little as possible. We cannot let Rowan's men hear us."