The Kidnapped Prince

Homeward Bound

The coming days for the company pass swiftly. Their path through the forest provides little to no resistance. No one on the road pays them any mind. The company is thankful for it and the clear weather.

They even stop at the small town on the border of the Perilous lands before they cross into the dangerous territory. Like before, they stayed at Hazel's Taven. The tavern owner is surprised to see they have returned quickly and with another person. She begins to ask questions. Questions that demand answers.

Sir Bedivere gives the excuse that Lady Alys's father tasked them to bring her to Rheged to marry Sir Owain, but when they arrived, the knight rejected her outright and very publicly.

Then Hazel asks about Prince Lohot, the young man who wasn't with them before. Sir Bedivere looks to his Prince and tells Hazel they found him on the road and that he claims to be a squire whom Sir Owain left behind.

Hazel is shocked but finds it within herself to keep calm.

Sir Bedivere tells her he understands if she wants them gone, but Hazel won't have it. They were pretty pleasant their first time at the tavern, so the middle-aged woman agrees to let them stay the night. Sir Bedivere profusely thanks the woman with more than enough coin.

That night, in Sir Bedivere and Sir Percival's room, the knights prepare Prince Lohot for what he will see in the Perilous Lands. First, they started with wyverns, the most apparent creature, and then on to the cave dwellers and large rodents they rode.

After an hour-long discussion, Prince Lohot is thoroughly informed. His questions didn't prompt many answers from the company, for they don't have any. At least none to satisfy the Prince.

The following day, the company starts on the half-hidden dirt road just as the sun rises. They ride for four hours before reaching the Perilous Lands border. At first glance, the forest before them doesn't look ominous or foreboding, and then the screech of a wyvern in the distance reminds the company of the hell they are about to enter.

"Here's to wyverns and cave dwellers," Gaheris states, pouring wine onto the ground next to his horse.

Sir Bedivere glances at Gaheris, stunned that he would potentially jinx the company's good luck...if they can call fair skies and no one chasing them good luck. Sir Bedivere squares his shoulders and urges his horse over the border.

The boggy smell of the perilous lands immediately hits him. It's like a wall of heat but a rank odour instead. They skirt around the mountain's edge, looming in the distance, hoping to keep away from the blasted cave dwellers and their large rodents.

Lady Rhoslyn, before she entered the perilous lands, decided to draw on as much power as she could to conserve it. Keep it in case of an emergency. A good thing, too. Six days into their journey across the perilous lands, the wyverns are alerted to their presence.

Attack after attack at night drives the company to rush through the forest. The wyvern attacks are constant and brutal. The winged beasts took their time devising plans of attack when the company was least expecting it. Or they have had time to adjust to the company's former defence.

"Keep going!" Sir Percival yells, urging his horse to go faster. The company rides behind him with Prince Lohot and Lady Rhoslyn in front of him. 

SCREECH

The loud wyvern lands in front of Lady Rhoslyn and Prince Lohot. The pair skid to a stop; one raises her staff, and the other holds the lent sword from the sorceress at the ready. 

Lady Rhoslyn raises her staff and shoots a beam of light at the Wyvern. The beast dodges the blast. Only to be shot through the eye with an arrow. Lady Rhoslyn blasts the Wyvern with the spell that turns things to stone. The Wyvern doesn't stand a chance. 

It creaks and cracks as it claws at the Lady and Prince before turning to cold stone. 

Lady Alys glances at the sky. Overhead, another wyvern circles the company. The wyvern dives for Lady Rhoslyn. "Rhoslyn, another one in coming," 

Lady Rhoslyn pulls her horse out of the way as Lady Alys spurs her horse. Sir Gawain twists in the saddle behind Lady Alys and loses an arrow as best he can at the Wyvern. The arrow misses the winged beast by inches. At the last second, the Wyvern changes targets from the sorceress to the Lady and knight sharing a horse. 

Lady Alys and Sir Gawain try to get the horse to move but end up trying to go opposite ways. One using their legs, the other the reins. The horse only gets confused. The Wyvern gets close, too close for the lady and knight's comfort. Lady Alys spurs the horse, and they dog slides under the wing of the Wyvern.  

Lady Alys swings her sword in an arc—the blade tears through the wing and snags on bone. With the force of being propelled forward, the sword is ripped from her hand. Now, without a blade, the Lady pulls the reins into both hands and urges her horse toward her sister. 

Lady Rhoslyn blasts the new Wyvern with the stone spell as it turns around. The spell slams into the Wyvern's chest. The Wyvern moves as the magic takes over, and stone begins to form where scales used to be. 

Lady Alys whirls her horse around and pulls the blade King Arthur gave her to use in time to see Sir Bedivere and Sir Percival take down a wyvern of their own. Lady Alys reminds herself to buy herself a good bottle of wine for attaching the blade to the saddle. 

For a second, the air is silent. Not even the crack of magic is heard. Then Prince Lohot asks if that is his grandfather's sword. 

Lady Alys spins the blade once before offering it to her kingdom's Prince. "It is, King Arthur gave it to me to give to you in case you needed it,"

"No, you use it. I never like the thing anyway," Pricne Lohot waves her off and gestures to the second Wyvern that Lady Rhoslyn turned to stone. "Besides, you need it more than I do," 

Stuck and turned to stone is a sword lodged in the wing of the Wyvern. All eyes turn to Lady Rhoslyn.

The sorceress shrugs. "What? I didn't see the blade,"

"Please, Sire. Switch swords with me. It's yours by, right,"

"And I want you to use it. It always felt awkward in my hands," Prince Lohot states, refusing the blade after Lady Alys tries to hand it to him again. 

Lady Alys goes to respond but doesn't get a chance. A growing screech urges the company to get going. Sir Bedivere gives the order. The Prince must make it out of the perilous lands at all costs.  

For three days and nights, the company fights off wyverns and sleep deprivation. Then they make it out. The sun and fresh air are a welcome sight. So is the tavern in the distance. It's an easy goal for the company to reach—one final stop before heading to Camelot. 

The company reaches the tavern just after sundown. After stabling the horses, the company of Knights, Ladies, Squires and a Prince head inside. The innkeeper welcomes them and asks how many rooms. To keep it simple, Sir Bedivere asks for four rooms and a good bottle of wine.