She dreamed that she was in the meadow with Flame again, running from her kidnappers. She saw herself fall from her horse, but it was like she was another person. She saw the scene unfold from the clouds.
Flame jumped on Feather and raced to her. He didn't know that the two riders' were in the woods. She wanted to scream at him when he got off Feather and stooped down to make sure she was okay. Run, you fool! She heard an arrow being shot from a bow, and then Flame was dead beside her limp body.
She woke herself up screaming, then quickly realized it was just a terrible dream, and she had to be quiet. Already she could hear men outside muttering wearily. They must think she was insane.
What did she care? They stole her. What about that crazy dream? Was Flame really dead, or did that soup just give her terrible nightmares?
Muse needed to escape. She brought her hands up to her mouth in a moment of pure desire to flee, and bit down hard on the rope. After about 10 minutes it chafed so much that it was easy to break. She quickly untied her legs. Now all she had to do was wait. She put the rope back on her body so it made it look like she was still tied up, and patiently hummed a pretty tune, which turned quickly into her favorite song.
“A life to live, a battle to fight. Keep my kingdom safe tonight, little defender...”
She barely got the first line out when the cart jerked to a stop and the hatch opened. It was Limirh again. His eyes were mean little slits, and she knew in her heart she had made a mistake, although she wasn't quite sure what she did wrong.
“What, do you think, you are doing, girlie?” He glared at her, climbing down the hatch ladder and getting in her face. Her fighting spirit roused inside her, and she wasn't sure if she could resist punching him.
Somehow, she did.
“I'm singing.” Stubborn, as always.
“We're going through the Kingdom of Stars. Be quite or you'll get us caught. You don't want more of that soup, do you? Maybe I should just beat you...” Muse drown out his useless babbling, and her spirit soared. The Kingdom of Stars? That was her fathers greatest ally! If she could just escape...
Limirh made a very stupid mistake. He didn't take off his sword or bow when he jumped down to scold Muse.
Muse noticed.
If she could only get to his sword...
“Are you listening to me, little princess?” His voice rose, and he smacked her again, harder than last time. She thought her face would catch fire.
“Remember my promise to you, Limirh?” She said, her voice deadly cold.
“Yeah.” He grunted.
She leaped up and punched him in the nose as hard as she could. Although very satisfied when his nose cracked, she couldn't stop. She bent around him and grabbed his sword. The arm that was out of socket felt better, but still very sore. She grabbed him around the neck with one hand.
“Princess Muse does not get smacked,” she growled, and opened kicked him on the floor. Her foot was across his throat, and her hand opened his mouth, “But she does keep her promises.”
Swiftly, she cut out his tongue. Blood squirted everywhere, along the animal carcasses, the front of her dress, over the walls...
Limirh tried to scream but only a guttural growl could come out, from the pain.
“Goodbye, filthy nuisance.” She curtsied slightly, took his arrow and quiver, and rapidly climbed the ladder. Stealth was her friend, silence was her guardian...She reached the top and was relieved to find it nighttime. The sword was perfectly at ease on her shoulder.
The only problem was the ring of men eating by the fireside, watching her with weary eyes.
Run! Her mind was screaming her. She couldn't move. Her eyes focused on a body strung up by rope right behind the kidnappers, glowing softly by the light of the fire. She knew the plane of his bare chest, and she knew the softness of his lips...
Flame was here with her. Flame was getting beat every night. She knew it from the lash marks on his chest and back. They would scar.
“It's the Princess! She must not escape!” A crowd of angry men charged toward her, breaking her out of her trance. They had Flame. The would die, or she would die trying to save him.
She adjusted the stolen sword and climbed to the top of the cart. The attackers shot arrows, but they were useless. She was at an odd angle, and there was no way she could get hit.
She also couldn't go on the defensive from where she was.
She did the least brilliant thing she's ever done in her life. Even Flame would be appalled.
She jumped into a mass of angry men.
Sword slashing as she came down, her mind went into over drive. Swing, parry, kick. Swing, parry, kick. She was a machine. A killing machine of mass destruction that couldn't be stopped. Pretty soon, most of the men still conscious ran, and she yelled out. In frustration, in pain, she wasn't quite sure. All she knew was, she needed Flame, just like that fire needed wood to burn. He was her purpose now, as annoying as it may be.
She grabbed a horse tied up nearby and walked it over to Flame quickly. She cut him down, put him on the horse, and got on behind him.
“Here we go.” She kicked the horse forward, and on they went. Searching for the highest Tower was easy; they were in a forest not far from the main road. When the horse's hooves first touched the road, she shouted a shrill cry all the way to the lumbering castle gates.
“Princess Muse!” The guards shouted in unison.
“We need the healer!” They opened the doors of the castle and she ran through them, at a full canter, straight into the Great Hall. It was cool in this castle made of stone, and goosebumps rose on her arms.
“I need a healer!” She shouted over and over again until half the palace was crowding into the Great Hall trying to figure out what all the noise was about.
“I'm a healer!” one voice said.
“He needs help. Please...I don't know how bad it is! Hurry!” She panted, out of breath from screaming.
“Give him to me.” A little balding man said, pushing the crowd out of the way. Two guards flanked him, carrying some sort of portable bed.
“Put him on here, Princess.” The man spoke so softly she had to strain to hear, but she did as she was told. Flame moaned in his unconscious state, but Muse had no time to be gentle.
“Take him to my rooms.” The man's voice was gentle, yet very commanding.
“Who are you?” Muse asked, not caring that she was being rude.
“I do believe I am the old man that will save your friend.” A sparkle shone in his eye, and he turned to follow the guards' carrying Flame through the crowd. She followed but was quickly intercepted by the Queen herself.
“Muse! What has happened to you, darling? You're covered in blood and dirt. Let's get you into a nice warm bath.” She crooned, putting a chubby arm around Muse.
“Flame...” she whispered.
“Your friend will be fine. Let's get you cleaned up.”
Muse could do nothing while the Queen pushed her through the crowd, up the stairs, and into her very own bedroom. That was the good thing about Queen Druda. She wasn't pushy, just very motherly, and sometimes overly annoying. She personally drew Muse's bath, and Muse took her clothes off, not caring about anything except for Flame. She was numb to the bone.
“Muse! You will need to see the healer yourself.” Druda chided. For the first time since the capturing, Muse really looked at herself. Her arms were covered in bruises and scrapes, and there was a very deep gash on her thigh. Why hadn't she noticed it before?
She took her bath, put on the dress that Druda had loaned her, and walked out into the hall. She followed the chatter and found herself in the dining chamber.
“Ah, Muse. How great it is to see you!” King Velhort boomed. He was the scrawny sort, but had a mouth on him like no other.
“I need to speak with you, and with Queen Druda, personally.” Muse said quietly, in his ear.
“Later, later. Right now, we feast!” his jolly voice was giving her a headache.
“No. It needs to be done, now.” She looked him in the eyes, and he must have understood her anxious gaze. He got up, and so did Queen Druda. Muse walked to the first door she found and opened it. Good, it was empty. She pulled up three chairs and commanded them to sit.
“Muse, what is going on? You come into my kingdom in the middle of the night, right before dinner, covered in blood, in the company of a boy so broken he may not live.” She tried not to flinch at the power of his words.
“ I was kidnapped.” They gasped, and she told them everything.
“I think we should go check on your friend.” The Kind said quietly, and got to his feet. Queen Druda was weeping silently, and she out her arms around Muse again as the walked to the balding healer's room. Velhort knocked once then went in.
What Muse saw made her cry tears of pain, relief, and sorrow.
