Chapter Text
Disclaimers: well, the basic concept is not ours nor the characters, but this particular twist in the story is very much ours
Notes: started by Stormwolf Dawn and continued by Kata, original title Plotbunny #1
***
Prince Blair reined in his horse, and peered through the trees that lined both sides of the dirt paved road that wove through the Cascadian forest. He jumped when a crossbolt thudded into a tree trunk having passed within inches of Blair's head.
Five bandits dressed in ragged clothes stepped out of the surrounding woods. One held a crossbow up, a bolt ready and waiting. The other held bows, the arrows drawn.
"Look what we got here. Some fun for later, eh boys" The man with the crossbow said.
Blair gripped the reins tightly, and tried not to show his fear. He looked around without moving his head, hoping to find some way out of the predicament he found himself in.
"There's no where to go." The crossbow man said.
Suddenly, an arrow took one of the bandits in the throat. the man gurgled and died in the road, and the others began to look around trying to see where the arrow had come from. Blair looked, too.
Another arrow sped from the depths of the forest and found its mark in another bandit's back. The man fell with a cry leaving the road open. Blair took the opportunity and kicked his gelding into a gallop. The horse leaped forward, running down the road. He felt the pain flare in his back, as the bolt found its mark just as the crossbowmen died with a stonehead arrow in his own throat.
Blair fell from his horse onto the packed dirt of the road. His last look before the darkness took him was of a man coming out of the woods.
When Blair opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the roof of a tent held together by willow limbs. His back seemed to be on fire, and he gasped in pain. A hand touched his arm, and Blair lost consciousness again.
He awoke a second time. His back no longer hurt as bad, and the smell of cooked rabbit reached his nose making his mouth water. Blair looked up at the ceiling of the tent, then turned his head as he sensed a presence near him.
He saw the back of a well muscled man wearing a sleeveless doeskin jerkin, and buckskin breeches. The man had his brown hair cut short except for a small braid that ran down the middle of his neck. The braid seemed familiar, but Blair couldn't place the significance. The man was kneeled down near a fire whose smoke drifted upwards toward the smoke hole in the large tent. Blair admired the muscled ass that shown against the tight buckskin breeches.
Turning his head, Blair looked around the tent he found himself in. He was laying on a pallet of furs covered by a woven blanket. He had been stripped down to his leggings, and a bandage covered the wound left by the bolt. On the walls of the tent hung animal skins, a leather bag for water, and a few feather decorations. *Where am I*, he thought. He turned his head back to the man to find he had turned around to face him. Blair gasped in shock and tried to get out from underneath the blanket, fearful.
"Easy, princeling. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." The man said.
The pain that flared in Blair's back kept the young prince from getting anywhere. His heart raced as he recognized the man....no beast in front of him.
The sentinel knelt before him, blue grey eyes peering out from a handsome face. But it was the tattoo of the black panther on the man's left forearm that made Blair fearful. The man before him was a sentinel, a full sentinel. One who had acquired the ability to shift his form into that of the black panther. The Argos priests said that sentinels received that ability by allowing a male animal to mate with them. Blair wasn't sure how true that was, but he knew that sentinels lived in packs, and that only those who wore the tattoos could change their shape. Some adults among the sentinels did not have the tattoos, and never received them.
For centuries, sentinels had been hunted by all the kingdoms, sold to menageries, and circuses, or used by the nobility and royalty for entertainment, hunting or guarding. Sentinel were considered beast, and were not of any other use than one would use a beast for.
Blair's grandfather, however, had decreed a law that only full adult sentinels with the tattoos could be taken. Children and non-tattooed adults must be left unharmed. Blair's grandfather had insured that sentinels would survive despite the hunting practices of other kingdoms. Now Blair found himself in the den of a sentinel, wounded, and weaponless.
The sentinel smiled at Blair. "Your heart is beating too fast, princeling. You need to calm down. I took care of those bandits, and brought you here. I bandaged and cleaned your wound, and it is my bed you sleep in, and my food you will eat. I will not harm you." The sentinel said.
Blair was unsure of the sentinel's sincerity. "How do you know that I am a prince?" He asked.
"I was in Mir Tor during your Accension. I was in the crowd when your father placed the circlet on your brow, and raised you up and kissed your cheeks. I was in disguise, and in the back of the crowd, but we have good eyesight."
Blair knew that he had more than good eyesight. A tatooed sentinel who can wear the shape of an animal received the gifts of animals senses even in human form.
"And you were not caught." Blair said bitterly.
"If I had been, princeling, then you would surely be dead today. Or worse. No as I said, I was in disguise. I have only to cover my mark, and would be mistaken for a normal human."
Blair snorted at that. The sentinel only grinned.
"I see you hold with your people's beliefs. No matter. I will not attempt to change your mind. Only, I ask you allow me to help you. Your wound was bad, and the bolt was made of iron. I could not Heal it, so I had to resort to regular methods of healing such as the poultice. "
Blair thought about it. He did not know that sentinels had the ability to Heal wounds, but he knew why the sentinel could not Heal his. Iron could bind a sentinel. It kept him from using his powers. A person with iron could force a sentinel to do his bidding for a time. They did not like the feel of cold iron against their skin. Blair wished he had his sword, or even his dagger. Cold iron would be comforting while sharing the tent with the sentinel.
