"We will camp here and head out in the morning to the forest's edge. Scouts will go out an hour before us and relay the position of their men." Aleneo pointed to a spot on the map rolled out on the small table set in the grass.
Around him men were sharpening their blades, checking over their horses, and replenishing their water canteens in the nearby river. They had been traveling for a day and night already, having set out yesterday when Aleneo had arrived to the castle. He'd been in such a rush to gather his men that they hadn't had time to go over a thorough check like he usually did.
They would have to make do with what they were able to bring in such a short time.
But Aleneo was confident with his plans. The humans brought in with the Dark Prince would be disoriented from being in a new world and would be even more confused when Aleneo's men descended upon them.
Aleneo dismissed his commanding officers. They had a lot to do before they could start heading out again and Aleneo wanted some peace to think about his plans over. He couldn't fail. This was his only shot.
He sat on a stool by the small table, flipping through the maps and guessing what locations would be best for posts and what places would get them wedged into a corner. A shadow fell over the maps, blocking the sunlight and obscuring the light he needed to see what he was doing.
Without looking up, he spoke. "Cephus, you're blocking the sunlight."
He flipped to the other map and studied the river paths.
"I want to speak with you."
Aleneo paused at the tone in Cephus's voice. He was used to the servant having an attitude. It was charming and entertaining when everyone was adamant to kiss the ground he walked on. He liked it that way, but there was something fun about the way Cephus fought tooth and nail even though he knew it was useless.
He slowly raised his gaze from the maps set out in front of him and to Cephus's gaze. His head was directly in front of the sun. It made it hard to see what expression exactly he wore, but Aleneo could only guess that it was a serious one. Cephus had always been like that, even when they were children. He was a one emotion person other than when he was as stoic as a rock.
"What is it? I'm a little busy."
Strategies were still going through his head as he looked up at Cephus. For a moment, Cephus didn't say anything. Aleneo had quickly lost his patience and was going to tell Cephus to fuck off when he finally broke the silence.
"I want you to free me."
Aleneo was gobsmacked. He blinked as he processed what Cephus was saying. Then he laughed. Loud. So loud that it attracted stray eyes from the soldiers nearby. One even stopped on his horse and turned in his saddle to gaze back. Aleneo laughed went on longer, only dying when he ran out of air.
He wiped a stray tear that had fallen from the corner of his eye.
"Why would I do that?" He leaned away from the maps. "You've been with me since I was a child. Where would you go? Who would take your place? Come on, Cephus. We're like brothers."
Cephus's expression didn't change. "If you cared about me, you would free me before the Dark Prince returns and kills me."
The smile dropped from Aleneo's face. He slammed his fist on the table. It rattled and the maps crinkled under his fist.
"He isn't returning!" He yelled. More looks. More stares.
He panted through his clenched teeth. Cephus's face finally changed. A look of contempt stretched over his aging features.
"I will be king and he will be rotting in the ground." Aleneo stood, towering over Cephus. He shouldered past him.
"The next time you ask for freedom, I'll lash you in front of every man here."
He left, leaving the maps to billow in the wind.
The summer heat hadn't waned a bit since they'd set out. It had only grown hotter. The men sweated, their faces burned by the sun as they trekked for hours on end. Aleneo was forced to give them a break or less he feared they would start dropping like flies. They were moving again now, behind schedule, but still in good spirits. The worse thing for Aleneo right now was to have his men start to become restless. He already had to deal with Cephus's attitude.
Perhaps he should have sent Cephus home. He wouldn't release him because goddammit, he wasn't going to lose to some human raised fairy who thought he had a right to the throne just because of his blood. Letting Cephus calm down and get back to his normal self would have helpes Aleneo's growing headache, but it wouldn't solve the gaping wound of a problem.
Cephus had lost faith in him. If not even his servant, let alone his cousin, didn't think he could succeed, how did the rest of the kingdom feel? Did they think he was going into battle to die and they were preparing for a new prince to govern them?
Spurred by anger, he kicked his heels and moved his men faster. He ignored the voice of reason to let up the harshness on them as they were already exhausted enough. They could all rest after they'd killed the Dark Prince and all his men.
He squinted as the sun beat into his eyes. They trekked on into the dark forest. The dense trees and brush swallowed them like a black hole. That was when the true reality of what he was doing settled in. Before they entered, there had been an opportunity to turn around and not be the one to take the first steps.
It was too late now. His men were ready to draw blood. He was ready. The only way they would be returning to the castle was if they died or they were victorious.
The air changed as the shade fell over his face. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. The forest became clearer and he was able to move with more confidence than when he'd been blinded by the sun.
