Enzio, armed with a bow and a short sword strapped diagonally across his back, steps forward and goes down on one knee before me. “If you will have me, Princess Sorrowlynn, I will cross the forest with you and Prince Golmarr and see you safely to Anthar. I will fight at your side until I have saved your life, thereby repaying my family’s debt to you.”
The people moving about camp stop what they are doing and gather around us. “Please, Enzio, there is no need to kneel to me,” I whisper. “No one has ever knelt at my feet before.” Enzio makes no move to stand.
Golmarr steps to my side. Leaning close, he whispers, “You call yourself a princess? He is offering you his protection. Refusing him will dishonor his family. Thank him and accept his service!”
I firm my shoulders and try to soften my face to regal gratitude. “Yes, Enzio. Thank you. I accept.” The glade erupts in quiet cheering as Enzio stands. He holds his head high and proud.
“Thank you, my son,” Melisande says, kissing Enzio’s cheek.
Golmarr claps Enzio on the shoulder. “Thank you. Your presence will be a great relief. I am happy to have you along.” Golmarr mounts his horse, and Enzio mounts his. Taking my staff from me, Golmarr slides it into a strap attached to the saddle. I stare at the two mounted men and wonder where my horse is. Golmarr lowers a hand down to me. “You’re riding behind me,” he says. A young man kneels at my feet and cups his hands for me to step into. I put my red leather shoe into his hands and grasp Golmarr’s wrist and they swing me up behind the saddle. My skirt crawls up to my knees, and as I move to yank it down, I pause. Every person in this camp has already seen my naked legs. Sighing with resignation, I lightly put my hands on Golmarr’s waist and wonder what my mother would say if she could see me now.
With Enzio in the lead, we ride out of the clearing, and the children run alongside us, throwing flowers before our horses’ hooves and blowing kisses at me. I smile at them and blow kisses in return. “She blew a kiss at me,” some of them squeal. As the forest thickens around us, the children stop running and instead call goodbye.
We haven’t been riding long when I realize my body is so heavy that I can barely sit straight. I reach my hand up to stifle a yawn, and it is trembling. Throwing propriety to the wind, I wrap my arms around Golmarr’s waist and clasp my hands in front of him. Turning my head sideways, I lean it between his shoulder blades and close my eyes. Within seconds, the steady beat of his heart combines with the gentle motion of the horse and lulls me to sleep. As darkness claims my exhausted body, my hands slide apart and I start to tip, so I jolt awake. I clasp them once more, and this time Golmarr wraps his hand around them, holding them securely together.
He turns and looks at me over his shoulder. “You’re battle weary. Sleep, Sorrowlynn. Sleep. I won’t let you fall off.”
A spear flies at me, and I roll out of the way. When I get to my feet, I am standing on a hillside, and below me the ground is crawling with armed men. I know the men with the red griffin emblazoned on their shields. They are my men. I am their commander. I am the one who planned this attack. We will destroy the Antharian barbarians, and when we do, we will claim their land and their women and children for my king. My king will rule from the northern cliffs all the way to the southern sea.
With a single glance, I can see the perfection of this battle, with my men on higher ground and another force of my Faodarian soldiers coming up from the rear to surround the barbarians. With this battle, we may win the entire war. I thrust my sword in the air and prepare to fight, when I see a shadow speed over my men. I look up to the sky, and all of my hope to win this battle is vanquished. “Fire dragon!” I shout, and as the great beast flies over me, a ball of fire leaves its mouth and…
I wake to warmth. It takes me a moment to realize it is the warmth of Golmarr’s back against the front of my chest and cheek—not dragon fire. His hand is still secured tightly around mine.
“Will we reach the border by nightfall?” Golmarr asks. His deep voice rumbles through his rib cage. “And are there any camps between us and Anthar that you know of?”
“Nightfall, if not earlier. The Black Blades have a claim to the southern region. Unless there are mercenaries squatting on our land, there should be no one between us and your border,” Enzio says. “But we are not taking the normal trail to Anthar. I will not risk crossing paths with mercenaries or renegades. Not when we have a princess to protect.” After a long pause, Enzio says, “I must have your word as an Antharian prince that you will not reveal the secrets of the forest. Not even to your father!”
“On my honor, I will keep your secrets,” Golmarr says.
I pull my hands away from him and sit tall. My back is so stiff that I wince. Golmarr rests his hand on my bare knee and peers over his shoulder. I stare into his close eyes and wonder why I used to think they looked so fierce. “How are you feeling?” he asks.