Chapter 6: Victims of War Chapter 8: It’s a Trap!
Chapter 7: Waterside Renvall
I ran for only a few moments; then Seth called to me to stop. He was concerned that I might wear myself out, dashing around after my brother like a scared rabbit. I smiled and acquiesced.
We dropped off the family at the nearest town and reached Renvall by noon the next day. It was quite impressive for a small fortress. The cool, deep, blue waters of a perfectly ring-shaped lake lay in a shallow valley with a backdrop of brown mountains to the north. Seth and I stood on a hill to the southwest. Thick forests lined the lake’s shores, and a single bridge leapt across to a castle crouching on a little island in the centre of the lake.
Scholars said the perfect lake was formed when a large rock fell down from the sky, but I didn’t believe them. Rocks that big didn’t fall from the sky like that. I was usually openminded about such things, but this thing in particular they would have to prove to me.
“My brother is somewhere inside that castle,” I murmured. A slight breeze caressed my hair.
“Allow me to point out the defenses of Renvall,” Seth said. I nodded. “The single bridge will be heavily guarded. They have a wonderful view of the valley, meaning it is easy to defend and difficult to assault. Our strategy must be a careful one.”
“I agree,” I agreed.
“Princess Eirika,” said Franz, “my elder brother, Forde, is in that castle with Prince Ephraim, Sir Kyle, and Sir Orson – please allow me to fight with you this time as well.”
“Certainly, Franz,” I smiled. I usually asked him to fight. He was just making sure he didn’t get supply cart guard duty. Once or twice, I had asked someone not to fight in order to guard the cart, normally if I thought it was extra dangerous.
“We’re with you all the way!” Ross exclaimed. “Right, Dad?”
“Don’t work yourself into a lather, Ross,” cautioned Garcia, smiling. “Remember, a good warrior keeps his cool.”
Colm sidled up beside me. “You need anything stolen,” winking, “I’m your man. Course, my blade’s no joke, either,” he added with a shrug.
“I have yet to repay you for helping me with those abhominations,” Artur said from my other side. Natasha offered a pretty prayer about sacred light to God, and then the whole group had crowded around me, giving me affirmations of their loyalty – as if I needed it!
I thanked them, and looked down at the castle. “Brother, I’m on my way. Let’s go!”
I sent Neimi and Colm directly north of our position to where I could see a ballista. Neimi did not mind trying it out at all. The rest of us fought our way to the first bridge, avoiding another ballista with an enemy archer on it. Actually, I sent Franz to deal with that one. My strategy seemed to work well. Neimi and Colm ran out of bolts and hurried to catch up. I defeated the cavelier holding the gate myself. Then, I hurried into the castle with my friends at my heels.
Seth caught me as I began to dash across the inner bridge. “Hold, Lady Eirika. Look, in the shadows – a figure…”
I gasped, but it turned out to be Orson. “Princess Eirika. And… is that you, Seth?”
I sighed in relief. Orson was one of my brother’s knights. I had a strange nagging in the back of my mind, but I pushed it away and ignored it.
“Orson, where’s my brother?” I asked. “Oh! You look so pale. Are you well? Did Grado’s soldiers-” the words ‘torture you’ were on the tip of my tongue, but Orson shook his head.
“It is nothing. This way. Prince Ephraim is in one of the deeper cells… if he still lives.”
I turned pale myself and took a couple of unsteady paces before I regained my balance following Orson. Seth dismounted and led Altha after me. The rest of our group followed him.