Princess Estina took the silence as a reprieve. Watching the fire would allow for contemplation after such a hectic couple of days. She was edgy, nervous and desperately wanted to relax. She pulled the thick and heavy blanket Marlina had given her up around her shoulders and sipped on another cup of tea. It was just her and Ladet now. Marlina and Areen had disappeared into the back of the caravan. Princess Estina didn't think they were lovers, but they were definitely used to each other's company. This was not the first time they had travelled together. They had a comfortable routine, completing tasks without communicating to each other.
The flames spat and hissed as Ladet gently lobbed another thick log onto the fire. He sat a short distance away, preferring to sit on the ground with his back leaning against the log.
Princess Estina's thoughts strayed to her brother, Prince Alain, and Menelt. She hoped they were safe and were so far eluding Prince Yernal's men. It was a strange feeling being separated after being together for over two years. Only now did she realize how much they were all a part of her everyday life.
The forest was quiet. Princess Estina took a deep breath. The space around them was calm, and yet, her mind continued to race and be on high alert. She bounced her legs up and down in agitation.
"What's wrong?" Ladet asked, his gaze still on the fire.
"Nothing," she responded.
Ladet turned his head to look at her and gave a short chuckle. "I don't believe you. You can't sit still."
Princess Estina looked down at her legs, and sighed. "This is the first time in two years I've been by myself. I'm not with my brother, or Menelt, or Weldlan."
A flicker of emotion danced over Ladet's face and he turned back to the fire. Princess Estina frowned.
"I hope I didn't offend you. You're great company too," she added quickly.
Ladet chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll survive."
"They're family," she said quietly.
Ladet gazed at the flames flickering in the fire, and just as softly, he answered, "I know. I feel lost from my family too."
Princess Estina's shoulders dropped. How insensitive of her. She hadn't once even considered this. Ladet had never spoken about his life back in Talbec or the people he had left behind. She rose to her feet and sat on a log closer to him.
"You were close with the Emperor, Jale and Teal?" she asked. "You haven't seen any of them for a long time.
"Not in the way they were close," he said. "I was never in a relationship with any of them." He turned to face her again, and Princess Estina couldn't help but note the colour of his eyes. They weren't brown like most from the Talbecan Empire. They were a soft hazel instead. She blinked and tried to focus back on his words.
"I've known the Emperor and Jale since I was a child," he said. "After my parents went to their ancestors in the Keglar Kingdom, my cousin Brelen took me in. Eventually, he became a high-ranking soldier for the Emperor, so I ended up growing up in the Emperor's service. They were always kind and took care of me." He shrugged. "I consider them my family, although I don't know if they think of me in the same way."
"I'm sure they do," she said.
A hint of a smile tugged at the ends of his lips before Princess Estina saw the cracks of grief flicker over his face. "It doesn't matter now," he said. "That's all over. The Emperor is dead. All I can do is continue to help Jale, although I have no idea what he will do now."
"As I've always said, you're always welcome to stay with us as long as you need, if you want to that is," she said. Why did her heart speed up when she said that? Was it fear that he would say no? She took another sip of her drink.
Ladet gave a gentle nod in acknowledgement. "That is kind of you," he said. She watched his eyes drop to her neck. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
Princess Estina gently touched her throat and gazed back at the fire. "Sore, but at least my voice has returned."
Ladet turned back to the fire as well, and an uncomfortable silence fell between them. She didn't want to remind him of who had caused the bruises, and there was no doubt in her mind, that the identity of the culprit weighed heavily on his thoughts too.
"Tell me about your life in Talbec, Ladet," she said suddenly. "I want to know more about the Empire. I have never been there before."
Ladet turned to face her. "Really?" He paused. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything," she said. "Tell me everything."
<<<>>>
The caravan rocked slowly as Meadow Dreamer climbed higher up the mountain. Unlike the day before, Princess Estina and Ladet did not hide in the hidden compartment. Instead, they took turns sitting at the front with Areen or talking with Marlina in the back.
They passed other travellers who didn't just greet them with a wave. Instead, they stopped to chat and discuss news. The small road was not only a road to travel along, it was also a highway of communication. Princess Estina was both amused and anxious by it. It was clear why Marlina had suggested they use different names.
It was also lovely. She had never experienced such openness from the everyday country folk. Her status as a princess never allowed people to be so casual with her, and when she had been with the mountain men, country folk were more often afraid of them than not.
