Alteio chptr 1-4

~Chapter One~

Nyla was once again heading right for a public beating, and she knew it. And once again her friends had managed to get her to do a stupid trick in the king???s backyard. They always got into silly fights over what they should do to get him to step down. She hated King Lyle the third, and so did the rest of the gang.
???Hey, let???s set his pants on fire!???
???No, we should totally destroy his carriage.???
???Let???s paint the whole town red!???
She didn???t really get that last one. Red must be his least favorite color or something. Nyla, Dane, Rhose, and Toad had pulled all those stunts, and many more. But today, Nyla thought, we are totally crossing the line.
???We can???t just kidnap the princess!??? Nyla said ???Especially during Lylith Moon!???
Lylith Moon was the only two weeks of the year when people in Nycoen, the small country she lived in, were allowed to celebrate anything. A ball followed a week or so of parties and feats, celebrating the planting they had that year. This was the last time she could go to the party for the younger children, which she found more fun than going to a stuffy old ball. She was fifteen, so by this time next year she would most likely be being courted, and she would have to go to the ball.
???Getting cold feet, Ny???? Dane smirked. Oh, how she hated that smirk. Nyla felt like slapping off his face. That would feel good.
???No, of course not. Why???d you think so, Dane???? she retorted.
???You just looked a little pale. Do you want King Lyle off his stupid throne or not???? This was always how he and Toad got her to do their stunts. Rhose was just a trouble-maker.
Of course she wanted him to get his royal butt off that throne. He had killed her family in a raid. He had burned her entire village to the ground. King Lyle was an evil, manipulative man. But Nyla still thought that kidnapping his daughter was excessive.
???Yes, I do,??? she said, exasperated.
???Then you need to stop worrying and get going! Rhose, you stick with me. Toad, head to the garden with Nyla. Remember the plan, and stick with it! Got it? Good. Head out!??? Good old Dane, always dishing out orders. His ripped off robe sleeves were a little worn, making him look disheveled. Even if his black locks shined in the rising sun, looking perfect for his sea foam green eyes, tan muscular arms, the stubble on his face giving him a slightly rugged appearance, adding to the little scar on his forehead, looking about twenty even though he was only sixteen. She sighed.
???Hey, Nyla. Earth to Nyla! We need to go. We???re on a schedule here!??? Toad was whispering to her, snapping his fingers in front of her face. He was right. They did need to move. She swatted his hands.
???Sorry. Thinking about the plan,??? Right. The plan. Get the princess away from her guards long enough for Dane and Rhose to get her bound and gagged. Then they would keep her until the king surrendered the throne. If you call that a plan. It had so many alternate endings, and if it did not end with the princess in their hands, then it ended in a hanging. Or execution. Or whipping. Or a hundred other forms of torture that eventually caused death.
A flash interrupted her scary reverie. That was the signal Toad nicknamed ???signal that means get your sorry butts out of there now or you will be sorry you didn???t???.
???Alright. That's the signal. Go,??? Toad said.
???Wait.??? Nyla replied. She cocked her head to a squad of guards that would have seen them if they had moved.
The signal flashed again.
???We need to get moving or Dane will have our hides,??? Toad replied. They both put up their forest green cloak hoods to hide their telltale reddish-brown hair. In the middle of summer, a patch of brown would be a dead give away.
As she moved silently behind Toad, she thought of what a beautiful morning in the Kingdom it was. The castle was so close to the ocean that if you sat on the wall, you could see it. She breathed in the sharp scent of salt and lilies. The Kingdom was gorgeous today, sunlight catching the dewdrops on the leaves.
It didn???t take long to get to the bench where the princess sat in the mornings for seclusion. They had watched her from the shadows for about a month planning this. And it wasn???t much longer they had to wait for her to show up in her nightclothes, her back turned. If she was out, the guards were close by. Nyla gave her best bird call and pounced.
The princess was much smaller than they anticipated. It didn???t take long for Nyla and Toad to realize they???d been tricked. This wasn???t the princess. This was a decoy. They guards must've seen them yesterday when Rhose had almost fallen off the vine wall. This was not the princess! She had to repeat it to herself to believe it.
Nyla barely had time to look up before the royal guard was on them. Toad had always had quick reflexes, so he was already off running. Since this was not part of the plan, Nyla had to stick with her 'dagger'. When she pulled it out, the whole guard turned and ran. The finest of the fine running from a little girl with a black piece of wood. Idiots.
She was just about to smile with satisfaction when she heard a whimper behind her. Nyla whirled around to see, not more guards, but the real princess. She looked about five. That would put her ten years behind Nyla and Rhose, eleven behind the boys.
Dane suddenly appeared behind her.
???Put that stick away and get her,??? he pointed to the princess, ???before they send more guards and we end up dead!???
As much as Nyla hated to admit it, Dane was right. They had to get the princess out of there before anyone else saw them.
???Sorry, but this might hurt a little??? Rhose said evilly to the princess as she was tightly bound, gagged, and blindfolded.
With that out of the way, the quartet raced off into the thicket that hid the hole in the castle???s garden wall. It was just when Rhose, the last in line, had clambered out when the ???emergency??? bell in the castle went off. Nyla was sweating like crazy. She was the one carrying the princess, and running made the slight five-year-old feel like she weighed two hundred pounds.
???We need to get to the hideout. Preferably now.??? Rhose said in her thick Jumeran accent. She took the princess from Nyla and set off sprinting into the nearby woods. With a few glances at each other, the rest of them ran after.
The hideout was made by Rhose. It was a cave that would be in plain sight if it weren???t for her sorcery. Now it looked like they were about to run right into a solid wall of rock, which was possible if Rhose hadn???t said a spell that melted the wall. No one could find them in, or enter, the hideout unless they were a sorceress or sorcerer, which was a one in ten thousand chance in Nycoen,.
When Nyla finally stopped panting, she saw that Rhose and dumped the princess on the ground and knocked her out. She decided to tease her almost-sister about it.
???Rhose, you can???t just throw her on the ground. We need her too look nice if she wants to be a proper hostage,??? Nyla took off the child???s gag and blindfold, ???besides, we're in the cave anyway.???
Rhose turned and just stared at Nyla. The curly dark red hair she got her name from was slick with sweat, and her steely gray-green eyes were glinting with humor.
???Well then, Ny, I hope you want to be the one to feed and take care of her everyday until King Lyle steps down,??? She sounded exactly like a mother who was explaining to a small child why they can???t have a dog. Nyla stared fake daggers at Rhose. Neither of them moved until Dane and Toad started to stir.
Rhose immediately went to Toad???s side. They had been best friends before both her village was burned. He had been a wild boy that had visited one day and kept coming back. Nyla went to get the medical herbs, since she knew they all had injuries. Dane had a gash that looked painful.
???Wait.??? Dane said holding up his hand.
???What???? Nyla whispered.
???Do you hear that???? he asked. Nyla listened. She thought she might have just heard the fading tone of a yell.


















