Ch 31: The Race to the Clearing

Calder didn't know how long he had sat there crying but he was glad no one had disturbed him. The Crown Prince weeping over his forbidden love in the War Room; he cringed to think what people would say.

So once there were no more tears to weep, he dried his face, straightened his tunic, and left to wander the halls.

He couldn't remember the last time he had cried. Even when he left for his journey his eyes had been dry for he knew that someday he would return to her. In fact, the last time he could remember shedding tears was when his mother had died. After that, he had sworn to himself he would be strong no matter what, if for nothing else, for his father. The King had wept that day also, but he knew he had a kingdom to run, and had returned to his duty. Calder knew if his father had to be strong for the people, he had to be strong for his father.

He had been wandering the halls of the palace aimlessly when he realized where his feet had been taking him; they had been following the tether around his wrist, towards Tasha.

He stopped.

While he longed to go to her, yearned to be near her, he knew he couldn’t, but he also couldn’t trust himself not to rush to her side if he got any closer.

Cal ran his hand down his face. He needed a distraction.

Turning, he walked as quickly as he could the opposite direction, out of the castle, and towards the training grounds. Perhaps having his sword in his hands would take his mind away from that which he longed for.

The grounds were quiet, most of the soldiers asleep, but pyres still burned, lighting the area enough to see in the dark.

Calder swung his sword again and again at the training dummy. Everything he had been feeling, all his anger, frustration, sorrow, fear, all of it feeding his arms as he hacked away at the hunk of wood and straw.

"I would be afraid if I were the person you were imagining that dummy to be right now."

Cal stopped and turned.

He knew that voice anywhere. After all, it had been by his side almost every day for the last five years, and several more before that.

A man, only slightly older than Calder with thick wavy brown hair and a long beard, stepped out of the shadows. The fire glinted off his armor and sword and danced on the Prince's crest that sprawled across his tunic.

"Care to take its place Talib?"

Talib chuckled. "It would be more of a fair fight." He drew his sword.

Calder had thought he wanted to be alone, but the sight of the Captain of his Guard, his best friend, brought comfort to him.

"Don't go flattering yourself my friend, it's still not a fair fight."

The Captain laughed and circled around Calder. "You're right, should I tie one arm behind my back to give you a better chance?"

"If you had three arms you still wouldn't fair well."

Before Talib could respond, Caleb charged.

If anyone had been watching, it would have been a sight to behold. Both men were beyond skilled, their feet moving in a calculated dance, blades clashing and clanging in the night.

Calder focused all his emotions and thoughts on defeating his opponent. The two had trained together since they were young, they knew each others' every move. But there was a fire in Cal that needed to be quenched, and his speed seemed faster, his strength greater, and finally, he flung Talib's sword from his hand, pressing his own to his friend's chest.

Both were breathing heavily, sweat on their faces. "I'll give you this one Prince." said Talib with a chuckle.

Calder lowered his sword. "So generous as always." He had no idea how long they had been fighting, but the moon was high in the sky.

Talib approached him and slapped his hand on his shoulder. "Good to have you back."

Cal shot him a curious look as the two sheathed their swords and started to wander back towards the barracks, closer to the castle.

Talib rolled his eyes. “We return from our journey, celebrate for a single night, and you disappear. I heard the rumors about your 'cleansing' but I had a sneaking suspicion you'd gone off to see a certain redhead in the village." Talib wagged his eyebrows.

Indeed, Calder had told him about Tasha, not all the details of course, but the man standing next to him was like a brother, the closest thing he would ever have to one, and it had been Talib that had helped him sneak out to see her all those times.

But the mention of his love brought a furrow to his brow.

Talib cocked his head. “Perhaps you were imagining the dummy to be a man you found her with? Five years is a long time to wait--"

"She wasn't with another man." Calder took a deep breath. He wanted so badly to tell Talib everything, but he knew Errant would come unhinged. Besides, he couldn't imagine how it would make his best friend and the Captain of his Guard feel to know he had ridden home beside a demon without him being able to tell the difference.

"Then do tell, what has you raging as only a scorned lover could rage?"

"It's complicated. I did go to see her, but my anger isn't because she was with someone else, it's because I can't be with her."

Talib stopped. "Your father didn't arrange a marriage while you were away did he?"

Calder laughed. If that were the reason he couldn't be with Astasha he would have jumped for joy. Arranged marriages used to be taken very seriously, always for political or military gain. But as kingdoms merged and aligned, there were fewer and fewer bloodlines that weren't related in some way or another, and arranged marriages began to become more out of necessity for an heir than strategical means. It would have been an easy thing to talk his father out of had that been the case.

No, the true reason was one that couldn't be skirted around, but he couldn't tell Talib without it leading to questions he couldn't answer.

