-Enair-
Enair's eyes drooped, and his shoulders started to hunch forward. Shifting his feet from side to side was the only thing keeping him awake. After seven long hours of standing, he was ready for someone to come switch out for him. There had been no signs of trouble coming their way, and he didn't think there would be anytime soon.
To the outside, Hillwood looked like any small village. Those who lived in it new better. They were not simple peasants, and they were not farmers. They were the Ardere. Hiding in plain sight. Any knights in search of their lost princess would maybe ask if the people had seen anyone suspicious around, but other than that, they would ride right past. For that reason, Enair didn't think two guards were needed to guard one, extremely weakened, girl.
"Open your eyes Fredrick." Kaira grumbled beside Enair, slouching against the wall.
"I just heard you snoring less than five minutes ago." Enair rolled his eyes, stretching his arms over his head, "I let you rest, now why don't you get off my back?"
"I was not resting. Nor was I snoring." She grinned, poking him in the side with the pitchfork she held. Just two farmers standing outside their rundown stable. That's all they were supposed to look like to anyone passing by. It was dumb. Enair felt like he could be doing more. After over a year with the Ardere he thought he'd be doing more than standing post. He wanted to be fighting battles, slaying corrupt kings. He wanted to be part of the reason their kingdom prospered.
Instead, he was standing beside a girl who joined only a month ago. Sure, Kaira was loyal, skilled, and would no doubt move up the ranks fast... Enair just thought he'd be doing bigger things by now.
"Come on, I've been standing here for so long. Let me shut my eyes for a bit."
"I've been standing here for just as long as you, and you don't see me complaining."
"That's because you took a nap." Enair snorted, crossing his arms in slight annoyance. He just wanted to be done for the night. Return to his fake home with the fake family he slept with. Sonia, the fake wife in his household, would've made a nice meal by now. He could only hope their 'children' – who, in reality, weren't much younger than him – hadn't eaten it all. But Sonia was one of their healers, her main priority is to keep everyone safe. She, surely, would set a plate aside for him.
"I did not fall asleep." Kaira snapped, breaking Enair from his thoughts of food.
"Whatever you say." Enair answered in a sign-song voice. Kaira was usually a fairly friendly person who could tolerate his usual teasing, yet he could tell he was starting to grate on her nerves. That's what happened after hours on your feet. Even the best of people turn irritable and frustrated. Enair knew he was. He was annoyed Kaira would not let him close his eyes, even though he knew she was in the right. If Caiden came back and he was sleeping at his post... there would be hell to pay.
Enair liked Caiden. He was one of the best commanders and always had a good joke to crack. However, if you got on his bad side, it was a whole other story. People had left the Ardere simply because they got on the wrong side of Caiden and he made their lives horrid. At the moment, Caiden liked Enair, and so Enair was happy. But he knew if he made the wrong move, he would be no better than the girl they had locked up.
"Did you hear that?" Kaira's back straightened and she no longer leaned against the wall. Enair blinked at her slowly, he had heard nothing, and he had the feeling Kaira was just trying to get back at him for accusing him of sleeping. "Fredrick, open your eyes. There's something out there."
"My eyes are open." He grumbled irritably, looking around. There was not a single movement in the silent night. Either Kaira was hallucinating, or she was just trying to rile him up.
"Then stand up straight."
"Our shift is almost through, let's not wake up the whole town for a false alarm." Enair scanned the shadows and the spaces between houses, not for whatever Kaira thought she heard, but the next post or Caiden coming back to mess with his prisoner.
He did not hear the twig snap nor register the bird call that did not come from a bird, but a person.
"I'm telling you, there is someone out there." She drew the short sword on her hip, and treaded out into the darkness, away from the dying torch that lit their small area. Enair frowned, Kaira did not seem like she was joking. She looked almost scared, and he almost felt scared.
"Kaira, where are you going?" Enair hissed and her silhouette paused momentarily.
