*****Since you all are awesome I'm giving you a second chapter this week. Hope you enjoy it!*****
The wounded man grasped Jade tightly, she could already feel his blood soaking the back of her shirt. Prince Reiner had taken a horse but she worried that he wouldn't stay conscious long enough to make it to an outpost. "Keep an eye on him," she whispered to James. He nodded once, annoyed that she thought she even had to remind him. He would ride with Reiner along with one other guard and highborn. It left Jade with four remaining guards, two highborns, and the wounded servant gripping to Jade's shirt. "Good luck," Jade said and then turned Chance to leave.
"Wait," the prince called out. "What is your name?"
"Jade," she said. "My name is Jade."
"Jade," he repeated, putting it to memory with a small nod. "Should you survive and find yourself in the Capital..." he seemed at a loss for words.
"Thank you," she nodded, understanding. "Now go, before they realize we're taking too long and come looking for us."
Jade watched the prince ride away, she doubted she would ever again meet a member of the royal family. She doubted she would even live long enough to see nightfall but she didn't let that doubt show on her face. "Our turn," she said and the group rode toward the estate. She hoped she had made the right decision in splitting up the men. Had it been up to her she would have suggested they take the chance and all ride for the outpost, but the prince cared about the innocent lives at the estate. So Jade had to risk her life once more to ensure the safety of the prince and his people.
The wolf stayed ahead and out of sight, he kept alert for trouble. Jade had only guessed what move Viper would make next. It was possible they could come across her here in the woods before they ever made it to the estate. Her mind was rolling through possible scenarios but she had no way of knowing where or when they'd encounter Viper. She could only guess what she would do if she were in Viper's boots. She spoke out loud to the group, giving them instructions of what they should do whenever they finally met trouble.
"What's your name?" Jade then asked the servant riding behind her.
"Henry," he coughed.
"You're very brave, Henry." The wound in his gut was bad. When he offered to take Reiners place on her horse and serve as decoy she had wrapped the wound to help stave off the bleeding. But she doubted they would make it to a healer in time. She doubted that a healer could help him at all, even now. He had offered to be Reiners decoy immediately. Jade thought that he already knew he was in bad shape. They came to the road not long later and Jade resisted the urge to ride faster. The horses would need any remaining stamina for what was about to come.
When the group emerged from the woods it didn't take long for the wolf to alert her. There was a scent on the wind that was familiar. "Ready?" she asked to the group. They nodded their heads and chorused their hesitant yeses. They unsheathed their swords.
The nobleman who was the fastest rider was at Jade's side. "You know your job," Jade said to him.
"I will be faster than the wind," he promised.
She was about to reply when Viper and the northmen emerged from the orchards on either side of the road, shouting war cries as they came. Viper was at the head on her black horse a whip still coiled in her free hand.
Jade squeezed Chances side. "GO!" she shouted and the mare tore off the road into an open row of the orchard. The path was barely wide enough for two riders abreast and the tangled branches of the apple trees grew low in places, forcing them to duck or be knocked from their saddles.
"Find the prince!" she heard Vipers shout, she wasn't far off but Jade couldn't see her through the trees.
The group broke off in pairs, headed in separate directions. The nobleman who had volunteered as the fastest rider would ride for the estate and hopefully bring reinforcements back with him. The only consolation that Jade had was that if the paths of the orchard were narrow for her it would be the same for Viper and the northmen. Pursuit would be difficult and slow and the trees made a crossbow near useless.
Jade turned and wove through the orchard, doubling back and then running down another row. The highborn who had followed Jade did well to stay on her heels. He kept his sword out and ready to attack. She prayed that he'd been taught well how to use it.
The orchards were chaotic and shouts rose all across the fields, no matter how far they rode into them they seemed to go on forever. They nearly ran into two northmen as they turned down a new row. Jade pulled her sword free but her wolf was faster. He appeared from an adjacent row where he'd been keeping out of sight and snapped at the horse's legs. The creatures reared and bucked. Knocking their riders back into trees and branches.
The northmen fell from their horses and Jade finished one of them off with a downward strike of her sword. The noblemen followed Jade's lead once her wolf had disappeared back into the adjacent row. Jade blessed the apple tree's and their thick tangled branches. It was saving all their lives, but she wondered how much longer they could evade. Chance was slowing and breathing harder with every second. The mare had been pushed and had nothing left to give though Jade knew she'd run until her heart gave out. She prayed it didn't come to that.
A northman appeared ahead of them, she recognized him as the leader, and he held a long spear in his hand. "I've got this," the highborn next to Jade charged forward. Jade didn't have the luxury to watch him fight, the wolf sent a quick warning and Jade turned. There was a loud snap and Jade felt Henry slip behind her. Jade reached back and tried to grab him without losing her own seat, but it was too late, he spilled off Chances flank backward. Jade pulled Chance around in time to watch Viper snap her whip back for another strike.
