Shae let out a yelp as Felix tugged her to the floor of the carriage and protectively hovered above her.
"Stay down," he hissed when she tried to raise her head to peer out the window. "We're under attack!"
Biting back an acerbic reply that he was stating the obvious, she remained low, listening to the unmistakable sounds of battle outside. The clanging of the soldiers' armour and shields protecting them from blows, weapons clashing, and the soft swoosh of arrows. The door to the carriage flew open and Castel, the captain of the King's Guard, waved them outside. Blood stained his armour, and his arm hung limply at his side.
"Get out!" he yelled. "There are too many of them. Two horses are ready for you. We will try to hold them off as long as we can, but you must leave now!"
"No!" Felix protested. "I don't want to leave my men."
"Your Majesty," Castel urged. "You're unarmed and exposed. Erya needs you. We cannot lose another High King."
It looked as if Felix wanted to argue further, but was forced to pull Shae out of harm's way when a man came charging at them with his sword raised. Castel blocked him with his shield, knocking the man to the ground.
Looking back at them, he yelled, louder now. "Leave! Before it's too late!"
Nodding grimly, Felix took Shae's hand and pulled her along towards the two horses. They had to step over the bodies of fallen men, the metallic sounds of the battle accompanying their every move. There was so much blood. Shae's eyes scanned their surroundings. The quiet country road had turned into a battlefield with men fighting all around them. Her breath quickened, her heart beating wildly in her chest. It was almost as if she was back in her father's castle the night the zealots attacked.
Felix let go of her as he bent down and grabbed a sword and shield from the body of a soldier on the ground. A man came running towards them, and he used the shield to bash the attacker. Without his hand on her, she was rooted to the spot. The sounds of the battle echoed through her head, the tangy smell of blood stinging her nostrils. She closed her eyes, trying to shut it out. Her mother and brother lying dead on the cold floor of the throne room. So much death...
"Shae!"
Felix's voice brought her back, and she opened her eyes to see him under attack again with a second man closing in on him from behind. Without thinking, she grabbed a bow and quiver from one of the dead and put an arrow in the approaching man's chest. Having knocked out the other attacker, Felix turned his head to stare at her in shock, his green eyes wide.
"Let's go!" Pushing the memories aside, she could finally move.
He ducked from an enemy arrow before shielding her with his arm as they ran to the horses. Hoisting her up on one, he then mounted the other. With a final, wistful glance back at his soldiers, he smacked the back of her horse to set it in motion before following.
"The forest," he called after her. "We need the cover."
It was nightfall by the time they stopped to make camp by a small stream. They'd travelled in the water, allowing the current to wash away their tracks. Felix finally seemed content to believe anyone following them would be far enough behind. Her arms and legs were aching from riding for so long. This was the longest she'd been on a horse for years, and exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her. When Felix came to help her dismount, she literally fell into him. He steadied her by wrapping his arms around her.
For a moment, she allowed herself to close her eyes and feel safe in his embrace. He was warm and firm, smelling faintly of the sandalwood soap she knew he favoured, but now it was mixed with the smell of horses and blood. Steeling herself, she pulled away and turned to unsaddle her horse. His hand on hers stilled her movements.
"Let me do that," he said softly. "You can barely stand upright."
She shook her head. "I want to help."
"Then find us some firewood." He undid the straps of the saddle. "I think we're far enough away that we can risk a small fire to warm us through the night."
Grateful for something to occupy herself with, she walked around the closest bit of the forest and collected twigs, small branches, and some moss. When she returned, Felix had unsaddled both horses and was busy rubbing them down. The saddles lay on the ground together with a couple of saddlebags and rolled up blankets. Rummaging through the bags, she found some flint and tinder. By the time Felix finished tending to the horses, she had a small fire crackling and some bread that she'd found in a bag. It wasn't much of a meal, but at least it was something. She silently offered him a piece as he came to sit next to her. They ate in companionable silence, content to stare into the small fire.
"So..." Felix's voice made her look over at him. He looked relaxed, leaning back against the saddle. "You're an archer."
"Was," she corrected him. "I haven't fired an arrow since the Dark Disciple's followers retreated."
"And here I thought I'd married a demure lady of leisure." He grinned, obviously amused.
"It's what I am." It's what her mother had wanted her to be. A proper lady who married well. At least she'd done her proud on that last count. Gathering her mass of auburn hair, she brought it over her shoulder and braided it slowly. She never knew what to do with her hands when not gripping a bow, and keeping them occupied usually calmed her.
"When I was young, I wanted to be a knight," she admitted, too tired to keep up the wall she usually maintained whenever her husband was around. "I wanted to fight against the Dark Disciple and the Dark God's zealots. You rarely saw me without my bow and quiver. I was so disappointed when our army left to help you take Messina back. I so wanted to go with them."
"Why didn't you?" He popped another piece of bread in his mouth, watching her intently. It was probably more than she had ever revealed about herself to him before. Not because she hated him, but because she needed to maintain the distance between them. He was too charming. Too kind. A woman could easily lose her heart to his winsome smile.
"I suppose my father thought I'd be safer at home, and my mother always wanted me to act more like a proper lady."
"For what it's worth, you seem to be a very proper lady these days," he offered. "Maybe too proper."
Her brows knotted. "I don't think there is such a thing as too proper."
"Oh," he retorted, his green eyes mirthful. "But there is."
Deciding to ignore him, she bit off another piece of bread. It hadn't always been easy keeping the handsome king at arm's length. He'd made many attempts at engaging her in conversation or including her in events, over the past three years. He said they barely knew each other, and while it was mostly true, part of her disagreed. The part who knew how he would tousle their son's hair every night before bed. The part that knew how his nose crinkled when something displeased him. How his laughter was so contagious she had to restrain herself from laughing too, even if she wasn't amused. But that part of her was obviously foolish and should not be paid heed.
"So, when did you stop using your bow?"
"There wasn't much need for it in Messina. My father brought me there to be a lady. To be a queen. I locked my bow and quiver up, and he brought it back home with him."
"You're very proficient."
"I was," she agreed. "It's been several years, so I doubt I'm as good as I used to be."
"You saved my life, so I'd say good enough."
Their gazes met, and she felt an inexplicable pull towards him and had to fight the urge to lean into him. Allow herself to be held, comforted. She didn't need such things. Especially not from him. Quickly breaking eye contact, she busied herself with putting the remaining bread back into a saddlebag. Once finished, she played with the bottom of her braid as she thought of the attack.
"Who do you think attacked us?"
"I don't know. Could be highwaymen, or it could be people targeting us specifically."
"They're pretty bold to attack a carriage with an armed guard."
He nodded. "That's what worries me. It might have been a pre-planned raid."
"Do you think Castel and the other King's guards made it out of there?" It was a worrying thought. Cas was probably the closest thing she had to a friend in the castle. "All the soldiers?"
"I certainly hope so," he said, his voice hard. "Leaving them behind was—I should have stayed to fight."
"You couldn't. They would have been in more danger trying to protect their unarmoured king." She put her hand on his arm to comfort him, but quickly changed her mind and snatched it back.
Felix looked at his arm where she had touched him, a sardonic half-smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"I will get some sleep," she murmured. "Wake me in a few hours and I will keep watch while you sleep."
"As you wish, my queen," he quipped.
~~~~~~