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The water was black when they set sail. There were no clouds above them for once and they use the stars to guide them on their way. No one saw the men off to their ship. Eamon did not want to draw any more attention to themselves then they already had. Eamon said goodbye to his family in the privacy of the castle and led the men through the darkness to the ship waiting at the docks.
"I forgot how it feels," Milet said.
"Forgot what what feels like?" Eamon said as they stood on the ship and watched Greyhaven grow smaller and smaller in the distance.
"Leaving home," Milet said and paused. "I suppose that's wrong too. What I mean is, leaving home and not knowing if or when we will return."
"It is a necessary thing. If it were not, then I would have not asked you to come."
"Even if you had asked me to stay, I would have ignored your order and come with you anyway. You need someone to watch your back and keep you from foolishness," Milet said.
"There is no one more accomplished at that than you," Eamon said.
Milet smiled and though it was such a small thing, Eamon took it as a victory. "Do you suppose the men there will welcome us?"
It was a question that Eamon considered almost constantly since learning of them. If these men were soldiers, if they had served the royal family, logic said that they would welcome Eamon back.
But, they were soldiers abandoned. Eamon left them on the Isles to defend themselves and wonder if he would ever return. Eamon would certainly not blame them for being angry with them or blaming him for any misfortune they suffered in his absence.
"I hesitate to say one way or the other. I can only hope that they would welcome us, and aid us while we seek out the Prince," Eamon replied.
"But it is no sure thing," Milet said.
"How would you feel, if your King abandoned you on an island filled with invaders and slave drivers and rapists and looters?" Eamon asked.
"My feelings could easily be mended if my King returned to me with an army of thousands, as bloodthirsty and enraged as I no doubt would feel," Milet replied.
Eamon looked over at the man. Although he had not had as much time with Milet as he would have liked, he found his admiration and respect only growing for the man day by day. He was a gifted soldier and loved his Princess without reserve.
"When will you return to your own lands?" Eamon asked.
Milet looked troubled at the turn of conversation. "I don't know if we ever will. Yvonne, I apologize, King Alik’s advisor, my Princess, says where and when we will go. I do not know for sure, but I suspect that her parents wanted her to marry the king. They seek the alliance that your parents sought but Yvonne became a surrogate sister to Alik when he lost his own. So now, we stay, I believe because Yvonne could not be parted from Alik. Not during this tenuous time."
"I believe Yvonne's heart belongs to another," Eamon noted.
Milet would not meet his eyes.
"Is it against the customs of your people for a princess of Yvonne's standing to marry a great soldier and an even better man?" Eamon asked.
"Newlyweds always seek to spread the happiness they have to their friends," Milet said with a smile.
"While I will not deny that, I am not blind either," Eamon said.
Milet leaned against the railing of the ship and looked out. "Yvonne and I have known each other most of our lives, since we were children. Even as a young woman, she was very beautiful and very smart. Any man that walks the lands would be lucky to call her his wife. But, Yvonne is not so easily won. She knew from the time that she was young the kind of man she wished to marry and a soldier does not fit the criteria. She would never ask me to leave my service and I could never leave her side. So here we are and I'm not sure where that place is."
Eamon put a hand on Milet's shoulder. He had no words for what Milet could possibly be feeling, what he had felt the majority of his life.
"Perhaps in another life, it would have been possible. But all we have is here and now, and right now we must return you to your kingdom," Milet said.
Eamon knew when to leave a topic alone.
They both turned to the direction of the Storm Isles. It would not be long before they landed and Eamon could finally confront the man who killed his family and stole his home.
***
THE CASTLE WAS IN QUIET upheaval. There were people constantly coming and going, carrying out different orders left by Eamon. The wall outside the servants quarters was constantly being worked on, patched up and strengthened so that no one could get through again. There were preparations underway to ready the rest of the army to follow Eamon. Men still marched for Grayhaven from the allied kingdoms that surrounded their lands.
Alik kept himself as busy as possible to keep his mind off of Eamon and what was possibly the most foolish plan he ever agreed to. His days and his nights were long and the time that he allowed himself to sleep was probably less than what he required.
It was on the second day that Margrave approached him. He was out by the sparring ring, directing the men on where they could set up camp.
"Cousin, a word?" Margrave called out as he approached Alik.
Alik dismissed those around him and turned his horse to face Margrave who approached on his own.
