As Rayne and I moved further into the blacklands we had to move south towards the capital. There was dots of white wolf camps around the land. Most of them only had about four or five men but they were better equipped than the bandits we had met on our travels.
As we got deeper into the blacklands I could see a castle in the distance. There was a inner stone structure but it was surrounded by wooden walls and buildings.
“That’s the capital, Lupus!” Rayne said to me.
“It’s nothing like Astu!”
“No it’s not but it’s twice as dangerous! We have to be careful to get inside!”
“We?” I asked.
“Think I’m going to let you go in there alone?” She half smiled.
“Thank you!”
“We must keep moving!”
As we grew closer to the castle the light began to fade. It was going to help our efforts of getting in though.
It was nearly night as we reached the castle walls.
“This way!” Rayne whispered as we scurried around the castle wall to the eastern side.
This side of the wall had been built into a rock face. With the great sea not far beyond it.
“Can you climb?” She asked me.
“I used to when I was younger!”
“Well this is the only way in so you better be able too!” Without another word she began to climb the rock face. It was about six time’s the height of me and didn’t look easy to climb but somehow Rayne was already a quarter of the way up.
I began to climb up myself and it took all my strength to get to the top. When I got there Rayne was gone. I instantly panicked as I scanned around for her but couldn’t see her.
“You there!” A voice came from the side of me.
“Fuck” I gasp.
“What….” his words were cut short as I turned to look at him and he had Rayne’s dagger sliding across his throat. He then slumped down to the side.
“This way!” Rayne waved me on!
I crouched down as I followed her. We moved along the top of the wooden wall and hid in the guard post which had just been vacated by the dead guard.
“OPEN THE GATES!!” A booming voice came from the inner castle. From where we were we could see into the lower part of the capital but also into the inner court yard of the inner stone castle. We watched below as there was a lot of commotion. Guards lined the courtyard as a man on a white horse entered. The main door of the castle opened as a man stepped out. I instantly knew who it was, it was Remus. He bore his black cloak trimmed with wolves fur. He moved forward and approached the man who had dismounted from his horse.
The two greeted in a hug and it was in this moment I worked over the other man with my eyes.
“It can’t be” Rayne said almost breathlessly.
“I recognise him!”
“It’s Prince Brutus, one of King Nemea’s sons!”
We both watched on struck by shock of what we were seeing. Remus and Brutus greeted each other like they were old friends.
We were too far away to hear what was being said but Remus led Brutus inside into the castle.
“We need to find a way in!” Rayne said as we back tracked along the wall. We followed the wall as it led towards the stone castle. The walls were clear but as we reached a small archway into the inner castle we realised why. There was a large room with about four guards in it. Two were sitting at a table with one stirring a pot at the fire and one laying down in the back.
“We must be quick and swift” she whispered to me. “You take the one on the left and the one at the fire!” Without checking if I was ready Rayne moved into the room. The two men at the table half had their backs to us so we could at least approach closer.
I had to move quickly to catch up with Rayne but in my haste I kicked a pot on the floor.
The death stare Rayne gave me could have killed me alone but we had bigger problems. The four guards in the room, now knew we were there.
Rayne lunged forward and plunged her dagger into one of the guards necks. I was too slow to do the same but managed to block his sword as he swung for Rayne’s back. I swung his attack away and parried his next two attacks. I slashed my sword and cut him across his arm before stabbing him through his torso. I had to pull out quickly as the guard from the fire cane at me with his sword drawn. He came at me with fury and was very close to cutting my arm off.
As I was fighting. Rayne had just stabbed the fourth guard in the leg after a struggle but he managed to punch her off. As she fell away she just had enough time to throw her two smaller knives into his chest. Rayne lay panting on the floor.
I continued to parry the attacks of the other guard but he pressed forward against me. He managed to back me up against the table and swung his sword down hard. I held my sword tight and blocked his attack. He held his sword against mine and pressed it down towards my face. I did all I could to hold him off, I tried to punch him in the gut but he held firm.
Unbeknownst to me two further guards had entered the room. Rayne had managed to kill one of the with her sword but the other knocked her away. Her sword still implanted in the other guards body. The guard then attacked her. She somehow managed to disarm him but he was a big guy and wrestled her to the floor.
