The Song Of The Lioness Quartet - In The Hand Of The Goddess Part 10

A yowl in the darkness greeted them as Faithful informed Alanna, Healing is all very well, but not if you kill yourself in the process. And do you enjoy snuggling up to Jonathan like a lovesick girl?

Alanna sat bolt upright. "Now, you listen to me, you prissy animal-" she began.

"Your Highness. You're back late." Jem Tanner, a spear in his hand, stepped out of the woods. "And Squire Alan. Gadding about all day?"

"You've got guard duty, Jem Tanner?" Alanna snapped, aware that Jonathan was tight with anger. "Then guard."

Faithful leaped onto Alanna's lap as they rode on, startling Darkness not a bit. "Who was that?" Jonathan asked quietly.

"One of the men from camp. Being nasty is his hobby. You were warning me about him, weren't you, Faithful?"

If you're going to fall in love with the Prince, don't show it, the cat advised. Unless you want the whole camp talking about you both.

"I'm not fa-" Alanna stopped, aware that Jonathan was listening intently, one of his arms still around her waist.

"Are you two talking?" he wanted to know.

"Ask Faithful," Alanna said tersely. "I just answer his questions."

A soldier came forward to take Darkness as they entered their own camp. Myles summoned the Prince to his tent, and Alanna was left alone with her thoughts. She kept remembering the men she tried to heal, with their terrible wounds and the glazed look of pain in their eyes. She remembered every cut, every broken bone, until her stomach began to roll. She couldn't make herself think of anything else.

Her body rebelled. She rushed out to the back of the tent, where the little she had eaten that day came up violently. She struggled to be quiet; she wanted no one to witness her shame. Warriors were not supposed to throw up at the sight of blood and dying.

Cool hands soothed her head, steadying her. When she stopped heaving, Jon gave her a dipperful of water. Gratefully she splashed some on her face and rinsed her mouth out.

"If Faithful told you, I'll skin him," she whispered hoa.r.s.ely.

"No," Jon replied. "I was coming back, and I heard you."

"You must think I'm an awful sissy."

There was silence for a moment. Then he replied, "I threw up after my first skirmish."

Alanna looked at her friend, startled. "You never."

He nodded. "I did. I just didn't have anyone to hold my head for me." He ruffled her hair. "Don't tell the men, will you?"

"I won't tell if you won't."

"Done." He held open the flap of the tent. "It wouldn't do for them to think we're sissies, would it?"

JUST two nights later Alanna went looking for Big Thor. His spear needed replacing, and she had one from a man who had died in the healers' tents. The watch captain told her Thor and Jem Tanner had guard duty on the wooded point of land just below the camp, and Alanna set out to meet them, lugging the too-large spear. It was late; everyone but the sentries was going to bed. The night pressed in as she left the camp behind. She could hear animals in the nearby trees, even Faithful's soft padding as he walked beside her. Suddenly the cat dashed into the trees that screened Alanna from Thor's guard post. Frowning, Alanna followed. She was remembering that Jonathan had objected to this little wood that isolated the point so effectively. The enemy could easily cross here and pick off Jonathan's and Imrah's men if the sentries were unable to give the warning. Things would be easier for everyone if the trees were chopped down. Roger had talked the Prince out of it, saying he didn't want men tired out with woodcutting if the enemy attacked, which they did almost every day. His words were reasonable, and Jon had given in.

Faithful yowled a warning to Alanna before she left the shelter of the wood. She ducked behind a big oak and peered at the sentry post, listening.

Thor was not at his station. Neither was Jem Tanner. Instead three men in dark clothing stood on the point. One was lighting a torch while another fitted an arrow to his bow. Faithful yowled again in fury as he positioned himself between the three and Alanna's hiding place. He hissed evilly, his violet eyes gleaming in the darkness.

"Cursed beast!" the bowman whispered as he let his arrow fly. It thudded into the oak's trunk, missing the cat.

"Stop it!" the third man ordered. The one with the torch was waving it over his head, signalling to the opposite bank. "Don't make so much noise!"

Alanna heard oars splas.h.i.+ng in the river; she didn't wait to hear more. Dropping the spear, she quietly made her way free of the wood, Faithful at her heels. Once clear, she ran for all she was worth to the next guard post on the way to Jon's camp.

"Sound your horn!" she yelled to the men there as soon as she drew within earshot. She dropped beside them, panting. "Something's happened to Thor and Tanner-the enemy's crossing!"

The men sounded the alarm. Other horns in both camps took up the call as Alanna ran on to Jonathan, sending one of the sentries to alert the captains.

The Prince was dressing as she arrived. "What's up?" he asked, shrugging into his mail. Alanna told him as she handed over his weapons and his helmet. Myles came in, looking odd in plate armor.

"A messenger just got in; Imrah lost two guards as well," he said without formality. "The Tusaine is mounting a major attack between our camps. They're going to split us right down the middle; the men from the Fort may get here too late."