By mid-morning, the burdened grey clouds began to release snow. Meadow Dreamer remained faithful and continued plodding. He was given treats frequently to keep up his energy levels. Areen stayed true to his nature and kept the conversation to a minimal. After staying awake most of the night, Princess Estina and Ladet soon took refuge in the back of the caravan and slept.
Several hours later, they stopped and Princess Estina stirred. The warmth of the blankets was too appealing. Rubbing her eyes, she rolled onto her back and listened. From the faint light outside, they had slept most of the day away. Ladet was asleep on the bench. She had no idea how he had perched his long body up there. It was ridiculous. It would make common sense to share each other's heat as they had in the hidey hole.
There were voices beyond the caravan, but Princess Estina did not sense anything untoward. Nevertheless, she rose to her feet, shivering at the cold air that immediately hit her body.
She pushed the caravan door open and jumped down, her feet landing with a crunch on the newly formed snow.
They were in a small township set amongst the mountainous wilderness. Several large wooden buildings lined the wide dirt road with puffs of smoke coming out of their chimneys. People walked briskly going about their daily tasks, heads down against the wind and snow. No one paid her any bother. It was quaint and serene. She walked around the side of the caravan to find the others. At the front, Marlina and Areen were talking.
"Where are we?" she asked, swirls of air puffing out of her mouth.
"This is Clopena," Marlina said with a smile. "It's quite lovely, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is," Ladet said, coming up behind her. Princess Estina turned to find him hugging his arms around his body and stifling a yawn.
Turning in a circle, Princess Estina took in more of the scenery. Several smaller roads split off from the main strip, but it wasn't a large town. The forest hung close, tall green pine trees growing behind the buildings as the mountains towered overhead on each side. Down the dirt road, she spied people coming out of what appeared to be an alleyway. They carried bags and buckets of vegetables and fruit. Princess Estina suspected a market, and her stomach rumbled at the thought of food.
"We're stopping here to allow Meadow Dreamer to rest for the night," Marlina said. "I'm going to find him a warm stable, but we'll stay with the caravan. We're half way. If we keep up this pace, we should arrive at Latrena the day after tomorrow."
"Come on," Areen said. "We're going to get a meal at one of the inns."
Half an hour later, after Meadow Dreamer had been settled in a stable, they were sitting in a small inn, snug and warm in a cosy booth. Steam clung to the windows, a fire crackled along the far wall and a man played a fiddle in the corner. Laughter and conversations filled the air. Patrons enjoyed meat pies and stew, and a hearty pork roast was turning slowly on a separate fire pit. Princess Estina's mouth started to water as she watched gravy covered potatoes and winter vegetables being served alongside the meat. A mixture of herbs wafted through the air.
Despite her hunger, she continued to admire what she was seeing. A small stir of jealousy began to coil in her stomach at the people's ease and enjoyment. She wanted to feel that. She wanted to have that joy as well.
Princess Estina blinked. It was a joy that she needed to protect as well though. From first appearances, Prince Yernal's influence had not reached this far yet, and she had a responsibility to ensure it didn't.
"What brings new folk here?" the server girl asked, walking up to their table and nodding towards Princess Estina and Ladet. She had long brown hair that was pulled back in a simple braid. Her large green eyes were kind.
Marlina smiled up to him. "Afternoon, Milly," she said. "This is Areen's nephew and newly-wed. They're learning the family trade."
"Oh, how wonderful," she said, giving them a quick glance. "You had better be careful out on those roads though."
Princess Estina's body tensed, and she saw Ladet stiffen as well.
"Why's that?" Areen asked.
"News on the road is that Prince Yernal's soldiers are out in full force searching for some fugitives. The soldiers are everywhere apparently. Some are even meant to be heading this way as we speak." She flicked her long braid over her shoulder. "How exciting, don't you think? I've never seen any of Prince Yernal's soldiers before. I wonder who they're searching for."
Princess Estina and Ladet's eyes met. Her heart was pounding. As if he knew, he gave a supportive smile.
"I don't know who they're searching for either," Marlina said. "They must be dangerous. Can we get some drinks and order some food. It's been a long, cold journey and we're hungry."
"Of course," Milly said.
They placed their orders and she left. All of the ease and comfort Princess Estina had been feeling seeped from her core. The inn suddenly seemed claustrophobic and stifling. What were they doing there, sitting around and wasting time? They should be out on the road getting as far away as possible.
"We can't leave until tomorrow," Marlina stated as if she had been reading her mind. "Meadow Dreamer needs to rest. If I bought another horse, it would only look suspicious. People would want to know what the rush was, and the weather is not conducive to riding. The caravan provides us with protection from the cold elements up here."