~Chapter Two~

It was the hoof beats that gave them away. No one in Nycoen but knights and extremely wealthy owned horses. And since the rich sent out inexperienced riders to do their hunting, it had to be knights.
But that doesn???t make sense, Nyla thought, since the knights are nothing that anyone shouted about. Suddenly something clicked into place. No one could have made something that had been past the horizon come into their sight so quickly, except for a-
???Sorcerer! Of course! That would be why they are charging straight for the rock wall. But if he is that experienced I don???t stand a chance???everyone else take the princess and run. I???ll hold them off as long as I can,??? Rhose was speaking. But everyone knew that she would only waste her life to give them about five more seconds.
???No, Rhose. You can???t. I won???t let you,??? Toad argued with her for a few precious moments.
???Fine, then, I???ll make you get out! We don???t have time for this???. Tuo teg!??? Rhose whispered, casting a spell that sent Nyla, Dane, Toad, and the princess flying out of the back of the cave, landing in the small creek that they drank from.
Once the trio had gotten over the shock that Rhose had actually thrown them out, with magic no less, they saw in the distance the squadron of horses, kicking up dirt and coming on fast.
Dane hoisted the princess up onto his shoulders, like a piggy back ride, and yelled for Toad and Nyla to get up and run for it. They all hit the dirt and made a break for the other safe house they had, this one not traceable by magic.
After they had been running for about five minutes, they heard a piercing scream split the air around them. Toad turned and looked at the smoke rising into the air.
???Look,??? He whispered. Toad was whiter than a ghost. Dane turned and saw how close the dust in the air was.
???We have to get out of here and get to the safe house, now!??? he said with a very imposing tone. Nyla could not help crumbling to her knees at the thought of losing the closest thing she had to a sister. Tears leaked out of her eyes at first, increasing until they were a waterfall of saltwater.
???Nyla! Nyla! Oh, forget it. Toad, carry her,??? Dane said, quick and exasperated, ???She can cry at the safe house. Let???s move!???
So they ran, Toad carrying Nyla, Dane carrying the princess. The sound of hooves kept getting closer until, suddenly, Toad stopped and dove into a bush, followed closely by Dane. Nyla???s tears and been reduced to pitiful whimpers, and the princess, now conscious, was wisely keeping her mouth shut.
They all watched as the horses stopped in front of the bush, and someone got off and yelled,
???Where are they, girl? There were three others with you that escaped with the princess???where are they? I want answers! ??? the voice was malicious and filled with frustration as she thrust Rhose to the ground.
The four in the bush could see her face. It was badly cut, oozing blood onto the ground at an unhealthy rate. She looked at them for a moment until her face contorted with pain, and they heard the crack of a whip.
The owner of the whip sat on the ground next to Rhose.
???Get her up and tie her hands. I will take the girl to the castle in Jumero where I will get the important words out of her,??? the voice hissed on the last word, clearly telling Rhose that her life was perhaps no more important than an ant???s. ??? Meanwhile, you will all keep searching! I need that princess in time for the invasion,??? all the soldiers groaned.
???This woman is going to invade Nycoen!??? Nyla said in a low voice. Dane shushed her, ???And she's a sorceress. We don't stand a chance.???
The woman in black walked in front of the bush, threw powder on the ground, muttered something, and disappeared. Nyla couldn???t believe her eyes. She thought all powerful sorcerers were men. But apparently the one who ruled Jumero, the country to the east of Nycoen, was female, and more importantly, had Rhose.

* * *

Rhose thought that she could fight a full blown sorceress. Think again. Much less a queen dictator sorceress who has lengthened her lifespan with magic for thousands of years. Think it through next time, Rhose. She had managed to get her to yell when she dropped a boulder on her foot. Her victory had been short-lived.
Now she was stuck in a dirty cell, with nothing to do but think about how she totally messed up and how Yanwen was going to torture her. So much for happy thoughts. But on the bright side her friends were still living. Especially Toad, with his long rustic brown hair always swooshing in his face, covering his luminous blue-green eyes. He was tall and awkward, but that was what she loved about him.
???Well, my young darling, you???re looking good. No worse for the wear, but, I must say,??? Yanwen scrunched up her nose in mock displeasure,??? You need to eat more. My dear girl, you are so skinny!???
Rhose hated the way she stretched out the words 'dear' and 'darling' as if they were the most horrifying thing in the world. She hated the way Yanwen looked amazing in black leather. Hated that it brought out the red of her hair, the glinting steel blue violet of her eyes. Most importantly, she hated the fact that this person she hated so deeply was her mother.

