Splintered Fate (8 page)

Lana rummaged through her things
until she found a riding outfit that might suffice and quickly
slipped it on. It was a blue fitted tunic with camel colored pants,
which she wore with laced boots. She slid a small hand blade into
her boot thinking a whole sword may be too much but then decided to
take a sword too.

So that’s what
you think a Rami woman looks like?
His
words entered her thoughts.
Lana rolled
her eyes at Ardin while pulling her hair into a loose braded
bun.

“
They look just like us. Don’t you
remember from Ucu?”

Yes, I didn’t mean that… but your
outfit, it’s clearly of a fine material and fitted to you. It is
almost certainly finer than most Rami women are wearing.

“
This is all I have, we shall hope
that it’s enough. Besides surely some of their women dress in finer
clothes.”

None of which fight for their
King’s army.

“
This could be people seeking
refuge, not an army.”

Or you may be wrong.

Lana turned without comment,
walking out the room and began heading down the dimly lit hall,
followed by Ardin. She walked as quickly as she could without
alarming others, her boots slapped the marble floor with every
quick step.

Near the front of the castle door
stood two guards, flanking the entrance. Their presence stopped
Lana in her tracks. Would they stop her from leaving?

She would have to go another way,
so that her leaving may go un-noticed. Lana knew of a few side
doors that she had seen servants take. They were on the side of the
castle and lower on the sloping hill it was built on. Guards would
certainly be posted there eventually, but it was still early and
Lana hoped that they had yet to close off all the ways out of the
castle.

Turning the corner, Lana headed
down a dim hallway, where she snuck down the servants’ staircase
and emerged from the castle unseen. Luck was on her side. Once
outside she turned, looking at the fortress. Breath found her a
little more freely now that she was outside and less likely to run
into her father.

Near the door she emerged from,
the ocean below could be seen. The waves of the water looked to be
more violent than in the morning, thundering against the cliffs. It
was like the ocean knew what was stirring along its boarders, and
didn’t approve.

Lana twisted, heading away from
the castle, swiftly moving past those who were outside. Word was
spreading of the Rami people, providing a thick blanket of
uneasiness amongst the people, allowing Lana to move
unnoticed.

She headed north towards the
forest. This was out of the way but the least likely way to be
seen. Even in the commotion Lana didn’t want to linger for too long
around people who may recognize her. The forest would protect her
from curious eyes. No one should have been wondering the woods at a
time like that.

They had only made it several
yards into the forest when a sound from her right stopped
her.

Four horses stood within view. On
top one was an old man with white hair and a short white beard. The
two horses on either side of him each carried a child. Lana’s gaze
passed over the children, but something familiar pulled her eyes
back to them. It was Alex and Nadina, the children she had met
earlier in the day. The fourth horse was empty, yet saddled. She
turned to see if there was anyone else around, but saw no
one.

“
You want to borrow our horse, my
dear?” The old man asked kindly.

Lana stared at him,
apprehensively, in shock to have run into someone, let alone be
offered a horse by the stranger. She couldn’t seem to find the
words to say.

“
We hear a war is coming so we are
leaving, this gal’s an extra… I think he would be more use to you
than us.” Said the old man.

“
Cyra has begun evacuating?” Lana
asked, surprised at how quickly the Sterlings had gotten word out
to all their people, warning them of the Rami near by. Somehow
enough time had passed that some were already heading out of the
city.

The old man giggled. “Oh no my
dear, is that what Cyra Sterling plans to do?”

“
Then how do you know to leave?”
Lana asked, confused as to how the old man seemed to know what was
going on.

He held up his hand and a small
black and white lizard with a bit of red crawled across his
palm.

“
Your Aorra?” Lana asked with a
gasp. It was the same lizard that she had seen earlier that day.
Never had she seen an Aorra like this before.

“
Yes, my dear.”

Had he been eves dropping on their
conversation at the council meeting with his Aorra? Unease twisted
inside of her. Lana eyed at the three of them before her. Nadina
had Nila hanging in a pouch beside to her. Lana could see fear in
both her and her brother’s eyes. Their grandfather didn’t seem to
be bothered at all.

“
Thank you, but I have no way to
pay you for the horse.”

“
No need, take it, perhaps we can
travel together, though we will not go into the Rami camp with
you.”

Lana’s eyes grew
wide.
How?

“
I have my ways
of knowing things, young Casteel.”

And then she
remembered his Aorra. Was it in the castle listening when she was
talking to Ardin? Were they speaking out loud?
That little thing is a spy. How's it get around so
quickly?
Lana thought. Anxiety came over
her, this man knew so much of what was going on, yet she knew
nothing of him, but a horse would help cut time and save her some
energy.

“
I
suppose, though
it may be dangerous.” Lana was reluctant to have them travel with
her. She planned on doing this alone, not wanting anyone to get in
her way, nor did she want to cause them to get hurt. But if they
were to turn around and head away before they came upon the Rami
then perhaps it would be okay.

“
A little danger can be good for
the soul.” The old man said with a shrug of his shoulders and a
small sparkle in his eye.

“
Thank you for
your kindness,” Lana replied, suspiciously keeping her eyes on him.
She approached the all white horse. The mare was magnificent and
already saddled with a beautiful leather saddle.
She climbed onto the horse. The saddle seat fit
to her perfectly. If the old man gave her the horse so freely then
did he know she would come this way, did he have it saddled for
her? This was the most peculiar thing.

