The Rogue Lady

Chapter Seventeen

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     “What do you mean; the Bandits won’t leave the cliff?” I exclaimed in exasperation.

     “I mean exactly that; our clan hasn’t left this cliff in centuries, not since the beginning of this Kingdom, just like your family hasn’t left Silverley since the beginning.” Eagle shot me a sharp look, making me clamp my jaws tight shut before he said something I didn’t want him to. “This cliff has become our home. We will not leave it. I refuse to force my people to gather their things and leave, even if it were temporarily. You know what we would find when we return? Ashes. The Lord of Brightburn will surely take the opportunity to burn it all down to the ground.”

     I stared at Eagle from across the fire with wide eyes. I cast a quick glance at Eric next to me and clearly he shared my disbelief. How could he only now reveal that he didn’t intend on even considering to provide help for the rebels? He could have told us before and spared us the trouble of even trying in the first place. My fists clenched and unclenched as I fought the urge to punch the Bandit, not caring about the consequences.

     “Will you not even consider joining us?” I felt ashamed that William had to even ask this question. I had been so sure the Bandits would join forces with us. I had been so sure I could have made them; and now, here we were, ready for an alliance but getting nothing but dust instead. It was frustrating.

     We had stayed with the Bandits for a week, keeping a low profile, and finally William and the rebels had caught up to us. That week with the Bandits had been… something. It was strange, even for me, who knew a thing or two about their ‘way of life’. They had insisted that my archers to go hunting with them every night, starting as soon as the evening Darrick had left camp to find William. Eric was politely, as far as polite went for Bandits, asked to remain at the camp. I was invited for weaving, which I had never done in my life; I refused at first but the women didn’t want to hear any excuses. At the end of the day, Eric had gotten me out of it, claiming someone had to make sure the magician didn’t do anything imprudent. His words, not mine.

     As a result, for one week, I had sat around and done nothing but wait. That was the worst part. It reminded me of being locked up in the dungeons in Silverley; the restlessness, the lack of action, the lack of movements. It would have had me climbing up the walls had there been any walls to climb. The difference with dungeons, though, were the better and more agreeable view, and clean air to breathe. And, of course, as Alex pointed out jokingly, there was less of a risk of dying while with the Bandits. He was joking when he had said it, but he had no idea how true it was. During those four months previous to my escape, I must have gotten close to dying at least two or three times. Which were two or three times too often. But that was usually when the torture stopped for a few days.

     Okay, so the stay with the Bandits was nothing like being locked up in the dungeons.

     And now the outlaws had finally made it here, and William and Eagle had been discussing a potential alliance. Despite the four hour long conversation they had had, I was convinced they had not gone far. Eagle and Hawk, who sat on his right, both had their arms crossed over their chest, showing off their muscles. That had become the alternative for being barred from planting a dagger into the tabletop; I noticed over the week they did that a lot when they got mad. But William had made them leave all their weapons outside. Naturally, the Bandits had excepted us to do the same. I was still buzzing with frustration that my bronze blades had been left outside, leaving me feeling naked.

     “We will not follow you to Silverley, no. We will let you pass through the Passage of Brightburn safely, as I assume you still wish to pass through there.” Eagle had managed to stay relatively calm all throughout the meeting, in spite of some tense moments. Even now, as he spoke, his voice was serene, and not something you would have associated with a Bandit.