"Alright. I will let you heal me. But what happens after I am healed?"
"If it were up to me, I would take you back to where I found you and leave you there with your horse and some supplies, but the Council of Elders are in charge, and it is they who will decide. Already they come up with foolish ideas, and dreams." The sentinel answered.
"What ideas?" Blair asked.
"They want to keep you here princeling, and trade you to your father for certain concessions. I told them that your father would not honor them once he had you back, but they foolishly believe in a King's word."
"My name is Prince Blair, not princeling, and my father's word is as good as gold." Blair said angrily.
"Not in this. They want your father to ban the hunting practices against my people. For holding you here, your Father will slaughter us and take those he can to sell for gold."
Blair said nothing. He knew that the sentinel was correct. Blair's father, King Alexander would send his brother in law, Simon to rescue Blair, and take any full sentinels within the pack captive.
"Then release me, beast, and you need not fear my father's wrath." Blair said.
"My name is Jim. And I cannot release you. The Council orders and I must obey or face exile from my clan."
"Then I must speak to your pack leaders, and tell them to release me."
"Your princely authority will hold no sway over my 'pack leaders' as you call them. They will not even allow you to speak to them."
"Then they are dooming themselves, and their pack. My uncle will find me easily, and he will not leave any of your pack free."
"Will he slaughter children?" Jim asked.
"My uncle does not kill cubs." Blair said angrily.
Jim shook his head, "You continue to use those words, princeling, but we are not beasts. Just men. Men with gods given abilities."
"There is only one God." Blair said.
"So speaks the Prince. Have you seen your god, princeling. For I have seen mine. He came to me when I was eighteen in this form." Jim pointed to the black panther tattoo on his arm. "His eyes glowed in the darkness of the forest and he gave me my powers. What has your god given you?"
"You allowed an animal, a beast to fuck you. And now you are a beast, an animal. And my uncle will come, you shall see. And I will be the one to brand you, and lock you in a cage." Blair practically shouted, his anger stirred by Jim's words.
"Perhaps, princeling." Jim said softly, and turned his back to the prince to take one of the spits from the fire with a cooked rabbit speared on the bronze spits. He handed one to Blair. "Eat princeling. You shall need your strength to hold the branding iron."
Blair took the spit, his blue eyes glaring at the sentinel knowing the beast mocked him. The beast stood and left the tent, and Blair took a bite of the rabbit. As he chewed he looked down at the simple gold ring with its emerald jewel, and smiled, knowing that his Uncle, Simon, would be coming soon.
Jim stalked away from the tent his anger a growing thing inside him. He was mostly angry at himself. He should have left the prince to die on the road. He knew he had been foolish to bring him within the Keep.
"Are you alright, Jim?" A woman's voice asked, and Jim turned to see Carolyn walking toward him.
"No." He answered.
"The princeling giving you trouble?" Carolyn asked.
"Aye. But I am more worried about the consequences of bringing him here. Those old fools think to keep him here, and trade him to his father."
Carolyn was a childhood friend, and also a full sentinel warrior. The tattoo on her arm was of a golden lioness.
"You think that the King will find us here." Carolyn said.
"The princeling believes it. I wonder about his conviction that his uncle will come here."
"I don't see how they could find us."
"Neither do I. But the boy believes it entirely too much. He threatened to be the one to brand me when the time came."
Carolyn laughed, a little shakily. "He has a lot of balls."
"Or he knows something that I don't." Jim said.
"The Council is still meeting. They haven't come out of the tent, yet. Not even to use the privy."
"I need to go in there. I need to get them to listen to me." Jim said as he started walking toward the Council tent. Carolyn ran to catch him.
"Jim, you can't go in there. You interrupt a meeting and they'll skin you." Carolyn told him.
"I have to. Something is wrong, I feel it. That boy was too confident. What if somehow this was all a trick to find us."
"Pretty elaborate trick. Would they really risk their prince just to get us."
"I don't know. But I have a very bad feeling. Carolyn, please go and make sure the princeling doesn't try to escape."
"Be careful, Jim. The Council won't be too happy with your interruption." Carolyn squeezed Jim's arm for comfort then headed back to Jim's tent and to the princeling.
Jim watched her go then took a deep breath and ducked into the council tent.
When Jim returned, Carolyn saw the deep bruise marring Jim's face. "They didn't listen, I take it."
"They wouldn't let me speak. The more fools they. Jehan cuffed me, and threw me out of the tent."
"What now?"
Jim shrugged. "If the boy were better, I'd take him out of here. But I don't want to risk his health and face the king's wrath later."
"You take the boy, and you'll face the Council's wrath."
"Carolyn whether I leave the boy here, or get exiled for taking him away, I think I'll still end up branded and collared."
"You really believe the boy is right. That General Simon is on his way." Carolyn said.