“
I must urge you to go to safety.”
Lana spoke to the bearded man.

The old man shrugged “Where is there safety
today? It's a relative term. We will be ok with you, council
woman.”

Lana’s lips pressed in to a thin line. They
were not safe, and they knew that, yet he still was willing to go
with her towards danger and with two children.

“
I do not even know your
name.”

“
Donn” he said with a smile. Lana
looked at him expecting more, a last name perhaps but he did not
give it.

“
Donn, very well, we should get
going.” Lana began riding with the three following her. They rode
fast, but in silence.

You are being awfully quiet,
traitor.

What?
Ardin replied as if he had no idea what Lana was
referring to.

You knew the old man and the
children were up ahead and you let me wonder straight to them, no
warning.

Ardin would have
heard or felt the people up ahead, but he did not warn Lana of it
in hopes that the strangers would stop her, ruin her plans. The
plans he found irrational. To her luck that is not how things
happened.

After a short ride Lana came to a
stop. “I’m going to go on foot from here, they must be about a mile
out. You should not go any further,” she dismounted the beautiful
white mare.

“
Be safe,” Donn gave her a kind
nod of his head. Once Lana was standing on her own, her eyes met
with the old man’s. He made no attempts to take the white horse and
leave.

“
Aren’t you going?” Lana
asked.

“
We will stay, we got you this
far. If your father found out I helped you and just left you here
alone he would have my head. We will stay in case you need
help.”

Lana nearly winced at the mention of her
father.

“
You know Valdor?”

“
I have met him a few times here
and there. He is a busy man. I am more of a supporter then
acquaintance.”

Glanced over at Donn’s grandkids,
Lana released a deep sigh. They were just children, they shouldn’t
be here, so close to danger.

“
They will be safe with me,” Donn
added, as if reading her mind.

“
I do not feel comfortable
endangering their lives, you should leave.” Lana urged him
quietly.

“
Well I’m not.” Was his only
reply.

“
So be it.” She was frustrated
with him, how he couldn’t see that it would be best for him if he
simply took his grandchildren and left. Even though she hated it,
there was nothing that she could do to change Donn’s
mind.

Lana slipped off her sword. She
eyed it a moment, considering whether to bring it with her or to
leave it for fear of someone noticing the blade as a Madonian
weapon. If she needed a weapon she could always create a sword,
though it would take some strength and concentration to do so.
Having her sword with her would be easier if she ran into trouble,
but it would also make it easier for her to be made as a
Madonian.

Deciding against bringing the
sword, she fastened it to the beautiful white mare for safe
keeping. After taking a deep breath, she turned to her Aorra, this
was going to be a challenge.

“
You are to stay here and keep
them safe.”

NO.
Ardin released a deep growl, the kind that any
one but Lana would have found threatening.

Someone sees me wondering around
with a great big wolf… it’s not very Rami of me.

Absolutely not
Lana.
She could feel the anger radiating
from him. He was not happy at all about her plan.

It’s not up for discussion, you
will obey. Keep them safe and if I need you then I will call for
you.

There were some Madonians that
gave their Aorra’s orders. Lana was never one of those. Ardin was
always free. They were partners, she did not master him into
obeying her every wish for she never had the need for that. But
this day was different. She must do this alone and Ardin would
never willingly agree to it.

You cannot do
this!
His voice snarled in her
mind.

I can. And I am. The more you
fight me the more you will pull my energy and attention from me and
the more danger you will put me in, so please do not fight
me.

Lana could feel her Aorra’s rage seeping
through his consciousness into her own.

If the choices
you make today get you killed, just remember that you will not be
the only one to die.
He snapped and with
that Lana was alone. Ardin had pulled back and shut her out from
himself.

A shudder ran through her at the
thought of causing her Aorra his life. Ardin would lay down his
life for her but she would never want to be the reason for his
death, he knew that. Yet his words still carried a sting with
them.

But what choice did she have? To
run away? No, she would not turn away from this, not when the
threat came from the Rami and Arkhip Dukran was using this
situation to gain the war he had always wanted. She was going to do
whatever she could to protect her people.

Lana looked up at the six
chocolate brown eyes staring back at her from atop the horses. She
gave Donn a parting nod and turned, pausing, giving a final glance
at Ardin before heading away, deeper into the forest.

The anger coming from Ardin
subsided with every step that she took, putting distance between
them. Soon the only sounds she heard were the distant birds and the
gentle rustlings of leaves. Walking through the woods alone was
calming, even though what she was about to do could be the
stupidest thing she had ever done.

* * *

After some time treading between
the trees, Lana came across a Rami standing perfectly still with a
tree against his back. She paused, like a small animal who had just
spotted a predator lurking in the nearby shadows, frozen and hoping
that she had not been spotted. The Rami didn’t seem to notice her
from the distance, his gaze was bored and he stared straight at the
woods in front of him. Keeping her eyes locked on him, Lana took a
few cautious steps to the side until she was well hidden behind
brush, where she could more comfortably examine the Sentry up
ahead.

He was tall with broad shoulders
and a stern face. His olive skin tone and earthy colored open vest
gave him away as a Rami. He seemed to be posted by the tree,
stationary. Quietly, Lana looked around, wondering how many
sentries they had posted around their camp. No others could be seen
from where she stood. Silently, she skirted around the brush,
moving away from the Rami unnoticed.