* * *

By the time the soldiers had left the area, Nyla, Dane, and Toad were cramping. This was not the other hideout. It was an emergency-only for five minutes tops stopping point. They had been there for five times that, and they waited that long after the soldiers left to get out of that hole.
The trio and princess walked slowly and stiffly to the hideout. Once they got there, Dane immediately started to question the princess. He paced back and forth as he answered most of those questions himself.
???Who were they? Never mind. Spies. Why did they want you, personally? Oh, forget it. Same reason we did. Leverage. Where did they come from? Don't answer that. Jumero. Ah, yes I was going to ask,??? Dane stopped at looked right at the princess, flustered and angry, ???Who are you????
???Well, I am obviously the Young Royal Highness of Nycoen,??? she said in a smart-Aleck tone.
???You know what I meant!??? Dane practically roared at her. Nyla looked at him. It wasn't like him to yell at anyone.
???Jenevieve, but most of the people I know call me Jen. Is that what you want???? Jen was on the verge of tears. She was obviously not used to being yelled at, being a princess and all.
Nyla touched Dane on the shoulder and motioned for him to go sit with Toad. As she watched him go, she noticed he was not very happy with her taking over what was unofficially his job. That made her smile and sob inside at the same time.
???So, Jen,??? Nyla tried to give an encouraging smile, ???you said people you knew, not friends. Do you have any friends????
Jen looked around the room for a while without speaking. Nyla looked too, and waited. It wasn't really that big, just enough room for a hidden doorway and five beds. Some dried fruit and pickled meats were sitting in a corner.
Finally she took a shaky breath and replied, ???No, I had 'friends' who were always paid to be nice to me and be around me and talk to me. I only had one real friend, and that was Andrew, a horseback rider. I miss him,??? Jen smiled at his memory.
???Well, when you get back, can you give Andrew a big hug for me, okay???? Nyla said.
The princess immediately stopped smiling and looked at her shoes, sitting as still as a statue. Nyla had forgotten that the princess thought she was never going back. She stopped smiling, too, and tried to look more like a kidnapper.
Jen muttered something that made Nyla even angrier at the woman who took Rhose, ???I'm sorry. I got carried away. You look just like my older sister, before that mean old woman shot her with a lightning bolt and killed her,??? the young princess started to cry.
From across the room, Toad yelled to Nyla, ???You have great people skills, Ny! Just look at how happy the princess is!??? Nyla stared at him, suppressing a smile. Toad never failed to lighten up even the darkest mood. She shook her head and hugged Jen until she stopped crying.
???We should get going. I know some people in the next town that can get us a decent meal if we hurry,??? Dane said, stretching. He looked nervous. It looked to be almost dark. None of the others had any complaints, so they headed out.

* * *

Rhose hated her mother. Yanwen had abandoned her when she was six, just because she was not a 'good' enough evil sorceress. Then she came back when Rhose was ten. But those four years of living on the streets, pick pocketing, and learning to hunt had made her tough. She proudly declined her mother's offer to return to the life of royalty and riches.
Yanwen said that she was making the worst mistake of her life, and that she would never, ever learn to be a proper magician without her help. Then, POOF,Yanwen disappeared, and Rhose was the most happy she had ever felt. Until her friends.
Rhose had told them she was seventeen. She had told them that she had run away from Jumero because everyone there was crazy, which was not far from the truth. Rhose had said that her mother had left her.
And now she was like a mouse caught a hawk???s twisted talons, forced to leave everything she knew and loved behind, unless the hawk was merciful. But Rhose's mother was not merciful. No, her mother would eat at her identity until nothing was left but a smiling puppet under the influence of Yanwen's various strings.
So Rhose had to get out of this circus and back to Nycoen. And the first step was to get out of this fluffy dress her mother had forced her into. The dress would have been flattering if it had been white. Instead it was a midnight blue, showing just how awful Rhose looked after years away from her 'beloved' mother.
And as Yanwen ate at her being, the rest of her toys and pets would see her slowly 'recovering' from a traumatizing kidnapping and coma. Her mother could make her bend over backwards to do her bidding with just a flick of the wrist, but she was so cruel as to make Rhose suffer and watch as she turned into the mindless monster her mother always wanted.
Rhose already felt the first string tugging on her mind. It was telling her to just keep on the dress, over and over. She was scared of that dress, the constant tugging at her mind. More than anything, she wanted to be home, in the cave she and her friends had lived in for so long until Yanwen's knights held her down as she destroyed it to only a pile of smoking dust.
Her friends. That was another thing her mother could torture her with. Yanwen did not torture like a normal person. Her mother's favorite form of torture was watching you pull yourself apart using the strings attached. Nyla was probably so worried, and Dane and Toad should be thinking she was dead by now. She wished she could see her friends just to see if they were okay. To???wait. Rhose was a sorceress. She could look at them, not talk, but look at them to make sure they were not worried about her too much.
Rhose had not used this spell since she was six, and that was to check if mommy was going to get her. So all she had to do was remember the words to the spell. Unfortunately, she did this all too well.
???Em owhs Nyla, Toad, Dane.??? she muttered under her breath, drawing a circle with her fingers.
A glimmer appeared in the air in front of Rhose, and then solidified until it was a mirror with a picture of four people silently walking to a faint glow on the horizon. She desperately wanted to talk to them, but she just watched, and made sure they were okay. Rhose ran her hand through the image and it dissipated.
The tug on her mind was not as strong now, so she decided to check on them every day, and more frequently when her mother added more strings. So there was nothing left to do but show her mother a dress.