"I don't think my father is worried about me producing an heir just yet." He said trying to avoid giving a real answer. But Talib was persistent, it was part of what made him such a good Captain. He never let anything go, and it had saved their lives many times on their journey.

"So what other reason would there be that would keep you from such a beauty as you described her?"

"One beyond my control."

"Calder--"

Talib wasn't going to let him get away with not elaborating further, but he was cut short when Cal hissed in pain suddenly, grasping his hand to his chest.

It had felt as though something had sliced through it, but when he looked at it, there was nothing.

"Calder?" Talib's hand was on his back, concern on his face. "What's wrong?"

But Cal wasn't listening. He was suddenly aware of an intense feeling of fear and panic in his gut, and now that he realized it, it had been there since their conversation had started. He had been trying so hard to distract himself… if only he hadn’t succeeded. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Tasha." Cal broke out into a sprint towards the castle, Talib on his tail.

“Oy! What the fuck is happening?"

"She's in trouble! Get the guard!" Calder yelled to his Captain.

"Who's in trouble? What are you talking about?"

He knew Talib didn't understand what was going on but he didn't have time to respond. He had to get to her.

Talib's hands grabbed him and swung him around. "What the hell is going on Calder?"

He didn't have time for this, he needed to help Tasha. "I don't have fucking time to explain Talib, just, get my guard and meet me in the Magic Wing." He tried to turn away but Talib's grip tightened, holding him there.

“Calder, stop. You're a man of battle damnit. Rushing in without a plan or strategy or all the information is a death sentence and you know it. I need to know what's happening."

The look on his Captain's face was grave but stern and Cal knew he was right. He took a breath and tried to think of the fastest and easiest way to explain what was going on to get his men moving, to get them to where he needed them to help him protect Astasha.

"You've been with me through everything Talib, and you've trusted my call on and off the battlefield. I need you to trust me now."

"Always. Tell me what's going on."

Calder looked at his friend and hoped that he wouldn't think he was crazy. "Someone is trying to release a demon on the palace. It's trapped inside one of the members of the Royal Magic Advisory and I think they've gotten to them. We have to stop them before they do or there's no knowing what hell they will unleash."

For a brief moment, Cal feared Talib would laugh and think it was a joke. But the look on his face must have been enough to convince his friend otherwise.

"I'll raise the alarm."

Calder let out a breath of relief. He knew he would have to answer Talib's many questions later, but for now, he was simply happy he didn't ask him to explain how he knew Tasha was in trouble.

Talib turned to leave but this time it was Cal who stopped him. "Talib, no alarms. We can't risk a panic. Just get the men and--"

His words were lost as a pain more intense than he had ever felt ripped through him. He crumbled to his knees, clutching his chest. Everything went dark for a moment, and when his sight returned, Talib was kneeling next to him, shaking him.

"Calder! Your Highness!"

Cal felt as though all of his strength had been sucked from his body. He was trembling and dizzy. Panic set in. Whatever had just happened to Tasha, it was bad.

"Get High Sorcerer Errant." He managed to get out. "Tell him he needs to get to Sorceress Astasha now. It may be too late."

Talib was looking at him with concern and confusion. "I need to get you to the healing ward."

Using what strength he had he shoved the man trying to help him away. “Damnit! Go! Now! That's a fucking order!"

Shock was on Talib's face, but he was a soldier, and an order was an order. He nodded and sprinted off toward the castle.

Calder shook his head to clear it. 'Focus.' He told himself. He had been in worse situations, had pushed through worse pain and exhaustion. And now, Tasha needed him.

Pushing himself to his feet, he stumbled slightly. But he forced himself to stand and continue on.

The emotions inside him were a whirlwind and he didn't know where his began and Tasha's ended. And then something dawned on him.

He focused on the tether around his wrist and stopped abruptly when he realized it wasn't leading him toward the Magic Wing.

She wasn't in her room.

Talib would be sending Errant to the wrong place. The only one who could find her was Cal, and there was no time to get help.

Gritting his teeth, Calder took off in another direction, the tether pulling him toward the side of the castle.

He ran, not thinking about anything but getting to the woman he loved. There was an intense wave of that love that washed over him, almost a joyful, peaceful feeling… and then pain started to sear through his head and body as if he was being beaten and torn apart. As excruciating as it was, he ignored it, letting his adrenaline push him further and further.

He was in the forest now, dodging trees and jumping over bushes. The relentless invisible attacks continued and his heart began to shatter as he understood what they probably were.

Suddenly he burst through the trees and he instantly knew where he was.

He was in the same clearing Astasha had taken him to, the one where she had performed the ritual.

And what he saw there made his heart stop.