The Princess of Light and The Knight of Shadow

Truth

They rode through the forest, leaving the sound of fighting behind them.

Nox's wrists were still bound, a precaution for Ireela and the others, but Nox didn't mind. After what the king had told him, he would want to keep himself powerless as well.

He glanced to his left. Ireela's face was still concealed by her hood, but there was no mistaking it: she was his Squire. She was here, breaking him out of imprisonment, even though she should be at the Academy.

She was here committing treasonry against the kingdom.

Guilt bubbled in his throat. Why was she here? She had a family back in her village; by helping him, their lives, and hers, were already forfeit. And that man, the Earth Wielding riding just in front of him. Nox had a feeling he knew who it was.

"Sir Aldros." He spoke calmly, yet his voice trembled with a low growl. A warning and a plea.

The man glanced at him briefly, his face shadowed. But Nox could tell his lips were curled in amusement. "We'll explain everything later. The hideout isn't that far."

Hideout?  Nox's brow creased. How long had they been planning this?

There were so many questions whirling in his mind, but asking them now wouldn't yield a satisfying result. They needed a safe place to rest. And then, Nox would get his answers, even if he had to force it out of Aldros's mouth.

They passed a rushing creek to their left, then rode along a winding trail that led to the base of a small hill, surrounded by birches and elms. A small pond to the side glittered with the afternoon that pierced the forest canopy.

Along one side, hitching posts were erected, with a long water trough for the horses. After a quick search to ensure they weren't followed, Aldros dismounted to tie their horses. Nox was about to leapt to the ground when Ireela hurried over to him.

"Wear these, Master," she said, holding a pair of worn leather shoes.

Nox glanced at his bare feet, then at the ground. Twigs and bramble littered the forest floor. "Thank you," he said, putting on a boot while Ireela laced the other.

"Come." Aldros beckoned to him from a thin path snaking toward a log cabin nestled in the center of four towering oaks. Nox followed.

It was cozy inside, and he found himself collapsing on the plush leather couch. Ireela went to the small kitchen to prepare something to eat, while Aldros took a chair and sat by the window, gazing outside.

"What are we waiting?" Nox asked.

"The others," Aldros answered without taking his eyes off the window.

The others. Was Estella among them? Who else were part of the ambush? Those silver eyes flashed in his mind again. It was Estella, Nox was certain. But why would she commit treason? It couldn't be just for him.

He clasped his hands to prevent them from shaking. The price of treason was death, and the second princess had just willing betrayed her nation. For whom? A monster.

Ireela approached with a tray of steaming soup and a slab of meat. "Here's your food, Master." She set it down on the table and took a seat on the opposite chair.

Nox stared at the food, real food. It felt as if it had been a lifetime, even though he had only been imprisoned for days. Or had it been just days?

"Ireela?"

"Yes, Master?"

He looked at her. She had already lowered her hood, allowing him to see the nervousness in her eyes. Her fingers fidgeted on her lap. "How... How long has it been?" It couldn't be that long, he knew. When he touched his face before they escorted him away, the skin was still smooth and hairless. And his Squire's faced looked just as he remembered.