Princess Estina nodded.
"We understand," Ladet said.
They waited in silence, although Marlina and Areen spoke casually from time to time. It was obvious they were trying to appear at ease. Princess Estina swallowed uncertainly and rubbed the steam off the window. Outside, the snow was falling heavily.
"It'll be all right," Ladet said.
Princess Estina turned back to him. "I hope so," she said.
Their food arrived, but her appetite was gone.
The wind was strong and the snow heavy. If it kept up like this, there was a chance they could be snowed in. That would delay their progress even further. However, it would also delay Prince Yernal's soldiers as well. It was the only thought that allowed Princess Estina to eat her meal.
Darkness was upon them an hour later as they left the inn. Marlina dug her hands into her pockets. "I'm going to sleep with Meadow Dreamer tonight to make sure he stays safe. I'll see you in the morning."
Not waiting for a response, she turned and started towards the stables.
"She loves that horse," Areen chuckled. "You two head back to the caravan and stay warm. I'm going to pick up some supplies for the road tomorrow. I won't be long."
Princess Estina and Ladet nodded and fell into stride side by side. Their caravan was parked at the back of the inn in a large clearing for travellers to take refuge upon their travels. It was going to be a long cold night, but at least they were out of the way of the snowstorm.
Princess Estina stepped out onto the street, lanterns lining the side to allow for visibility. She stopped as a flicker of movement caught her eye. Her defensives flew up and her hand dove straight to her pocket. Ladet edged closer to her.
A man dressed in a heavy coat with his hat pulled down was walking towards them.
"Looks like we're in for an interesting evening," the man said with a toothy smile. His skin was leathery and wrinkled from hard work in the open. He looked worn and tired, but he moved with quick strength and purpose through the snow. It was hard to guess how old he was.
"What do you mean?" Ladet asked.
"A squad of Prince Yernal's men arrived about half an hour ago. They're already demanding lodging to protect them from the storm. They're doing a sweep right now as we speak." Princess Estina's insides turned cold. The man shook his head. "Looks like they're really eager to get these fugitives that escaped Prince Yernal. I wonder what they did. Stay out of trouble," he chuckled. "Me? I'm heading to the inn to wait for this storm to pass."
He continued straight past. Ladet's hand landed on her back. "Come on," he said in a low voice. "Let's get to the caravan and try to stay out of the way. We can't go anywhere else right now."
Princess Estina couldn't reply. They were stuck here, but they couldn't leave. If they were discovered, it would be the end for them.
They trudged through the snow, hands deep in their pockets. They rounded the corner and headed towards the back of another tavern. There were four other caravans parked in the same area now. Dim light could be seen from all four where their occupants were trying to stay warm inside.
Muffled voices reached her ears as they started walking across the clearing to their caravan on the other side. At the top, where one of the caravans was parked, Princess Estina spied four soldiers talking with two countryfolk. Despite the distance and the darkness, Prince Yernal's soldier uniforms stood out.
Princess Estina reached for Ladet's arm. "Look, over there," she said.
Ladet's face turned grim and his hand instinctively went to his shoulder, but as per Marlina's suggestion, his bow was hidden in the back of the caravan.
"Try to look like you do this every day," he said.
They continued to walk towards their caravan. It was still on the other side of the clearing. From the corner of her eye, she saw the soldiers move onto the next caravan. They rapped their fists on the door.
"Open up," one of the soldier's bellowed. "By order of Prince Yernal, the great leader of our lands, we are to search for the fugitives that are working to destroy the kingdom."
The urge to run and hide flooded through Princess Estina. She glanced at Ladet. If they were seen running, it would cause suspicion. If they started a fight, it would only create more attention and word could spread. They didn't want more soldiers flooding into Clopena. Her peripheral vision could still see the soldiers talking with the occupants of the second caravan. One soldier climbed up the ladder to inspect inside.
Princess Estina swallowed. Two soldiers broke away from the small group and started in their direction as Ladet and herself reached their caravan.
Without another thought, Princess Estina reached forward and grabbed Ladet's thick coat with two hands and spun him around. Confusion filled his face. She laughed loudly as if he had told a funny joke and then, pulled him forcefully towards her. The momentum carried her backwards and she hit the caravan behind her.
Ladet's face flickered with surprise, but there was no time for explanations. Marlina had given them a cover, and now was the time to show it. She reached up and placed her hand over the back of his neck and pulled him towards her. Their lips clashed together.