* * *

It was already dark when they got to Yethme, the town Dane said he knew people in. Nyla thought he knew good people in this town. He never said that they were two full grown Wyks.
A Wyk was a creature that looked like a human, but with blue-tinted skin, small dark blue stripes over there bodies, cat-slitted eyes, small cat tails, and four very short whiskers that were nearly invisible in the daytime. A full grown Wyk could be anywhere from five to seven feet tall. They were very mischievous creatures, and somehow always got others into trouble. They could sometime use magic.
???Hey, Dane! Got any spare change???? the small female Wyk with green eyes asked.
???Oh, Kae, you caught me empty handed. Better luck next time. Hey, can you and Florad do me a favor???? Dane joked with this Kae like they had been best friends forever. Nyla found that she was jealous, and told herself to calm down.
???What favor you asking? We owe you big time for when you broke us out of jail,??? Kae looked around as if someone might hear and said, ???I heard from a few friends in the Kingdom that you are a good boy now. Is that true? Did I just lose my partner of trouble????
Dane just rolled his eyes and replied, ???He???s still here. Just for the cause of anti- Lyle now. Florad, Kae...I need some help. My friends and I had a close call with the dictator of Jumero, and, well, we could use a meal.???
Nyla could see how deep this was cutting his pride, asking for help. Even though these were his buddies, he never liked needing aid from others for anything. Dane loved to be independent and in control. Florad raised his eyebrows at Dane. When he spoke up, it was like a cat's purr, very smooth, controlled.
???Dane, you had a run-in with a sorceress? You better come in. I'll have to make you some soup. We have information on that woman. She is much more than she seems,??? The big one with red eyes and exotic accent, Florad, glanced around the street, and then cocked his head for them to follow him into a shabby building. It looked like one of the places you heard about in rumors of murders. Nyla was not comfortable with going in there. She kept Jen very close. While Kae had been talking, Florad had been looking her up and down. Nyla didn't like that look. It was hungry, like an animal that hadn't eaten for a week and just found a calf to feed on. He suddenly laughed and gestured for everyone to come into the house. Jen was pale and shaking, but Nyla assumed it was just trauma from today.
The candles in the house were few, so there were many dark corners and nooks. Nyla imagined horrible Yithien, the 'demon pixie', leaping out of every hallway and corridor, or worse, spiders. She glanced down at Jen, who was now holding tight to Nyla's hand and saw that the princess was very scared, gold eyes as big the sun. Toad was behind them, and Dane was on the other side of the princess, but she still thought Jen was not safe.
Nyla was sick of the Wyks, even though she had only just met them. The soup was delicious, but Nyla began to feel very sleepy. The princess was snuggled in her lap, and Toad was snoring against a wall. Only Dane looked wide awake. As her eyes began to close, she saw his bowl was not empty. It looked like he hadn't eaten yet. Her eyelids were heavy, and vision blurred.
She heard Florad say, ???You didn't eat the soup right, Dane???? he nodded, ???Good. It had a sleeping potion to keep your friends from interfering with our, ER, business.??? Nyla was awake only long enough to hear the hiss on his last word, and see him pull a knife on Toad.

~Chapter Three~

The first thing Nyla felt when she woke up was pain. Her arms and legs ached, and her back felt like a tree had fallen on her. When she opened her eyes, she saw she was still on the floor where she fell asleep, and she thought that her pain was just from sleeping on the floor. And then she saw the problem.
Nyla had tiny cuts completely covering her body. Her clothes were in so many tatters, she wanted to draw her knees to her chest. She tried to touch her face, but she cried out in agony as the small scars burst open again. Blood flowed freely from her wounds, and she looked to see if the others were awake. She tried to move her head, but with the same result. Nyla screamed with frustration. How could she defend herself if she could not move? She closed her eyes again.
???It's no use,??? Nyla heard the distinct tone of Toad's voice, ???Florad cut us all over. And I wouldn't try to sit up even if I could. All our clothes are a mess, and then the Wyks took all the money we had and left with Dane. I always thought he was on our side.???
Nyla heard the pain, frustration, and rage on the last sentence. Now that she knew Dane had gone with the Wyks, she hated him. Then she thought of Jen.
???Did he take the princess, too? she asked.
???Yeah, he took the princess,??? Toad sounded genuinely disappointed in Dane.
Nyla swore in her head. That no good boy had used her, Toad, and Rhose. It was unforgivable, low, and yesterday, she would have thought it beneath him. Yesterday, she would have gladly put him on a throne and went into any sort of trouble with him. Today, though, he was the scum of the earth. No, scum was too high a word. The scum of the earth were allowed to spit on those who were allowed to spit on him for all she cared.
???We have to get up and see if we can find any medicine for these wounds. Toad, how far are you from me???? Nyla asked
???Ny, I've been next to you the whole time,??? Toad sounded worried. Nyla hadn't thought that he was that close to her. And then she realized her hearing was muted, and very badly if she had thought he was across the room. She opened her eyes and looked up, vision blurring with tears.
???I think that wretched demon cut my ears and they might be clogged with blood. But we need to stand and get help. Or we could yell,??? Nyla offered at the look on Toad's face at the thought of standing.
They both cried for help for what seemed like hours, but no one came. Hoarse from yelling so much and thirst, they tried to stand. By helping the other get up, they managed, but both of them could tell they could not walk. Nyla and Toad tried yelling again, but to no avail. Nyla noticed that the cuts were scabbing, and when she bent her arm, it no longer made her wince.
???I think we can move now. It hurts less. We need to get outside and find some charitable person to get us medical help and new clothes.??? Toad looked at her skeptically, then tried moving his leg, then his other. He grinned,
???Come on, Ny! It doesn't hurt at all!??? Nyla looked at her arms, smiling, then noticed something strange. A few minutes ago, there had been hundreds of cuts. Now her skin was as unbroken as a glass mirror or lake.
???Toad,??? she began with a hint of fear in her voice. He looked at her, saw what she had been looking at, and looked at his own arms. Nyla watched his emotions play across his face. He turned to face her.
???Nyla, I don't think this is a trick by Dane or his gang. I think we have some very nice friends who heard us yelling,??? Toad nodded behind her. Nyla smiled and spun around just in time to see several small Tyrii fly off.
Tyrii were magic users that were about as big as an adult's middle finger, and they had gorgeous hummingbird wings. Tyrii came in an infinite assortment of colors. The only downside to a Tyrii was that they were mute.
???Hey, Toad, why don't we go looking for Dane for a little revenge???? Nyla said maliciously. He smiled, and they walked out.

