The Guardians

Chapter 14

Arlan walked up and down the line of the captives, a good majority of them Guardians of Veloce with a spattering of Sari's men. Almost all were sporting wounds of varying degrees. He was disappointed that neither Sari nor Faeren were among them. The Guardians were all defiant and silent, while Sari's men looked defeated and hopeless. Each captive was on their knees with their hands bound behind them.

"So I see that Faeren abandoned his men," he taunted. "Did he tell you to keep fighting to cover his escape?" No one spoke. "Did he flee with Sari like the coward he is?"

"Faeren's dead," a black-haired man suddenly said.

Arlan strode over to him and grabbed a handful of his hair so he could look in his face. The man winced as his head was pulled back forcibly. He was one of the few not sporting any visible wounds, although his leather armor was bloodstained.

"And how would you know this?"

"I saw him fall. By the time I was able to reach his side, he was already gone."

Arlan released his hair and turned to one of his captains. "Search the battlefield and tell me if you find his body."

"Yes, my liege."

He turned back to the Guardian who'd spoken. "You had best hope for your sake his body is still there."

~~~

Aiden was tiring. His legs were burning from running for so long with the Commander on his back and the muscles in his shoulders were beginning to knot and ache, not to mention his wounded side was throbbing. But he continued to push himself farther. He couldn't allow the exhaustion or the pain to stop him now. Lyra ran behind them, the arrow still nocked. He didn't know her very well. In fact, all he knew was her name and that she was a skilled fighter. He'd seen that skill during her Trial and again before he lost sight of her in the battle. Her red-brown hair was flying in wisps around her face and a large part of it had escaped from its binds to hang at the side of her face. She was panting as much as he was from the long-distance sprinting and the exertion from the battle. His heart ached as he wondered how many more besides Jean had lost their lives to Sari's foolishness. Aiden suddenly stumbled and fell to his knees, exhaustion taking its toll. He didn't know how long they'd run but he knew from the burning in his legs that he could go no farther. Faeren cried out at the sudden jarring of his wounds. He didn't know how he kept from crying out himself with his own wound jarring. Lyra caught up with them a moment later. Aiden half expected her to tell him to keep moving.

"Neither one of you can go any farther. I need to tend to Faeren," she said instead.

Aiden still couldn't believe how steady and calm Lyra's voice was. With her help, he eased the Commander to the ground and sat him against a tree, every muscle in his body and his wound protesting any farther movement. She placed her bow and the arrow she'd previously had nocked on the ground beside her. She began to carefully remove Faeren's armor with Aiden's help. He'd taken a sword to the chest and side, the blade having passed through his heavy breastplate. Faeren tried not to scream as they did so as much as they tried not to jostle him too much. She swung her satchel around to where she could access its contents and pulled out a bundle of herbs.

"I didn't realize you were a healer," Aiden commented.

"Did you think that I was just a warrior?"

Aiden gave her a look, her response implying more. But she offered no more information about herself and he was too exhausted to ask at the moment. And he could see in her eyes that she was just as exhausted. Lyra reached out to place the herbs on Faeren's wounds but before she could, he grabbed her wrist, surprising her. He winced from the sudden movement.

"My time is done," he gasped. "It is your time. Gather what Guardians remain, if any others survived the slaughter." Faeren's face twisted in pain. "If you are the only ones left, protect each other. You are both important to Veloce."

"Faeren? What...?"

"Unite the kingdom under one banner. Only you can do that."

Aiden didn't voice it, but he knew the Commander meant him.

"Faeren, let me tend to you." Her voice sounded like she'd had to say that before.

He shook his head. "Remember what I have said. Unite the kingdom. Bring peace back to these lands. Return peace to Veloce." Faeren placed a hand on Lyra's cheek. "You are both capable of great things. Do not fear the power within." He dropped his hand then, laid his head back, and closed his eyes.

"No," Lyra whispered, a distraught look on her face. The first time he'd seen any emotion cross her face in the two days he'd known her. "No."

That steady and calm in her voice wavered, tears were forming in her eyes. Aiden briefly wondered what he'd meant before it hit him that Faeren was gone. His mentor was gone. Lyra closed her eyes and allowed the tears to fall. As did Aiden.