"We'll see," Jon said grimly. "Have the men form a half-circle around the point. We'll shove them off our ground, then help Imrah. You go on, Myles. I'm contacting Roger."

Alanna hurried outside with Myles to saddle his horse. "What's he doing?" the knight asked as she worked.

"Magic." She checked the cinches on Myles's saddle. The horse caught her tightly held excitement, fidgeting under her touch. Alanna gave Myles a hand up. "He'll send to Roger in the fire."

"Very handy," Myles approved, gripping the reins. He settled the mask of his helmet over his face and kicked his horse into a gallop. Alanna saddled Darkness, smiling grimly. It seemed even a scholar like Sir Myles became a warrior when it was necessary!

Faithful yowled at her feet as she led Jonathan's stallion around to the tent. "No," she said firmly. "You remain here. I won't have you hacked in two by someone. You can go up by the falls and watch for more trouble there; but stay away from the fighting!"

Evidently the cat realized she meant it. He trotted away, his tail high. Jonathan stepped from the tent and jumped onto Darkness's back, a s.h.i.+mmering silver ghost on the black horse. "I take it you told Faithful to stay out of the fighting."

Alanna double-checked the cinches of Darkness's saddle. No one would ever fall from a horse she had readied! "He may even obey me, for a change."

A strong hand gripped her shoulder, and she looked up into Jonathan's worried face. "I guess I can't tell you the same, can I?" he whispered.

"The biggest attack this summer, and I'm supposed to hide in my tent?" she asked, astonished. "And me your squire? Are you out of your mind?"

Trumpets were blowing, telling them the enemy was there in force, but Jonathan still hesitated. His sapphire eyes were very bright. "Against one warrior I can't worry about you. You've proved you can handle yourself. But against an army-"

She covered his hand with hers. "I have my duty, Highness. And this is my home, too. I'm trained to defend it, and defend it I will."

Jonathan sighed, putting on his helmet. "You know where to find me when you're armed." He urged Darkness out.

Alanna didn't waste time wondering about this strange new protectiveness in Jon. Instead she hurried to get ready. She had no armor, having refused the plate armor the weaponsmaster in the palace had offered her. (Plate was much too heavy.) Now she pulled on quilt-lined leather breeches and jacket-most foot soldiers wore the same. She was already wearing Lightning and her dagger. She stopped only to grab a s.h.i.+eld and a short axe before hurrying outside once more. Moonlight pawed the ground, sensing action. Alanna cooed soothingly to the mare as she rapidly saddled her.

"We've got to protect Jonathan and Darkness, don't we?" She swung herself onto Moonlight's back. "Let's go, girl."

As one of the last fighters to the point, Alanna could clearly see that the enemy had advanced past the trees, engaging Jon's men in the clearing around the main path. She glimpsed Jonathan's silver and sapphire gleaming in the thick of the battle as Darkness reared to fight as well. Myles was beside the Prince, with Gary and Raoul flanking them both. The enemy would have trouble hurting the Prince or his advisor unless they could get past two very big knights.

The patterns of the battle moved and changed before her eyes beneath the flickering torches, and Alanna clenched her teeth till her jaw hurt. The Tusaine had gotten past the Tortallans at Jonathan's back, coming around the Prince and his friends in a pincers. Shaking her head to clear it, Alanna rose in her saddle and drew Lightning.

"To me, men of Fort Drell!" she yelled furiously. "To me!"

Her friends swarmed after her, following as she charged into the thick of the fighting. The Tusaines, surprised by the unexpected attack, turned to face the slender, angry youth on the gold-and-white mare. They found themselves attacked by a troop of very tough foot soldiers and forced to give way as the youth urged his companions on. "Alan!" someone yelled. "The knight!" She brought her s.h.i.+eld up instantly, just in time to intercept a hard blow from a mace. Her s.h.i.+eld buckled a little, then held. Alanna swore as her s.h.i.+eld arm went numb and wheeled Moonlight to face her first mounted attacker. The enemy knight was big, and he wore thick plate armor as if it was made of air. It was a struggle for her just to ward off his mace. Gripping Moonlight's reins in her teeth, she guided the well-trained mare with her knees alone, watching for an opening. As the knight lifted both arms to deliver the blow that would shatter her s.h.i.+eld and her arm, she saw her chance. Swiftly Alanna slid Lightning into the opening between the knight's arm and chest armor, thrusting deep. With a gasp of surprise, her enemy fell from his horse, dead.

Alanna had no time now to stop and think about the first man she had killed. Jon was still in danger. She pressed forward again, the men from her camp behind her. She threw her now-useless s.h.i.+eld into the face of an attacking knight, running him through while he was blinded. Another knight rode to engage her, swinging a two-handed sword. Alanna nudged Moonlight to the side. Gripping her axe in her left hand and Lightning in her right, she tried to circle this new attacker.