* * *

Rhose was losing the war over her mind against her mother. She constantly found herself smiling. It now took no effort to put on a dress and corsets in the morning, which frightened her. Corsets were her least favorite things in the whole world. Or used to be.
With each day that passed, she found herself waking up with her mind in fog that did not dissipate. Imagine that feeling of waking up in the morning very groggy, but not having it go away. Now the only time when Rhose got a clear thought was when she saw Yanwen. And then that thought was only rage.
Joy never came to her now. A dull, foggy sense of comfort and safety was always surrounding her. This just confirmed Rhose's suspicion that her mother was manipulating every thing she felt. Comfort in this demonic place? Safety? She could sooner be a demon herself than ever be truly safe in her mother's presence.
Somehow, this clouded state also affected her ability to use magic. Anytime she tried to do even the simplest spell, the words moved just beyond her mental grasp. Her mother said that if she would just join her side, Rhose could go back to having magic.
But magic was not on her side now. Yanwen used it to torture even her dreams. She saw everything in a weird out-of-body experience, like taking a backseat to your mind. Rhose saw anything from fluffy squirrels attacking her body to her committing all horrible kinds of crime to those she loved in her nightmares.
She feared if these did not stop, and she lived a nightmare in her waking and sleeping hours, she would go insane much faster than she had thought. Rhose guessed she had a day before she went evil with desire to wake up from this wasteland of her mind and joined her mother for eternity.

* * *

Nyla and Toad only had a description to start off with. Four people and a little girl, all in ragged clothes. They had no luck. Apparently Dane and friends had left very early so no one would see them, so Nyla and Toad were forced to go to the next town.
Soon they just learned to ask for four strangers and a little girl. Nyla hoped they hadn't gone the wrong way. Yethme was one of the only towns in Nycoen that had roads in all four directions. They had chosen west, since that was the general direction of Jumero. Everyday they got the same response.
???Oh, those guys. Yes, I did. They went that way,??? alway with a smile and a nod west. Once when they walked away from someone, he muttered to the person next to him, ???Crazy people. Why would anyone stay here????
After about a week of looking, they finally found Dane and company. Nyla would not have seen them go into the tavern- ???What were they doing taking a five-year-old into a tavern???? she thought quietly- if it hadn't been for a cat who bit her ankle.
Nyla and Toad had gone to the butcher for some cast off meat they wouldn't have to pay for-and tucked it into their trouser pockets. The cat had looked hungry, and it had bitten her to get the meat.
The bite had been so hard and unexpected that it caused her to curse violently. She looked up to kick the cat when she saw four heavily robed persons go into the Rose and Knife tavern with a small child, who looked very ill. She caught a glimpse of two red eyes under a hood.
And so here they were, waiting around a very grimy table with the strong smell of whiskey around them. Nyla hated that smell. Her father had often been drunk, with the very same caramel-honey beer that was sold here, and often had beaten her, her brother and mother. That was why she had worried her mother by running off so often, to get away from her father. And then Dane had found her one day. Without remembering she was supposed to hate Dane she remembered the day she had pledged her allegiance to him...
It had been hot summer day, and her father was so heavily drunk that the house reeked with the smell of alcohol. He had told her to get out and never come back, an order she would've been happy to follow. But she decided she couldn't do that to her mother, who was always there when Nyla needed her, and eight year old brother. She waited a couple of hours before going back. Her father may be in a dangerous mood, so Nyla crept in through the back door in her bedchamber. It was nothing fancy, just a bed with a plain white sheet on it and a small dresser. It was then she heard the hoof beats.
Coming from the direction of the castle, west, was a humongous cloud of dust and smoke. On the horizon, Nyla could just make out the silhouettes of almost a full dozen of the Palace Guard. They were the elite of horse riders, and every small boy wanted, even her brother, to be one. But any one of them riding at full speed with torches toward a small village in a drought was not a good sign. Their banners streamed in the wind.
Nyla's room was in the back of the house, so she had a chance to make it out alive. She quickly threw the back door open and ran outside. The rest of her family had been in the kitchen, around the small wood table, trying to get her father to put down the knife he kept in his pocket. He had been hallucinating, and he thought they were all robbers. Nyla had assumed they were out at the market like they always were on Tuesday. The guard had probably just set fire to the neighbor's house when Nyla figured that her mother would have noticed the screaming. By then Nyla had turned around to find her family just now trying to get out of the house, but the horseman was already setting fire to the house.
Her house was only a three-room house, so it should've been easy to get out of there, if her father hadn't still refused to budge. Nyla's mother would not leave the house with out him, so she and her brother had tried to carry him, but they were too slow. They might have gotten out of there if it hadn't been for the beam that hit Nyla's father.
The beam immediately burst into flames engulfed her father, and in the same blast, her brother. Nyla's mother was now so tired from carrying a two hundred pound man and smoke inhalation that she collapsed on the floor. Nyla remembered screaming and trying to get to her, but the house falling on top of her mother before she got fifty feet. She had sunk to the ground, sobbing and feeling defeated. Her whole life, gone in under ten minutes.
That was when Dane came. Nyla hadn't seen him before, ever, but she had been really messed up at the time. She looked up to a somber face, a white scar just above his eyebrow standing out from the rest of his tanned skin.
???Hey, now,??? he had said soothingly,???I know things are really messed up right now, but you can join my friends and me in taking down King Lyle for revenge.???
She had just noticed the redheaded girl and energetic boy behind him. Nyla had wiped her eyes and nodded. Dane had just smiled and helped her stand. They all became inseparable.
But now Nyla knew that Dane was a dirty liar and traitor. She stared daggers at him across the room, but he and the Wyks were in a deep conversation, so he didn't notice. Jen was under the table and looking like she might throw up any second. Only when the two Yithian in black stepped in the tavern with swords drawn did they look up. Nyla knew that everyone in the tavern was in trouble when they yelled in anger and attacked the nearest drunk.

