Young Writers Society

Rana was too surprised to know how to feel. Her gut reaction was excitement. It’d been a long time since she’d seen Aldik, and she missed him. But there was still a small voice in the back of her mind nagging that he was probably here to take her home, and she didn’t want that.

“I’m coming to get you.” Aldik turned his attention on Jayk, glowering. “What is she doing here?”

“I didn’t know who she was, at first,” Jayk defended with a shrug. “All I knew was there was a little girl waving a big sword at me when I threatened her pap.”

Aldik rubbed his face, casting an annoyed glance at Rana. “You did what?”

“I thought he was going to hurt Father,” she defended. “I had to do something.”

“No, you didn’t,” Aldik said sternly. “That’s what your guard is for.”

“They got captured.”

“And you thought you’d be able to do better?” Aldik raised an eyebrow. “How’d that work out for you?”

Rana hesitated, then looked down, abashed. “Not well.”

“You need to learn to be more discerning.”

“Really?” Jayk cut in. “I was more thinking she needs to learn how to do that fancy over-the-back move that you do. She’s almost got it, but it’s not too hard to pin her when she tries it.”

“You…” Aldik sighed. He gestured at Rana, silently commanding her to come to him. He looked her over for a moment, then looked back at Jayk. “I’m just glad she’s okay.”

“You doubted I’d take care of her?” Jayk scoffed, feinting offense.

“No, I doubted she was with you,” Aldik said. “All Lord Elstan could tell me was that it was a pompous outlaw with a cocky swagger, who thought it’d be funny to make him fight his daughter. I took a guess it was you, but I couldn’t be sure.”

“Pompous?” Jayk scoffed again. “He’s one to talk.”

“Oh yes, he does a lot of talking,” Aldik said, looking down at Rana. “Speaking of which, we need to get you home. You’ve got a lot of talking to do, too.”

“What?” Rana said, stepping away from him. “No.”

“What do you mean ‘no’?” Aldik asked.

“I’m not going back,” Rana said.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Aldik said. “Of course you’re going back.”

“No, I’m not,” Rana insisted. She walked closer to Jayk, glaring at Aldik. She was happy to see him, but not happy enough to want to go back with him. “Jayk? Tell him I’m not going back.”

“I don’t know that I got anything in this,” Jayk said. He lifted his hands in front of his chest defensively, not wanting to get into the middle of this argument between Aldik and Rana.

“You can’t take me back,” Rana whined, turning back to Aldik. “I don’t want to go.”

“Why not? Your family misses you.”

“Yeah, I’m sure Father is just dying for me to come back,” Rana scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Why should I want to go back to having every detail of my life micromanaged? I can breathe here. I’m learning things. Look at this!”

Rana tossed the rope in the air, holding it half-way between her and Aldik using the Vim. She worked the last knot out of rope, then pulled it back to herself and let it drop into her hands. She grinned victoriously. “See? I never would’ve learned that at the manor.”

“I understand that,” Aldik said gently. “But I don’t have a choice. Your father sent me here. I can’t just go back without you.”

“Oh, couldn’t be bothered to come himself?” Rana asked venomously. “Probably too busy.”

“Actually, that one’s on me,” Jayk admitted. “I said I wouldn’t deal with him. Told him to send Aldik instead.”

“You never did say how you two know each other,” Rana said.

“Long story,” Jayk said, shrugging. “For now, you’d best be getting back.”

“You want me to leave,” she said accusingly.

“Of course he don’t,” Glynn cut in, speaking for the first time. He strode forward and wrapped his arm around Rana’s shoulder, trying to comfort her. “But yer place is in castles, rubbing shoulders with princes and kings. Not in the forest with a bunch o’ strange men.”

Rana frowned. It was obvious that she was outvoted. Even if it would’ve just been Aldik who wanted her to go back, she didn’t stand a chance against him if he decided to force her. She let her shoulders slump as she crossed her arms. “Fine.”

“It’ll be okay,” Glynn said. “I reckon our paths will cross again someday.”

“Well, it best not be like this if they do,” Aldik said. He turned a glare back on Jayk. “Zandyr has words for you.”

“Uncle Zandyr is here?” Rana asked, eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Yeah,” Aldik said. “He got in last night. He heard what happened and isn’t too happy. Was planning on coming looking for you himself.”

“Oh.” Jayk rubbed the back of his neck, eyes flitting around the clearing nervously. He wet his lips. “Well now that she’s back, there’s no need for that, right?”

“What’s wrong?” Rana asked, cocking her head to the side curiously.

“Nothing.”

“Oh.” She shrugged it off, too pleased about the news her uncle was in town to be bothered by Jayk’s odd behavior. “Have you met my uncle Zandyr? He’s the greatest.”

“Yeah, he’s great,” Jayk agreed flatly.

“So, you do know him?” she asked eagerly.