Henry was sprawled on his back, struggling from his wound and sudden loss of breath. Jade moved Chance to block and protect Henry. The wolf appeared at her side, but Viper's horse did not stir from the wolf's presence, like Chance the creature had been trained to tolerate its presence somehow.
"Thief," Viper called to Jade. "You have taken what isn't yours. That wolf, that sword, and your life, they belong to me."
"Try and take them then!" Jade charged. The path was narrow but still Viper managed to wield her whip like a master. The sting sliced Jade's right cheek before she had time to register that she'd even been hit. The crack of the whip popped her eardrum a moment later. Jade flinched instinctively and ducked her head. The horses collided with each other. With nowhere to go Jade swung blindly, the gash on her cheek was bleeding profusely and her eyes watered naturally. Her cheek was already swelling. Viper blocked Jade swing with a knife in her other hand.
The knife stopped Jade's sword, but barely. The metal of the blade sunk a quarter way through the knife before it stopped. This close Viper couldn't use her whip but Jade also could barely keep her eye open as the wound burned and stung like a hundred bees. It disoriented her.
Viper pushed back with her long bladed knife, freeing it from Jade's sword. Jade shouted with desperation, "Phantom!" The wolf appeared. He jumped and sunk his teeth into the exposed neck of Viper's horse. The beast reared and Jade kicked Chance forward as Phantom jumped away to avoid the onslaught of hooves. The mare pushed against the other horse and both of them lost balance and fell. Jade dove off her saddle and rolled to the ground before she was crushed or hit in the head with a hoof. She stepped back a few paces as Viper gained her own footing on the ground.
A trumpet blast sounded across the field, still a ways off. Viper tilted her head at the sound then she glanced over Jade's shoulder and smiled broadly. Jade turned in time to see the leader of the northmen converge on Henry. The highborn had lost the fight and was dead on the ground some way up the row, his horse nowhere in sight.
"NO!" Jade screamed but it was too late. The spear drove into Henry's heart and he lay still on his back, staring at the sky.
The wolf snarled next to Jade. She turned and kept her back to the trees so she couldn't be flanked. She was trapped on both sides and Chance was now out of reach past Viper. Jade whistled two short blows and the mare trotted away. She would only return if Jade whistled for her to come back.
"You're far more precious than I realized," Viper purred, sounding calmer now that she knew she had the advantage. "I should have known better than to have been so casual with you. Not anyone can escape Protectors I should have made sure you were chained. Now give up. Your prince is dead, surrender and I promise I will not kill you."
Good, she thinks she's killed Reiner. Jade had to keep herself from smiling with relief. No matter what happened now, at least Viper thought she had won.
"And what?" Jade demanded, blinking away the tears in her eyes. The wound on her cheek was hot and it pulsed sharply. "Become your slave? Be locked in a cage for you to toss scraps at like an animal? I'd rather die."
"Protectors," Vipers tsked. "You're all the same. Always so prideful and stubborn and honorable, I'm offering you a chance to live." She snapped her whip by her feet and Jade involuntarily flinched.
"Yeah?" Jade shook with anger. "At least I have honor. I don't make deals with northmen and sneak across the land to murder members of the royal family. And for what? A Great Wolf that you don't even possess anymore? You're an honorless snake!"
The leader of the northman moved closer to the Jade but her wolf jumped forward, claiming his territory and warning him not come closer. His hackles rose and he growled, snapping his teeth. The northman pulled on the reins of his his horse and backed away. He spoke in his native tongue and made a sign with his fingers as if to ward off evil, then rode away shouting another few words at Viper.
Another trumpet blasted nearby and Viper turned slightly, gauging its distance. One of Viper's men pushed through the trees and appeared behind her. "Reinforcements," he yelled to his leader. "What are you orders?"
Viper swore. "We retreat, we've finished what we came here to do," she said and then swung onto the horse with the man since her own mount had disappeared. She pointed to Jade with her now coiled whip. "We aren't finished."
"Count on it." Jade shouted after her. "You're life is mine!" Jade wasn't sure she'd heard, but still felt better for saying it.
Viper fled with haste as shouts rose up around the fields calling for a retreat as the men from the estate came to their aide. Jade stood there for a time, breathing hard, shaking from head to toe. She could hardly believe the silence that followed. She sheathed her sword with some trouble, now only able to see out of her left eye as her right was swelled shut because of the swelling on her cheek. She dropped to her knees next to Henry's body.