Cephus rode behind him while his general's rode in front of him. There was about a half hour where they didn't speak and they only focused on moving through the new terrain.
The further they moved into the forest the more uneasy Aleneo became. The hairs on his arms stood up, the back of his neck was tickled, and little goosebumps started to spread all over his body. He unconsciously twisted the reigns in his fingers. The tension spreading out around him fell heavy on his chest. His next breaths were unsteady and hard to take. It was as if the air had become more solid in the moment that they'd been riding through the trees.
And then they were stepping onto a path that had been there for many years—had existed for hundreds of years before them. The path was so clear that it appeared as if someone had carved it out with purpose. But no one entered the forest. It was too close to the ripple where fairies stopped existing and humans ruled.
Aleneo glanced behind. Cephus was alert, as were all the men. They didn't seem to be as perturbed as Aleneo was. He glanced around, taking in their faces, and then quickly facing forward again so as to not make them worry something was wrong. No distractions. No doubts. He had to be a hundred percent into this.
He gave himself a pep talk and left it at that. He ignored the strange feeling overcoming him like he was being pulled toward a source.
"Sir, the trail ends here."
The leading general, Yazif, pulled to a stop. Aleneo came up beside him and gaze down at the pit they'd come across.
"Shit."
Aleneo stared in disbelief at the cavern blocking their path. Calling it a pit was downplaying the sear mass in front of them. The earth was cracked wide open at around four feet wide. When Aleneo looked down, he could see a bottom but it was about ten feet.
He stared for a minute longer before he sat back up. He glanced left and then right, thinking.
"How wide do estimate it is?"
Yazif steered his horse to the far right to get a better view through the trees. He studied the rift for some time before he came back to the group.
"A few miles, sir. It would take us the rest of the day to go around."
Aleneo let out an infuriated sound. He slammed his fist onto his thigh. Angel nervously rustled beneath him. He quickly soothed her with a gentle pet on her neck.
Too stubborn and not ready to give in to the bad hand he'd been dealt, he looked past the dip in the ground and to the other side. Considering the jump alone, he was most confident that he could make it. Even the fall might not kill him, but if Angel broke a leg or her neck, he'd be forced to put her down.
Forgive me, Angel.
Though the horse had no ideas of the risk he was taking, he felt horrible that he was making such a big decision without giving her a choice. The irony didn't evade him as he didn't care to give Cephus a choice about his enslavement. That was quite different. He was doing Cephus a favor.
Aleneo mustered all the confidence he still had and steered Angel to turn to face his crowd of men.
"I want the best ten riders to come forth. Hurry!"
The men traded spots as the best riders came out of the woodwork. There were a few arguments, but eventually ten men were lined up in front of Aleneo.
He pointed to the ridge. "We are going to jump over that. If you fall, you will be left to die. Who thinks he can make it?"
The men looked at each other.
"Raise your hands!" Aleneo barked. His patience was running thin.
Three out of the ten men raised their hands. Another two cautiously raised their hands after a few delayed seconds. Aleneo looked the men over. They were thinner than average, smaller than the best sword wielders that he knew, but that probably helped their riding skills. However, Aleneo couldn't judge them by just a look. He would just have to pray that these men would be able to fight well if they ended up in trouble.
He nodded. "Good. Yazif, you're with me. Cephus you stay behind."
He kicked his heels and steered Angel toward the edge of the rift. He studied it once more before he back up a good feet. With a steady deep breath and exhale, he flicked the reigns. Angel started fast. She was a focused arrow that didn't veer off her path. Her hooves thudded heavily on the ground. The sound drowned out the rest of the world. Her pants and Aleneo's calm heartbeat surrounded him in her.
Time slowed. And then Aleneo flicked the reigns. Time stopped as Angel launched into the air. Her legs stretched into a perfect arch that Aleneo had performed with her endless times before. But this time had dire consquences.
Aleneo couldn't breathe the entire few seconds that felt like hours in the air.
He closed his eyes as they started to come down.
Angel's whole body jostled hard as her hooves hit solid ground. Aleneo's eyes flew open as a rush went through him. He gasped as his lungs worked again. He stared wide-eyed at the ground, not believing for a second. But then the sounds of the rest of the world burst the bubble between him and her.
He steadied his breath but didn't turn to watch the others follow behind him. There were commands and encouragements from the rest of the men left behind. The galloping of hooves, the screams of terror, and then the colliding of the large mass on the other side. Aleneo counted in his head and was relieved to know that he hadn't lost anyone.
"Sir?" Yazif's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Let's go."
He was relieved when Yazif didn't bring up the tears on his cheeks.
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