There hadn't been much time for them to discuss all that had transpired with Iolas and discovering that Lambin was Margrave's son. Alik spoke at length with Eamon about the betrayal he felt, until Eamon pointed out that Margrave kept secrets as a way to stay alive and this was his greatest secret to keep. Margrave would've taken this secret to the grave, if it meant keeping his son alive. Eamon then pointed out that anyone who was next in line to the throne could never have a childhood, not really.
What Margrave did, he did out of love and a fierce need to protect his son and to keep him happy.
"What can I help you with?" Alik asked, even as his eyes continued to scan the woods front open area for more men to set up camp.
"Is Lambin with you?" Margrave asked.
It was such an odd question, that it took a moment for Alik to process. Then he shook his head. "No, I haven't seen him since Eamon left. He was on the docks with the rest of us that night."
"He told his mother he was staying with you that night. Then, the following day he had tutoring and archery. He did not stay with you?" Margrave asked.
With the growing dread, Alik slowly shook his head. "It was never discussed, Margrave. He never asked permission to stay with me that night and I haven't seen him since the night Eamon left."
There was a flash of worry on Margrave's face, twisting the scars on his face even deeper, before that usual mask of polite indifference settled on his face. "Perhaps Avelina has seen him. I will go to her next."
"Send word immediately if you cannot find him," Alik ordered.
Margrave inclined his head and turned his horse away. Alik turned to Yvonne and Osonia who were only a short distance away. They heard everything.
"Create a search party, send them to the village first, and then have them search the castle. Do it quickly, but quietly. Do not create a panic."
They both bowed their heads, turned away, and headed for their own horses.
Of the three of them, they didn't state the obvious. But they wouldn't have to, would they?
The heir to the throne was missing.
***
IN A BRIEF SHOW OF luck, the winds were on their side. The usual three day sail would take less than two.
The Storm Isles came into sight before Milet approached Eamon. "When we land, what is the plan?"
It was something that Eamon was keeping to himself. It wasn't that he didn't trust the other soldiers; they were all hand-picked by himself or Milet. No, it was the fact that a great deal of his plan was pinned on hope and faith in his people.
"We need to seek out those that are still loyal to the crown. Then, take stock of what we have, and what we need. If we can infiltrate the castle, and take down the Prince, then I believe a great deal of bloodshed can be avoided," Eamon said.
"That sounds –" Milet seemed to be searching for a polite way to say that Eamon's plan sounded foolish.
"I know. But if there is a chance that we can avoid losing any more lives, and that the civilians might make it through this counter-invasion, then it is all the more that I could hope for," Eamon said.
Eamon waited for Milet to say something else but he remained silent. Eamon kept his eyes on the Storm Isles, still in the distance. Coming home, after all this time spent in Gray Haven, Eamon felt like he should feel more victorious or perhaps even joyous, but there was nothing there but a deep sadness.
"Coming home is never the same," Milet remarked.
"I suppose not."
There was no relief, like every other time Eamon came home. Perhaps it was because he knew that the war to regain his throne was only beginning. Perhaps it was because he already felt like a failure, because he had failed Edmond in such a devastating manner already.
"The first time I returned to my own home, it didn't feel like home at all anymore. It felt too small, like boots that I had long grown out of. I think that is the way of things, that you must leave home and grow away from it before you can realize how much it meant to you," Milet went on.
"Were you always so wise?" Eamon asked.
"No. I have only learned to speak in riddles, after spending so much time in Margrave's company."
"An unfortunate habit."
"One that I am still trying to shake."
***
THE CASTLE WAS TORN apart. Lady Sexton had threatened more people than Alik even realized lived there. The manner in which she did so even made Margrave wince.
In the end, Lambin was nowhere to be found. The village and the marketplace were also searched, but he was not there either.
In the council room, Sir Clifton, Avelina, and Alik were all gathered. Everyone else was still searching and although the three present did not want to admit it out loud, they seemed to silently agree that the boy was gone and there was no clue as to where he could have possibly gone.
"Do you suppose they have him?" Avelina asked.
She didn't have to say who she thought had him. Alik had no idea how the Vresal spies could have taken him, while he was right there under all their noses. Alik had been trying to keep the thought from himself. He didn't want to think what would happen to such a young, valuable hostage. He didn't want to know what Eamon would bargain to get him back. Or even if Lambin still lived.
