The Unfortunate, стр. 77
“Who, Your Majesty?” she answered upon seeing nothing.
“Do you not see her? She is right there!”
“No, Your Majesty. I—”
But before she could finish, the king shrieked and charged.
Jenn also screamed and dodged the approaching blade.
But the king did not alter his direction or attention, and he stormed from the hall still screaming and raving. “Why?” His rants continued to echo. “I have been cursed! Why?”
✽ ✽ ✽
The sun had nearly set by the time she reached the city. The streets were scarcely inhabited, but that was not surprising. The hour was late, darkness would soon encompass the land, and to Jenn it was most fitting. In addition to the onset of night, a storm was approaching, and she watched as dark clouds sailed over her. A prowling, clouding storm. A storm which ’round her danced. That is all her life had been. All those years she had been waiting for the tempest to commence. It finally had, and she would have to endure its winds.
Jenn. Banan’s voice returned. Forget this life … begin anew. Forever. She wanted to cry, but instead she smiled meekly. His words, this time, were more than a memory. They served to subside her fears and to remind her the storm would not linger. The sun would once again rise. That she knew, but before it did Jenn would have forgotten her current life and would have begun anew. More important, however, she and her child, the part of Banan that still lived, would be safe.
She looked back at Caberton Keep one final time before turning away. The castle no longer held the same significance it once had. Although she had lived in Armania all her life, everything about the country that had become Jenn’s home was no more. It had been destroyed in a matter of weeks. First there had been Queen Marlisa, the one responsible for providing Jenn and her mother a home when they had been most in need. And next had been Banan who had first been a childhood friend, someone who she could utterly trust and eventually her first and, as Jenn was already certain, last love. And then, even though no sorrow had existed, there was King Beadurof. His madness, as it had appeared from their last encounter, would be a danger to Armania. What will become of the kingdom and its lands? A mad sovereign, and one with no heir at that, would certainly be seen as vulnerable and soon challenged by one of his enemies. Whatever occurred Jenn knew she would not be a witness, for she had no intention of remaining in the capital, near the outskirts, or even in Armania. She had never considered where else she would go, however. Despite the numerous times she had attempted to forget Drunacht and had insisted she would never return, the idea of crossing the Slender Sea briefly entered her mind. Jenn knew she had support and she would be safe, but there still existed a hesitation. As long as her father, King Aengus, was in power, there would always be a hesitation. For the second time in her life, she departed a land, not mindful of a destination. Fate would guide her. She was certain, and it would steer her course to a brighter future.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
AWIERGAN
Prince Banan’s last words and the slight rasps of his final breaths continued to echo in Awiergan’s mind as he and Atelic rushed through the camp. Getting out was their priority. Even though they had not heard any indication of their crime having been discovered, and even though no one looked at or questioned them as they passed through the labyrinth of shelters, they still knew they had to escape. They had to reach the distant forest.
At last they reached the outer-most tents, but by then a fog had settled upon the land, making it difficult to judge the remaining distance, but the fighters continued to run. Even though they were removed from the camp, they had to reach the wooded area. But even after they had, they continued to sprint through patches of underbrush and past trees, moving deeper into the unknown.
“We have gone far enough,” Awiergan eventually offered, but his friend did not slow. Instead he quickly answered, “No. We need to keep moving. It is the only way.”
“Only way for what? I do not understand.”
“Trust me. We need to keep moving!”
“But I cannot hear voices anymore. Are we not at a safe distance?”
Atelic still did not answer. Instead he continued to run, leading Awiergan deeper into the ever-darkening forest that quickly became difficult to navigate. Vision was limited to only a few paces, and Awiergan soon became disoriented. No longer could he sense Atelic’s movement, and he called for his friend but received no answer.
“ATELIC!”
Again and again, but each attempt, more frantic than the last, proved futile.
“ATELIC! ATELIC—!”
He then felt his foot catch on a root—or a log, or some other debris—and Awiergan did his best to regain his balance but was unsuccessful. He managed to stumble a few steps but eventually fell backward and landed on what he believed were several large stones. Immediately pain surged through his back and he winced, but he did his best to ignore the discomfort. Initially it was difficult, but then he heard his friend squall followed by the sound of approaching voices.
They had been discovered, and Awiergan knew he needed to do something. Even if it meant being caught himself, or worse, he had to find his friend. But he could not move, and as his back continued to ache and