The prince was alive and thanks to Henry's sacrifice, no one would know until news came from the Capital about his arrival. For now, the prince was safe. But Jade still mourned the loss of an innocent life. There was so much bloodshed and killing, for what? What had they hoped to achieve by killing the youngest son of the king? If they wanted a war there were far easy ways to achieve it.
Jade tried getting to her feet but she collapsed. She was too exhausted and disoriented to move. She waited next to Henry's body for help to come. Her wolf remained close, protecting and comforting her. She reached over and grabbed a handful of his fur. "Phantom," she said.
He looked at her, ears perked forward. The name had spilled desperately from her lips, instinctive and natural as though it had been there the entire time, just waiting to be spoken. It seemed surreal to Jade, how naturally it had come, how simple it had been. It was the wolf's name, not one she had created but simply needed to discover. He licked her cheek where the wound stung and then whined. "I'll be alright," she promised. "We both will."
Two days after the ambush Jade stood in the stable saddling Chance. She packed supplies that had been generously given to her by the staff of the estate. Messages had been sent to outposts and nearby towns and the Capital to inform of the attempt on Reiner's life, the northmen, and of Viper. Jade had no doubt that the king and queen would soon place an official bounty on Viper's head. But she planned on having her head long before the king and queen offered a reward. Killing Viper was something Jade planned on doing for free and gladly.
A soldier had arrived that morning with a report that Prince Reiner had made it to the outpost and was on his way to the capital in disguise with an armed guard. When the soldier had seen him last, the prince had been feverish and the crossbow bolt had still been lodged in his shoulder. Apparently no one at the outpost had felt comfortable removing it.
Jade hoped he didn't die of infection or fever, but the little she had seen of him, he was a fighter and stubborn. So she prayed he had the will and spirit to live. If the northmen were declaring war on the king, the last thing the country needed was a dead prince.
"You're sure you have to leave?" one of the guards, John, asked as Jade tightened the saddle.
"Yes," she said for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. Everyone had asked Jade if she was sure she had to leave, was sure she was well enough, was sure she had to go after Viper alone. By now everyone on the estate knew Jade and had heard how she helped save Prince Reiner's life. They wanted her to stay until the royal soldiers arrived. But Jade had already lingered for too long, already Viper had a two day's lead.
As much as she had wanted to go immediately, Jade had needed the rest and so did Chance. The mare had given everything Jade had asked of her and more. In reality they could have used more than just two days, they could have used weeks. But two days was all Jade could afford to lose and she refused to trust her life on another horse.
The swelling from the wound on Jade's cheek had only just begun to recede enough for Jade to open her right eye. The healer had debated using stitches when he first saw the wound but decided it wasn't deep enough and simply stopped the bleeding and created a paste to keep over the wound to fight any infection. He'd given Jade a small jar of the paste to take with her, with instructions to apply a new coat twice a day, which Jade was grateful for. With any luck it wouldn't leave a permanent scar.
"I'm sure we could spare some men to go with you," John continued.
"You can't afford the men and you know it," Jade dismissed immediately. She'd seen the state of frenzy the estate was in the last few days. "You need all the help you can get until things settle down. You're still bringing in bodies from the forest and the staff are shaken. Besides, even if the northmen are gone thieves and bandits could find out the estate is vulnerable and you might still be in some danger. You need everyone here until more help arrives."
"The estate will be fine," he insisted. "You're wounded and planning on going after a dangerous criminal by yourself."
"I'm not alone," Jade reminded him, nodding to Phantom who sat outside the opening of the stable as to not spook all of the horses inside. John grunted.
"You still don't have to go alone," he muttered.
"I'll be fine," she promised with a smile. "Look after your people and bury your dead with dignity. Mourn their loss and honor their bravery. I'm sure Reiner will send word when he reaches the Capital, but your duty is here."
"You're sure you have everything?"
"I do," Jade said, gathering Chance's reins.
"Then good luck to you, Jade," John said.
"Thank you," she said pulling herself into the saddle. "Good bye."
"Good bye," he lifted his hand in a wave and watched Jade ride out. Phantom fell in stride and together they rode from the estate. It felt strange to be on the open road with all the supplies that Jade would need. It felt like an eternity since she hadn't been struggling to stay alive or in danger of starving or dehydration. She was still considerably weak, she hadn't had the opportunity to truly rest and rejuvenate her body. But she was better than she had been in a long time and it was enough, it would have to be.
She couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the fact that she was willingly headed back toward danger. That she was head back toward Felkor once again. Not only that, but the risks of running into Protectors was more likely since Viper had sent a message to them about Jade's capture. They would most likely still be in the area scouring for signs of Jade.
She let out a quiet sigh before picking up Chances pace into a trot. "Well," she said looking down at Phantom. "I'm not alone this time. If they want me, they'll have one hell of surprise."