"If they did, I believe they would've already made their move. Although it would be a foolhardy one. Neither myself or Eamon have named him heir to the throne. If they do have him, they might just consider him someone important to the throne. The public does not know of Lambin's value. There was a reason for that, I suppose. Eamon never pushed to have him named in front of the court. Smart," Alik muttered.
"So there is a chance, that even if the invaders do have him, they do not know who he is," Sir Clifton said.
"A small chance. What other child could possibly be raised and groomed to take the throne?" Avelina asked.
There is nothing but silence in the Council room as they considered their options.
"Should we even tell Eamon?" Avelina asked.
"We would surely face his wrath if we didn't," Alik said.
"How would we even get word to him?" Sir Clifton asked.
"A messenger, sent alone, and in hopes that they could find him," Alik said.
"A person such as this, could be captured, and the truth forced from them. If they do have Lambin, the messenger could be forced to tell the Vresal who they truly have, if they don't know who he is already. Any message sent in any other manner could be intercepted and decoded. I do not believe that it is a matter of not telling the king, I believe it is a matter of keeping the boy safe by not telling him," Sir Clifton said.
Alik studied the man. He still do not care for him, but he had to admit that Sir Clifton had a point. If they did send word to Eamon, it could bring the whole thing down on their heads. Not to mention the fact that the messenger could be a herald, announcing Eamon's return.
"I do not care for it, but I believe Sir Clifton is right," Alik said.
Out of ideas, Alik slumped back against his chair. He glanced over to his left where Eamon usually sat. Eamon would know what to do in an instance such as this. Eamon would probably even know where Lambin was. Their relationship had grown in fondness and affection since Lambin was allowed to train. Alik was able to glimpse the kind of father Eamon could be.
Not that Eamon was able to take Margrave's spot in Lambin's eyes. Lambin had inherited his father's need for mischief and could often be found playing tricks or telling lies that were covered in the truth. It was never malicious, often done more out of fun than to be cruel, but Alik could see how much the boy admired his father and wanted to make him proud.
Eamon was more of a big brother, or very close uncle. The times that Lambin spoke of going into battle with Eamon –
The pieces fell into place so suddenly that Alik was surprised they hadn't seen it before. He stood up and looked wildly around the room.
"What is it?" Avelina asked, alarmed.
"I know where he is," Alik said and ran from the room.
***
THEY CAME ASHORE ON the east side of the largest island. It was sandy, desolate, and it was neither patrolled, nor did anyone live there. The night was still all around them and the men kept to the shadows of the cliffs that loomed above them.
Eamon led the way, the one of all of them that knew where he was going.
The men were far gone by the time a small shadow slipped from one of the boats and headed in a different direction.
***
LADY SEXTON TOOK THE news as well as Alik thought she would. Margrave took the news as well as Alik thought he would. He was a silent and still as the statues that surrounded them in the council room. His one working eye seemed distant and for the first time since he had ever known his cousin, Alik saw Margrave look lost.
Lady Sexton collapsed and now she lay weeping in Avelina's arms.
"Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure that he is gone with them?" Lady Sexton demanded through her sobs. Avelina rubbed her back and looked up at Alik.
Alik swallowed hard past the lump in his throat. No, he was not sure. But there seemed to be no other logical explanation as to where Lambin disappeared to.
It only made sense that the boy was with Eamon and Milet and they were long gone.
"I will return," Margrave said. He stood up slowly, as though he felt so brittle he would break at the slightest touch.
Avelina and Alik exchanged a look.
"Where are you going?" Sir Clifton asked softly.
There was a tension in the room that seemed explosive, that could be set off with the wrong word said.
Margrave still had that distant look in his eyes. "I am going to go get my son," he said.
Alik didn't expect anything less. But he had to stop him. Sending Margrave on a mission, by himself, as he was, was asking for either suicide or the death of them both. Alik stood and crossed the room.
And even if they did survive, the chances of them giving away Eamon's place was far too high.
"Margrave, you can't," Alik said gently.
It was the wrong word to speak, Alik realized, as soon as he said it.
Margrave whirled around, and Alik had Margrave's sword to his neck. It was easy to forget how fast Margrave could be, easy to forget that Margrave was just as trained as any of them in fighting. But now, with Margrave's sword to his neck, Alik realized that there was no stopping him or Lady Sexton. Alik saw Lady Sexton stand up and draw her courage around her like a cloak. He knew it would take imprisoning them both before he could stop them.