“Yeah,” Jayk said. “I’ve had a talk or two with him in the past… well, you’d best get on back. So long, Rana.”

“So long, Jayk,” she said. She walked over to him and gave him a hug, then hugged Glynn and Drayan.

Aldik waited for her to finish, then nodded his head to the outlaws and led Rana back towards the palace. He waited until he was sure they were out of hearing range before he spoke. “So… I take it your time wasn’t entirely painful, considering your protests to coming back with me?”

“It was great!” Rana said eagerly. “I gotta show you all the stuff they taught me. They know a bunch of things and explained anything I asked them to.”

“And your time at Gnamrey?”

Rana instantly sobered. The smile melted from her face and she frowned at her feet as they walked, contemplating her response. She’d been actively forgetting her time with the monster; she didn’t like the reminder. “It was… not great.”

“Not great,” Aldik said, nodding. “Which means?”

“He tortured a peasant that stole from him,” Rana said.

“Some kings are like that.”

“He made me watch.” Rana folded her arms across her chest, hugging herself protectively. Even thinking about her time in the dungeons made her want to crawl in a hole and hide. “And then he wanted me to help him.”

Aldik cringed. “That sounds horrifying.”

“It wasn’t even the worst part.”

“What was?”

“It’s a toss-up.” Rana swallowed hard, trying to still the trembling that’d returned to her arms. “Between him throwing me in the dungeon for refusing to help with his brutality… and watching him cannibalize the man after he cut his hand off.”

They walked in silence for a few moments. Aldik didn’t know how to respond. He looked at Rana. She looked small and afraid, and refused to meet his gaze. He wrapped his arm around her protectively, hoping to comfort her. “It’s okay… you’re here now. You never have to go back.”

Rana nodded, swallowing hard.

“Come on, now,” Aldik said, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “Let’s talk about your time with Jayk. You seemed a fair bit more excited about that. He taught you how to use the Vim, I take it?”

They talked the rest of the way back to the manor. By the time they returned, the excitement of getting to see Uncle Zandyr was enough to overpower the dread of having to go back to polite society.

Rana really couldn’t understand why noblemen insisted on making life so much more complicated than it needed to be. The past few weeks had been so much less stressful than any she could remember in her life.

The anxiety began to return as they neared the door of her home. She didn’t want to speak to Father. She didn’t know what he might say, but she figured anything he did would anger her. He would either pretend like it was her fault somehow or pretend to be concerned — they were equally terrible options, since neither were true.

Aldik accompanied her to the parlor but waited out in the hallway when she pushed the door open and walked inside. Her entire family was waiting for her. She stepped inside hesitantly, but didn’t speak, face solemn as she waited to see her welcome.

Mama leapt to her feet the instant she laid eyes on Rana. She rushed to Rana and threw her arms around her in a tight hug as she kissed her face and neck, tears streaming down her own cheeks. “Oh, baby girl, I was so worried about you.”

“I’m okay.” Rana offered a half-hearted smile as she returned her mother’s embrace.

“Thank heavens for that,” Father said. He was sitting in his easy chair with one ankle crossed over the other knee, book in his hand, glasses pushed far down on his nose. He didn’t bother to stand as he watched the exchange between mama and Rana. “I was so worried.”

Rana’s smile faded as she stared at him, jaw hard. It was his fault entirely that she’d been taken in the first place, and now nothing about his reception made her believe that he’d even thought of her while she was gone. And yet he insisted in feinting concern.

“Goodness, you’re dirty,” Mama cut in, stopping the fight before it could start. “And look at those clothes. And your poor hair is so knotted.”

Rana turned her attention back towards Mama, glancing down at herself. Mama was right. It wasn’t something the men took much notice of, and she’d grown to ignore it as well. But her clothes were covered in dirt from the many times she’d gotten thrown to the ground in their practice sessions, and she’d long since given up trying to keep her hair tamed. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Go get that taken care of, honey,” Mama said, wiping her face. “We’ll get all caught up once you’re washed up and feel better.”

“Yes, Mama,” Rana answered respectfully. Her eyes drifted past Mama, towards the rest of the room. Father returned to his book, not able to maintain his act of caring about Rana for even a full minute. Fae was silently staring at her with wide eyes. “Hey.”

“I’m really glad you’re back, Rana. I was scared you were going to get hurt and not come back and I’m really happy that you are back instead of being hurt,” Fae said in a single breath, rushing through her words.

Rana smiled. “Thanks. I’m glad I’m back too.”

“Go on,” Mama said. “I’ll send for the servants to bring water to your room.”

“Yes, Mama,” Rana answered. She turned and walked back into the hallway, shutting the door behind her. She turned towards the stairs but stopped short when she saw Uncle Zandyr and Jaerek standing in the hallway next to Aldik.

“Uncle Zandyr!” She quickly closed the few steps that separated them and threw her arms around her uncle.