The steel blade edging each closer to my face had my full attention though. I held my sword in my right hand as the guard pressed harder. I reached down and just managed to get hold of my dagger in my boot. Pulling it up, I got a better grip of it and thrusted it into the guards lower abdomen. I thrusted several times until he began to fall away before I swung my sword and thrashed across his chest.
It took me a moment to gather myself and realise that a guard was on top of Rayne strangling her. I ran across and tackled the guard off, planting my sword in his side in the process. The struggling look and fear in Rayne’s face gave me a rush of anger. My dagger still in my hand, I stabbed the guard multiple times in the chest before Rayne pulled me off.
“He’s dead!” She declared as she fell back gasping for her breath.
“Are you okay?” I asked moving next to her.
“I’m fine!” As she swatted my hand away “we have to go now!”
I agreed that would couldn’t sit here but she needed a moment to catch her breath. We made our way out into a hallway and followed it along. After going through a door we came out onto an upper balcony. It looked down into a large room that was clearly some sort of throne room.
At the top of the room an ageing looking man sat on a large chair, with two large men either side of him with black cloaks with wolves fur very similar too Remus’. They both also had a large axe that were almost as tall as them.
“That’s Lord Romulos” Rayne whispered, but holding her finger to her lips.
“Father, our dear friend Brutus has come to visit!” Remus declared as he approached the seated man. “He seeks his bride for his, sorry our new kingdom!”
“My Lord” Brutus said as he bowed down in front of the old man in front of him.
“Welcome Prince Brutus, I hope you bring a dyeing man good news!” His voice croaked and sounded week.
“I do! We have located the last of my fathers ‘Lions Legion!’ His old ways can finally be erased and our new alliance forged!”
“What of your brother?” Lord Romulos coughed harshly.
“A plan is set for him to meet an unfortunate end. My father will send Leon to meet with someone of your court tomorrow to negotiate a peace and end to the fighting. There he will meet an assassin and his end. With my brother gone, my father will name me heir and then when he dies the next day I will be king!”
“Then our kingdoms will join and became the greatest the land has ever known!” Remus declared.
“See it done!” Lord Romulos said before entering into a large coughing fit. His son, moved closer to him and called for guards.
“Take him to his chambers!!” He barked.
“That traitor!” I hissed.
“Ssshhh we must find your sister, come on!” Rayne moved away but I remained. “Ragnar?!”
“Wait!”
“Now my dear friend I have for you the fairest maidens from all the land!” Remus said as he gestured to a side door and patted Brutus on his back.
I watched as out of a side door, down below us to the left, around ten to twelves girls all chained together were led out by guards!”
I scanned along the line and third from the back “Luna!” I gasped!
“You’re sister?” Rayne said now back at my side.
“Yes!” I said “third from the back with the same colour of hair as mine!”
“I see her!” Rayne whispered.
“My my, what a fine sample you have here.” Brutus said as he admired the trembling line of girls in front of him. My sister looked like one of the older ones and I hoped that would help.
“So young, so full of wonder!” Brutus said as he grabbed one of the girls by the face and examined it. “So full of promise!” With that his hand dropped down and grabbed the poor girl between her legs. She whimpered and cowled away but was met with a slap from Brutus. The other girls cried out in fear as well.
“Silence!!” Remus bellowed.
The girls all hung their heads falling silent.
“Too muscular, like a man!” He said as he neared the front of the line. He made his way back along and was getting close to my sister.
“So hard to choose. Which one will become my future wife?” Brutus stopped at my sister and lifted her head by her chin. “My what lovely womanly chest you have my dear!”
I clenched my fist in rage as he touched her.
“Will you be my queen?” He asked her, she trembled but remained silent.
“I will be!” Another girl further up the line called out. She was one of the taller ones with long black hair. Her chest wasn’t as big as my sisters but she still had a beautiful figure. Looked younger than my sister too.
“Oh is that so?” Brutus said as he let go of my sister and moved towards the other girl. “And what is your name?”
“Regina” she replied, still a hint of fear in her voice.
“Well Regina, are you still a virgin? Have you lay with a man before?”