"To go check it out, stay where you are. Do not leave the post. You know how important this prisoner is." Kaira was gone before he had the chance to answer. She was right, this prisoner was important, probably the most important they'd ever had. Enair didn't like that thought. He and Kaira were the only things standing between the King and one of his prised possessions. If they survived an attack but lost the girl, Caiden would kill them himself.
A scream pierced through the night. It was sharp and cut through Enair's bones when he heard it. A scream was an awful sound, but Enair had heard screams before. What was worse was how short this one was. It sliced through the air for only a second before it was cut short. Whoever had screamed was most likely dead.
Eanir had a feeling he knew who had screamed. It sickened him to his stomach and his hand trembled as he reached for his own sword. He wanted to get help and yet, he knew he could not leave his door un-guarded. If he left his post at the first sight of danger, it would be like cutting off his own head.
"Who's there?" Enair called as something moved, two shapes approaching the light.
"Lower your weapon you fool!" Came a voice he recognized. Carac and Joslin were here to take him off duty. He lowered his sword but did not put it away completely. He wouldn't until he saw Kaira return unharmed.
"Have you seen Kaira?" He questioned as the others approached and Carac's lopsided grin faded.
"Kaira? Isn't she supposed to be with you?" Joslin asked, confusion laced in her voice.
"She was, she thought she heard something and went to check it out. Did you not hear that scream, I'm worried-"
An arrowhead sliced through Carac's chest from behind. He did not scream, but a guttering noise passed through his lips instead as he fell to his knees. Joslin screamed in his place, jumping back and reaching for her own weapon.
Enair wanted to check on Carac, but he knew there was no point. If Carac was not dead already, he would be soon and there was no stopping it. Enair would not leave his post by the door. He would stand his ground until his death. If he were to die, he would die a warrior's death and nothing less.
"I can't see them." Joslin said, falling into Kaira's empty space beside Enair. Although her face appeared clam and relaxed, her eyes told a different story. They darted back and forth, scanning the darkness for any movement. There wasn't any.
"You should go wake someone." Enair's hands trembled again. He did not want to be left along to face whatever evil was coming their way, but he would not be the one to leave the post.
"Who?"
"Get Caiden. Get anyone."
"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you alone."
"Just go before I change my mind."
"You better be alive when I get back." Joslin stepped out from the barn canopy and started to move in the direction of Caiden's house.
"No promises." He whispered as he watched her go. Yet, before she left the light, another arrow cut through the air and burrowed itself in Joslin's chest. Enair stumbled back – his back hitting the barn door as he watched Joslin's shadow slump to the ground. He was all alone now. No one was coming to help. No one knew there was anything wrong. In the morning Caiden would come to check on his prisoner, only to find four dead bodies and an empty barn.
Along the edge of the flickering light, six shadows appeared. Without having to see their faces, Enair could easily guess who they were. They were here to retrieve their sister.
"Lower your weapon and give Callisto to us." One of the shapes stepped forward and their face was illuminated. Enair knew who he was. He had studied each of their faces so that if he were to ever meet one of them in public, he would know who it was. The torchlight danced across Aspen's warm skin. His lips were pressed together beneath his hooked nose and his dark hair was tied back in a bun. Aspen looked at Enair with surprisingly kind eyes for someone who was holding his sister captive.
Enair, however, did not lower his weapon. He also did not speak; he did not trust himself to.
"This is your last warning." One of the shadows moved, raising a bow in the air, pointing an arrow straight at Enair's heart. He did not pray that they would miss, for he knew they would not. None of them ever did. They had been trained too well for that.
"One day, you will all fall." Enair finally spoke, surprised that his voice did not waver. Behind the six, other shadows started to move. He couldn't tell if it was the knights of Perdita or the Ardere, awoken from their sleep. He hoped it was the later. "The King's crown will fall, and you will all go down with him. The one who bears the mark of flame will-"
Enair felt nothing when the arrow cut through his flesh.