And they both knew that he would never do that.
"What would you have me do?" Margrave demanded.
Alik didn't have the answers, he never had the answers. He only saw the problems and the consequences. He couldn't tell them how to avoid confrontations but he would be damned if he would let them go alone.
"Give me a day, just a day, and we will all go," Alik said
"I am leaving in twelve hours," Margrave said. He slid his sword back into its sheath and turned back around. He helped Lady Sexton to her feet and they both left.
"What have you done?" Avelina asked.
"The only thing that I could do."
***
EAMON HAD ONLY ONE part of his plan that he needed to complete before anything else.
He needed to find the soldiers that Alik told him about. Once he found them, he would be able to formulate a better suited plan for their forces. From there, he hoped that he would be able to take the Prince down and he knew that a fractured court would tear itself apart and he would only have to stand by and watch.
It sounded so simple, and he could only hope that it worked according to his plan. If it didn't, if they were found out before, if any of the million things went wrong, then his plan could be forgotten. They crept to the sand dunes and up the cliff going through switchbacks and eventually ending up in the back of a large gathering of trees.
Milet looked at him and Eamon could see it in his eyes as well as hear it in his own thoughts: this all seemed too easy.
But there was nothing for Eamon to do about it. He had no explanation, and there was no way that word could have gotten to the Prince here on Storm Isle that they were coming.
Or that's what he kept telling himself anyway. The large gathering of trees that they crept through shielded them from the moon high above. Eamon could feel it like a hand on the back of his neck; cold, clammy, with sharp nails digging into his skin.
They were walking into a trap.
When Eamon pulled his sword from his belt, there was no cause for it, but his instincts told him to do so and he never ignored them. When he pulled his sword free, the others did as well and behind him were thirty well armed men and next to him was one of the finest soldiers he had ever had the pleasure of fighting next to.
It made no sense that here, where he grew up, he felt dread growing deep inside of him like he never had before.
Then the trees all around them lit up with fiery arrows, and Eamon knew that they walked headlong into a trap.
Eamon heard the pounding of hooves first and then he was swinging his sword like he never had before. Any that were not dressed like them, in the familiar purple capes, and who were on horseback, Eamon showed no mercy to. The others took his lead, and began fighting for their lives.
When it was all over, Eamon stood with his back to Milet's. They were surrounded by horses that were circling them. Other than the two of them, it didn't seem that anyone else had survived.
Eamon hoped that Alik would forgive him for his foolishness and that he would be able to win back the Storm Isles for his sisters.
He hoped for a great many things when he saw Prince Raulyn stepped through an opening when the horses parted.
The flames were at his back and it was like he stepped from the underworld and brought a nightmare with him. His hair was braided still and he was smirking. He wore fine clothes and Eamon hated that he recognized the stitches from his own tailor. A crown sat on Raulyn's head and it looked vaguely familiar.
Eamon thought he would be sick when he realized it was Edmond's crown.
"Did King Alik not getting his invitation?" Prince Raulyn asked.
"He was otherwise engaged," Eamon replied.
Prince Raulyn didn't reply, but he did look around at the men that Eamon and the others had taken down.
"You are quite the nuisance. I was hoping that I would be able to negotiate with King Alik instead of dealing with one of your bloody messes."
"If you come a bit closer, I will be happy to send him the message," Eamon offered and brandished his sword.
Prince Raulyn looked unimpressed. "You lack your husband's wit," he remarked.
"I suppose we all have our shortcomings," Eamon admitted.
"Drop your sword, and we can take you in peacefully. You'll have the accommodations for royalty until your execution," Prince Raulyn offered.
"I hope you don't think that will actually work," Eamon said, feeling slightly offended.
Prince Raulyn sighed. "I had hoped so. I don't like losing men, training new ones has become such a burden."
"When you don't know what you are doing, a job does become a burden." Eamon agreed.
Prince Raulyn sneered at Eamon before turning his back to him. "Take them. I don't care by what means, as long as they are alive."
Eamon and Milet fought the others off as hard as they could but there were so many more of the Vresal and only the two of them.
One of the last things that Eamon remembered were fists striking him and seeing Milet’s bruised and bloody body being tossed over the back of a horse.
Eamon could not tell if he was still alive, but he prayed for Milet’s life and for his own.