“No sire!” She said hanging her head back down.
“Good, tonight you will! Remus, I would like to trial this one!” Brutus said as he stepped back.
“Of course! Guards!” Remus said as he waved for the girl to be released. “A fine choice if I may say so myself!”
Regina slowly walked over to were Brutus was standing and bowed in front of him.
“Begone!” Remus barked again as he ordered the guards to take the rest of the girls away.
“We need to move now!” Rayne said as she dragged me away.
We moved back out into a separate hallway and found a set of steps leading down. It led onto a long hallway and we just caught the back of the last girl and guards as they moved around a corner.
“Quick!” Rayne said as we silently moved up the hall. Around the corner the group had stopped as the guard at the front had to unlock and open a door.
Rayne drew her dagger and pointed to the guard on the right as she moved behind the one on the left. At almost the same time we stabbed the guards and pulled them away. The young girl at the back squealed which drew the attention of the rest.
“Ragnar?” I heard my sister gasp.
“What?!” The guard at the door called but the muscular girl at the front used her chain to toss it around the guards neck and strangle him. In a blind panic the guard swung his sword unfortunately killing one of the girls.
As I ran to Luna, Rayne closed the distance up the hall and threw a knife at the guard to stop him doing anymore damage.
“Are you ok?” I asked my sister as she threw her chained arms over my head hugging me tightly. She was crying hard.
Rayne then came over to us “we can have a reunion later! We need to move!”
Reluctantly I lifted Luna’s arm off me. “We must go!” I told her, she nodded.
We quickly released the chains from the girls so they could move freely.
The muscular one from the front with short black hair approached us. “I know a way out!”
“Quick!” Rayne gestured as we followed the black haired girl, Luna clung onto me tight as we moved through a part of the dungeon. Rayne had to kill a couple of guards in our way but we pressed on.
“This way!” The girl called back to us. She led us down a set of steps through a narrow pass and to a barred gate. We need to lift the gate and then we are out.
“How?” Rayne asked.
“The wheel!” The girl pointed behind us to a small handed wheel that was connected to rope. As Rayne started to turn the wheel the gate creaked as it lifted up.
I moved over and helped her as our combined strength lifted the gate quicker. Rayne then took a wooden block that slid in and held the wheel in place.
Suddenly a large horn sounded.
“Shit!” Rayne hissed. “We really need to move now!!”
The girl with black hair led our group out. We moved along a steep cliff side that fell down into a large hole in the Earth. It brought us back round to the western side of Lupus.
“Run!” Rayne said as we took off. The young girls in their fear ran in all directions. Some stupidly back towards the castle.
“This way! The girl with black hair called as she pulled Rayne by the hand. Luna and I followed close behind. The girl led us further away from the castle, we slid down a large hill and moved into a small valley carved through the land. We neared the great sea.
We didn’t stop for what seemed an age before we finally did for a rest.
“Who the hell are you?” Rayne said panting, trying to catch her breath.
“Lenta, my family was murdered years ago and I have been captive here ever since” she said hunched over, her hands on her thighs.
“How did you know they way out?” Rayne questioned.
“Because I am stronger than the other girls, the guards would make me carry the dead bodies out that exit and toss them over the edge. It was never a pleasant experience and one that filled me with guilt each time but I had to survive!”
“It’s true” Luna spoke up. “There was many other girls there, many already there when I arrived. The weak ones were left and given little food. Most didn’t survive.” Fresh tears fell from her face.
“Dammit” she growled.
“Thank you for saving us!” Lenta spoke.
“We aren’t saved yet!” Rayne said “we need to keep moving, Remus’ men will be looking for us. We need to use the cover of night to get as far as we can.
We all agreed and now Rayne took the lead. We wordlessly made our way across the western blacklands, carefully avoiding the camps still dotted about. Sticking to the coast helped out cover.
As dawn slowly arrived and the sun began to shine we had made it to the southern part of the Land of Palus, the Hills of Petram lined the horizon.
“What about Prince Leon?” I whispered to Rayne away from my sister and Lenta.
“What about him?” She asked.
“He’s walking into a trap and if he dies then Brutus takes over. Think that’s a kingdom you want to live in?”
