Stolen Princess

10. An Orc In A Tree

"What? You?" Sosha asked, maybe surprised for the first time since we'd met. 

I let myself smirk just a little at the accomplishment as we slipped through the crowd of men still standing about chatting over their strategies, what they'd each heard of the mythical fount of tranquility. It was said to be born from tears of the Goddess' youngest sister, Ethierial, just after the Orcs had murdered her beloved and very human fiance. 

It was meant to be an insult to the party from Orcdon no doubt, and they could be offended if they liked... it didn't matter to me. Neither side mattered just now... that freedom was so close... I knew how to get that water, and as far as I could tell, I was the only one in the kingdoms who did.

"We'll need overnight supplies and horses," I ordered, a strange confidence in my voice that had never been there before, "Naatan can't come... it's rumored she eats children," I added, stalking with speed through the still empty canvas camp towards the indigo tents.

"She?" Sosha echoed, but it wasn't lost on me that it was the only thing about my demands she was questioning for the moment.

"The witch," I explained taking a deep breath to brace for what I knew was ahead, "We have to go and see a witch."

"You - you're talking about the dark Shadow Forest?" Sosha concluded, and I detected the tiniest bit of fear in her voice, but she stopped talking after that and we came into camp before any of the other knights had left the arena.

"Saddle up!" Sosha ordered like my second in command, and I came to a halt outside the tents, throwing my arms over my chest as I waited for my party to ready themselves.

Leif, Talon, and Naatan each poked out of the tents with questions.

"The boy stays," Sosha ordered, wagging one threatening finger at Naatan, then, "Leifson - I said HORSES, at least half a century ago for Goddess' sake!"

"Since when - "

"GO," the she-Orc commanded with such a deadly boom, that Leif all but scampered away with only a few glances over his shoulder on the way.

"What is going on?" Talon asked, taking us both in, but I was so angry at him, I didn't have time to deal with it just now... I needed to focus.

"Magical scavenger hunt...and our girl knows what to do," Sosha said shortly with one nodd in my direction as she began throwing things into a satchel she'd grabbed from somewhere.

"She knows what to do?" Talon asked, looking at me like I'd grown a second head.

"Would you like it in writing, Your Highness? Or can you get on the horse now?" Sosha snapped, and I actually cracked a smile.

"Brought them!" Leif was saying, as he nearly jogged into camp.

"Where's Alder?" I asked, speaking at last. They all went silent, Naatan looked up at Talon for an answer but Talon wouldn't meet my eye.

"It'll have to wait," Sosha ordered, slamming the satchel into my chest and shoving me towards a horse.

"Wait? What -"

"Wren!" I heard Isobel call incredulously. I winced, now was not a good time.

"Isobel, I'm sorry," I began, turning to find her coming out of Talon's tent once more. Had they really been alone in there together for that long? I shook myself for the thought, I was wasting time.

"I just wanted to say -" she cut herself off as tears filled her large blue eyes and her chin wobbled.

"I'll be fine," I promised with a reassuring nod, and my gentlest smile reserved for the only family member who actually loved me. She nodded back, then threw her arms around me, squishing the overstuffed satchel between us in the process.