* * *

???How are we going to get to the border if we are being followed, Florad???? Dane was so frustrated. He hadn't meant for his friends to get mixed up in this whole business. He was supposed to take the princess to Yethme in the middle of the night, but sorceress lady had intervened, so he had to improvise.
???We'll just have to hide with friends in all the towns from here to there,??? Florad pointed at the map of Nycoen. The ocean on three sides, Jumero on the west. They were about fifty miles away from the border, about twelve days journey on foot, nine on horseback.
???But that still won't throw off the Yithian that are on our tail!??? Dane said intensely, causing Florad to raise an eyebrow. He was the ringleader of the gang. Dane looked down.
???The Yithian are of no concern,??? he retorted coolly. He had a crooked smile on his face.
Dane knew that they wouldn't attack Florad at all. He was untouchable. But they would most definitely attack Dane when he left. He sighed. Florad had given him the orders to take the Yithean's food for their journey. They would find him, kill him, and ask questions later. Dane spoke through clenched teeth.
???Fine, whatever you want, Florad.???
Florad grinned. He loved it when people followed his orders. It made Dane want to punch him in the face.
???Great, so Kae, out the back with Dane and get to the next town. I'll stay here to buy a beer or two and wait for the Yithian,??? Florad rocked back in his chair and ordered a honey dew. Dane knew they would never see Florad again if he was sending them ahead.
???What? Florad, you promised me you wouldn't abandon me again,??? Kae said unbelievingly. He was the closest thing they had to family.
???Sorry, Kae. What was that???? He extended his knife under the table, ???I win. I keep the princess and get rid of you,??? an up and down glance with a disappointed tone. Dane made a fist in his pocket, ???in the process, so you need to get your sorry hides out of here before I-???
The door fell to the floor with a crack. The Yithian had found them at last. They were small ones, only about three feet tall, with black cloaks to hide their acid-shooting scorpion tails. They had swords that looked wickedly sharp. Dane gulped.
???They're here, Dane. When they fight you, don't come back. But you won't be able to anyway, because you'll be dead. Ah, my beer is here,??? Florad said. The waitress who had brought it was still as a statue, frozen looking at the Yithian.
A man who had been drinking heavily said, ???Stupid pixies.???
The Yithian yelled and raised their swords.
Yithian are born for killing. They are almost as fast as a horse going full speed, and they are dead-on when they shoot acid from their tails. Instead of fingernails, they have long, slightly curved claws that can slice right through granite like it's soft clay. Their most famous attribute is their eyes, which are pure shadow.
They cut down the drunk and turned right to Dane. He was suddenly regretting destroying their home just so that Florad wouldn't kill him for the food he had. He leaped out the window and ran like all hell was on his heels. The reality was not much better. The Yithian were shooting acid, and he was only avoiding it by dipping behind trees. Dane had one hand on his knife. If they would stop shooting and try to kill him properly, he could try to kill them in turn.
He saw a flash of red in a bush. He thought it was a person, so he mouthed help. They did not answer. He drew his knife.
Suddenly he tripped on his own feet and fell on his stomach. Dane turned and looked for a sign of mercy he never got. The Yithian stopped shooting and kicked Dane's knife out of his hand and smiled so that their pointed teeth showed as they went in for the kill.