“We have absolutely no idea where they will meet. And what could we do?”
“At least warn him!!” I said defensively.
“Even if he did believe us as I said we still have no idea where they are meeting!”
“I’m sorry I may know?!” Luna said quietly interrupting us.
“Where?” Rayne straight faced asked her.
“I don’t remember the exact name but it was something like Acre?!”
“Acre?” I questioned.
“The abandoned temple of acre?” Rayne said.
“That’s it, one of the girls used to have to go to serve the lords and she had overheard the plans for an attack on a Prince!”
“Where is that?” I asked Rayne.
“It’s in most southern part of the Land of Palus, it sits on the edge of the great sea of Calria.
“Can we get there in time?”
“If we had horses, no problem!”
“If we didn’t? Which we don’t?”
“Possibly but it will be hard! Half a day maybe!”
“Then we must go now!” I demanded. “I will be damned if I let this happen.”
“What about the girls?” Rayne whispered harshly to me.
“I can fight” Lenta said “I just need a weapon!” She half heartedly chuckled.
“I will protect my sister!” I stated.
With a deep sigh, Rayne handed Lenta her sword. “I want it back! Now let’s go!”
We all took off and followed Rayne as she led us. She moved quicker than normal and at points we struggled to keep up. We avoided any contact as it would slow us down. Avoiding outlaws rather than fighting. We tried to stick along the coast line the best we could. It was too rugged and rough for horses.
My sister was doing her best but she was slowing us down.
“Come on Luna, we need to keep moving!”
“I’m trying!” She panted “I’m tired and hungry though!”
“Rayne can we rest?” I called out to her.
“See that hill with the single tree?” She called back.
“What about it?”
“Well just beyond that, is Acre!” She shouted back.
“You can rest at the top of the hill!” I told my sister as I put her arm over my shoulder and carried her forward.
As we reached the top of the hill I sat my sister down by the tree. “Here have this” I said as I pulled a small piece of bread of out a pouch I was carrying.
“Will you stay with her?” I asked Lenta.
“I will!” She nodded.
I hugged my sister and stood next to Rayne.
“The crows say we are too late!” She said. As she pointed to the large murder of crows circulating around the ruined temple.
“We must check!” As we made our way down the hill and approached the temple. To the western side the noise of horses brought our attention. There was four white horses tied to a tree with no riders.
“Those are Vigeo’s horses!” Rayne stated as we moved under a fallen column into the temple. The inner temple floor was littered with bodies. Mostly the kings men with arrows covering the floor.
“We’re too late!” I said defeated.
“No look!” Rayne said pulling my attention to the far side of the temple.
At the far side there was four white wolf men and a man in a black cloak. His didn’t have fur on it like Remus, did. Two of the men were holding someone up as the other two beat him as the cloaked man stood and watched.
“Remus ordered your death to be swift but I have other ideas for you Prince Leon!” He laughed, “when we return your body to your father, he won’t even recognise you!”
“You will hang for this!” Prince Leon spat as his comment which was met with two punches to the gut and one to the face.
“No we won’t! And when you’re brother is crowned king, the wolf will rule the land and the lion will be dead!” He laughed again as he ordered the two men to continue their savage beating of the Prince.
“You go around that way and wait for my signal!” Rayne said as she shifted off to the right.
I moved around to the left of the men and got as close as I could without being spotted. I drew my sword and waited for Rayne’s signal. It came soon enough as her long dagger flew through the air and struck the cloaked man in the head. He stood straight for a minute before falling to the ground. The two guards holding the Prince let go and he thumped to the floor. Rayne charged out and she threw two small knives at one of the men. I sprang from my position and caught one off guard and thrust my sword through his back. The other two charge us respectively. I couldn’t pull my sword from the body quick enough so I had to grab my dagger. I stepped back as the man swung his sword in my direction, I waited for my chance and lunged forward. Catching his swinging arm with my dagger and cutting his hand off. As he cried in pain, I eased his passing by ramming my blade into his throat.
As I collected my sword from the dead body. Rayne had already dispatched of the other man and was crouched next to the Prince.
I ran over next to them and held him up as Rayne called out to him, “Prince Leon, are you ok? Are you alive?”