~Chapter Four~

Rhose was on the cliff's edge of insanity. Everyday felt like a dream that she never woke up from. Her mother became the nicest person in the world. She was starting to believe that she really had been kidnapped and taken from her adoring mother, but a small voice in the back of her head still said it wasn't true. But that wasn't right. Her mother did love her.
Her mother had searched for her for all of the four years she had been away. The boys and girl who had kidnapped her were very evil. They had put her into a coma and hidden her.
???Rhose, it is almost time for your coronation, sweetheart,??? Yanwen stepped into the room. Rhose smiled fondly at her mother.
???I can not wait to finally be back by your side, where I belong,??? she replied in a singsong voice.
???And what of those bastards who took you from me for so long? Those who put you in that dreaded coma???? Yanwen raised an eyebrow. Rhose's smile faded to anger.
???Those people shall die for kidnapping the heir of Jumero and holding her against her will,??? she said with conviction. Her mother smiled evilly.
???Good, very good,??? she slowly circled Rhose, ???Now I'll have your maids get you ready. You must look your best. Oh, and Rhose, your sorceress training begins at dawn tomorrow. See you in the great hall later,??? Yanwen smiled and closed the door. The smile faded and she turned to face to her assistant.
???She has been fully brainwashed. Now we can begin the raid on Nycoen with my mindless pet by my side,??? Her laugh echoed all throughout the castle.

* * *

Nyla had just witnessed Dane jump out a window. As much as she hated him, it was still suicide to go alone against two Yithian. So she and Toad had followed him, waiting for the right moment to strike their revenge on him, even if he was dead. They hid in a nearby bush. Dane was about to be killed, and Nyla couldn't honestly say she felt sorry for him.
That was when Dane spotted them. His eyes widened and he jerked his head towards the Yithian circling him, mouthing the word help. He fell to the ground and lost his knife. When Nyla didn't move, he yelled,
???Look, a Pixy!??? The Yithian whirled around.
Nyla thought it sounded ridiculous, but then he was right. Yithian's archenemy were Pixies. The small flightless creatures were normally around a third of the size of a Yithian, at the most, but they were four times as fierce. Even though they could not fly, Pixies had razor-sharp wings that were serrated like a leaf. The majority of them were normally a dull green or brown, with the occasional splash of color.
Of course there were no Pixies, but the enemy whirling around gave Dane enough time to get to his feet and retrieve his knife. The Yithian were no longer mad. They were furious.
???Foolish human boy!??? the taller one had a voice like grinding metal, ???nobody jokes about archenemies, even you, scum!???
Dane would've made a withering retort, but both Yithian lunged at the same time, their most famous killing move.
???No!??? Nyla screamed.
Just then something miraculous happened. The world seemed to move in slow motion as Dane jumped in the air, brandishing his knife. The Yithian came closer and closer, but Dane was spinning in a circle. He sliced both of their throats and landed very calmly.
Nyla felt suddenly sick. She and Dane had pulled some stunts, put they had never, ever killed anyone. And Dane just blew it off like he got back to the hideout after midday meal. She was stunned. Had he done this before? she wondered.
Toad managed to speak, ???Dane, what was that????
Dane looked stunned. Nyla didn't think that he thought easy-going Toad could get angry.
???I just defended myself. No big deal,??? he said with a shrug.
???But you killed them!??? Nyla yelled.
???I just-??? Dane stuttered.
???You just what? Forgot that they have souls? Families? Siblings? Oh, wait, I've got it. You just killed them for the fun of it. Just like you probably left us for dead just for the fun of it,??? she finished ranting and immediately wished she could take it back. Dane looked as though he had just gotten struck by lightning, mouth hanging open, back rigid. ???Dane... why????
He bit his lip before answering. ???Florad and Kae are the only family-type people I can clearly remember. If you had a choice to leave with your family, or leave your best friends behind, which would you choose? It wasn't an easy decision to make, but I chose family. And since my family had stabbed me in the back, I guess I'm going with friends this time.???
???Thanks. I feel so appreciated,??? Toad said sarcastically.
???Oh, I almost forgot. I'm supposed to be dead, so if we go in any of these towns, I'll be found out, and Florad will come and kill me.???
Dane had gotten out a map and pointed to almost all of the towns along the way to Jumero, and then fewer towards the sea.
Nyla scrunched up her eyebrows, ???Why are you supposed to be dead????
???Because I am his slave and supposed to be dead by the Yithian that I think he was friends with. And don't ask any questions, because I don't want to talk about it. He bought my when I was about three, so that should answer any other questions you may have had,??? Dane stared at the map for a while. Nyla's eyes widened while looking at it.
???That's almost every town in Nycoen. How are we supposed to stay out of all of them? He can't possibly know that many people, can he????
Dane's expression was not reassuring.
???We have to find Florad and Kae to get the princess so we can give her back to King Lyle and warn him about the plot against him,??? Dane said solemnly.
???Helping the king is not appealing, but I guess it is better than having a dictator, sorceress, queen, lady-thing,??? Toad said. They all laughed and went on their way.

* * *

Rhose was the princess of Jumero. She saw no reason why she should have to go to the idiot country of Nycoen just to get King Lyle to hand over power to Jumero. Could
not mother do that?
???But Mother,??? Rhose whined, ???I don't want to go to that stinking sewer of a country. It's so unfair!??? She stomped her foot just to prove a point. Yanwen made her do everything. She had to brush her own hair in the morning, and get up to fetch a book from the bookcase, and even had to pick out her own clothes in the morning. How rude of her! But mother promised that if she did this mission she would get a maid.
???Now darling, you must go and try to negotiate with King Lyle. And try to remember the skills I taught you about diplomacy. You must convince him to hand over control to Jumero, understand???? Yanwen grinned slyly.
Rhose rolled her eyes. She knew all about diplomacy. You talked and talked and talked until you got a deal. And if things didn't go your way, then you just brainwash the person into signing whatever document you bring over to them.
???Fine mother. I shall go to Nycoen. But only if you allow me to get some new clothes and bring some servants,??? Rhose looked at Yanwen. Her lips were pursed in a tight smile.
???No. Let us compromise at you going to Nycoen with you and yourself.??? Yanwen raised an eyebrow. Rhose felt a tingling sensation come over her. She smiled.
???It is a deal, mother,??? Yanwen nodded to one of her servants to get her some wine.
???Mistress,??? a small man in purple robes hissed as Rhose left the hall, ??? That girl is completely clueless. She thought that she saw a unicorn in the garden this morning! I think you may have messed with her mind a little too much, milady. You had better be careful. If you brainwash her anymore, she may go completely insane, and no one can bring her back from that, even you, your magnificantness.???
Yanwen answered with mock pity, ???Oh, forgive me, Fredwhimp, I don't seem to recall you begging not be turned into a tree slug. Is that right???? Fredwhimp suddenly paled.
???That's what I thought. Now, follow her and make sure she does not remember anything. Or anyone. And if she starts to, make sure they go permanently off the map,??? Yanwen chuckled quietly. She thought that it was going to be a very fun trip for her lovely new daughter.
???Did you give her the bracelet? The one with the feathers????
???Yes, of course! What does it do, if I may ask???? Fredwhimp's small form leaned slowly forward.
Yanwen answered with a twinkle in her eye, ???It keeps her mind poisoned, of course.???

* * *

???We'll never get back to the Kingdom at this rate,??? Kae complained. When Dane had come back with Nyla and Toad, she had been in tears. Florad had left to go to Jumero while she was looking for Dane. Dane had offered to take her with them in exchange for the princess, who had been peeking out from underneath Kae's robes.
???Remember Kae, we have to get her to a healer first,??? Dane said, pointing to the sickly princess that Toad was carrying.
???Yeah, well, I don't think whatever she has can be cured. She has been sick for over a week, and her fever has only gone up. Plus, it has been perfect weather for outdoor living, so it isn't that, either,??? Kae pointed out. Nyla agreed silently. Whatever was wrong with Jen could not be healed by some general healer. They needed a shaman.
The shaw-men were dwarf-sized men who used dark magic to do the impossible, but it came with a price that was very high, so you often ended up dead, with your money in the secret stash of a shaman.
Toad seemed to come to the same conclusion.
???Dane, we can't go to a healer. We have to go to a shaman to cure whatever Jenevieve has,??? Dane halted so suddenly that Nyla ran into him.
???Dane!??? She yelled with anger.
???Shh! Go into the trees very slowly, and try not to make a sound,??? he sounded alarmed.
Nyla glanced over Dane's shoulder, and what she saw made her knees start to crumble. It was Rhose, but she was different somehow, more haughty, with better posture and jewelry.
???Ny!??? Toad motioned to the trees, but he wasn't looking at her. When Rhose had left, he had been a wreck, but seeing her again had to have just about killed him. He was white as a ghost. They both headed to the trees, and just in time. As Nyla got her boot in between two small aspen with white bark, Rhose looked up.
She looked so much more snooty now, it was sickening. Nyla got the feeling that if you begged for help, but were beneath her status, you may as well be a rug on a dirt floor. Then she did something unexpected.
Rhose spoke a spell. She had never used magic, save for emergencies, before. What had happened to her? In foreign words, she conjured up a mirror-like image appeared in front of her, but Nyla could see the image that Rhose saw. It was the woman who had kidnapped Rhose.
???Mother, tell me which way to go again. I don't remember what you said last time.???
???You just talked to me two minutes ago, dear. Go up to the tree with arrows on it, then talk to me, okay? Mother is very busy, so please don't disturb me,??? the lady said.
???But!??? Rhose protested
???Butts are for sitting. Now you will go to the Kingdom and talk to Lyle until he gives me the throne,??? Nyla gasped at what she saw. While the Rhose's mother had been talking, her eyes had flared red, and as soon as she finished, Rhose's eyes flared red as well.
???Of course mother. Why wouldn't I????
???Good. Now run along,??? The image shut off, and Rhose basically skipped down the road. As she rounded the curve, a smallish greasy man in purple came up the road and opened the silver locket on his neck, and the woman appeared again.
???Highness, you mustn't clear her mind that often or she'll go mad! You said you wanted a daughter, not an idiot.??? the man rasped.
???Fredwhimp, she calls me every two seconds! How can I plot to overthrow a country if she asks for directions that often? I should have lessened the brainwashing like you said,??? Nyla giggled at the strange man's name.
Fredwhimp replied, ???Mistress, calm down. I'll take care of the princess's mind problems with some simple disguise magic and a spell for mind healing.???
???You are by far the most disgusting little sorcerer I have ever known. I love it!??? The woman smiled. ???Take good care of her. I still want a mindless puppet for a daughter, just a smarter mindless puppet.???
Fredwhimp bowed and closed the locket, then walked away. The gang waited a few more minutes before stepping out of the trees.
Dane, Toad, and Nyla were in shock as they stepped out of the trees. The evil dictator next door was Rhose's mother? How was that possible? Rhose would have told them that, wouldn't she? Nyla looked at Dane. Dane looked at Toad. Toad looked at Nyla. Kae interrupted the gang's moment of shock with some sense.
???If you three are done goggling over that strange conversation, we have a princess to cure, a shaman to find, and a country to save, so I suggest we get Jen and get going.???