"More than ever."
Carolyn's eyes filled with tears, and she nodded. "I will go and speak with my father. Perhaps he can dissuade the Council." With a pat on Jim's cheek, she left heading further into the tent filled Keep.
Jim watched her go for a few seconds, then ducked into the tent to find the boy sitting up in the bed looking into the green depths of the emerald ring.
"What is that?" Jima asked, and the boy jumped startled, dropping the ring. Jim reached down and picked it up, then yelped dropping the ring. He had felt a surge of power within the ring, and it had stabbed at him.
"What is that." Jim asked suddenly frightened.
"That is how my Uncle will find us. It is magicked. He can use its counterpart to track me. No doubt he is nearly here." The Prince said smugly his eyes promising what his mouth had said earlier.
Jim touched his throat, as if he could already feel the collar there, then grabbed a piece of rabbit hide and used it to pick up the ring. He then raced out of the tent towards the Council tent. The Council was not happy to see him again, and Jehan looked as if he planned to do more than cuff him.
"The Prince has a tracking spell on him!" Jim shouted. He threw the rabbit hide to the ground and the ring fell from its folds.
That got their attention. Jehan reached down and grasped the ring only to drop it when spell repelled him. "Damn." Jehan said.
William, Jim's father looked at the ring, then at Jim, "Then you were right. We should have listened."
"What do we do, Jehan?" Arvold asked.
Jehan said nothing as he looked down at the ring that was their doom.
"I don't know." Jehan said.
"Pack." Jim growled. "Pack up the Keep and move it to the winter grounds. I will take the Prince and lead his Uncle away from the Keep, but you must hurry. The boy can still lead his uncle here. I will stay ahead of them as much as I can."
The others looked at Jim. they said nothing, knowing the sacrifice that Jim was about to make. They wasted no time, but immediately left the tent shouting at the people to pack up the camp. William stayed behind in the tent.
"Why does it have to be you?" William asked.
"Because the prince might not continue the search for the Keep if he has me. He has directed his vengeance at me, and I think he would continue to hunt for me if I left with you."
"You know what will happen, my son." William could not continue.
"I know, Father. We've all heard the stories. I've seen my fellow sentinels in the cages of the trade cities."
Jim knew that he would be taken back to Mir Tor, where he would be branded with a hot iron on his butt. And since the brand was from hot iron, it would follow him into his panther form. He would be collared with gold so that he could still shapeshift. Caged in the King's menagerie to live out the rest of his life behind iron bars. To see the Prince's laughing face every day. He knew what he was sacrificing, but he felt he deserved it for bringing the prince among them. For endangering the Clan.
"I must go, Father." Jim said.
William drew his son into a hug, and Jim hugged him back. He then left the tent to get the Prince's horse and his own. When the horses were saddled, Jim went inside and tossed the Prince his clothes.
"Get dressed." Jim told the prince.
"What is going on?" Blair asked as he slowly got dressed careful of his wound.
"I am taking you away from here to lead your Uncle away from the keep." He tossed the rabbit fur down to reveal the ring. Blair reached over and picked it up replacing it on his finger.
"And your pack?' Blair asked.
"Leaving so that you can not lead your Uncle back here to capture them all."
"You are sacrificing yourself for your pack. You do have honor." Blair finished getting dressed.
"What do you know of honor." Jim growled and he grabbed the prince by the arm and took him outside to the waiting horses.
Blair was glad to see his chestnut gelding if the boy's face was any indication. the young prince mounted up on the horse, as Jim mounted up on his gray stallion. Jim grabbed the lead rope that was tied to the chestnut's bridle, then turned his mount's head toward the east.
Jim urged his mount into a gallop and the chestnut followed with Blair holding on tight. Soon they left the sight of the now packed camp, and headed toward the road that Jim had found Blair hoping to stay ahead of General Simon and his men long enough to give his people time to get away.
Within a few hours, Jim found the road. He opened his senses and found the General and his men. He knew they had changed directions and were headed toward them. "Your Uncle is coming."
Blair patted his tired gelding, and looked at Jim. "Why don't you give yourself up to me now."
"So that you can be the one holding the hot iron? I will not give up so easily. If I didn't need you to lead your Uncle away, I would leave you here."
"My horse is tired. How long do you think to run?"
"I don't care if that horse founders and falls over dead. We will keep going until I am sure that my people are far enough away that you cannot lead your Uncle to them."
"If you give up now, I promise not to lead my Uncle anywhere but home. I give you my word." Blair said.
"And can I trust your word, princeling. I think not." With that, Jim urged the stallion into a run heading north along the road. He could hear General Simon and his men picking up speed.
They rode at a breakneck speed, the little chestnut finding it difficult to keep up with the bigger stallion. Jim's arm was nearly pulled from its socket when the chestnut stumbled. Instead the lead rope tore from his grasp leaving behind chafed and bloody skin on Jim's palm. the little chestnut fell to its knees, and Blair fell from the saddle. Jim pulled rein stopping the stallion. He turned the animal's head to go back for the prince then stopped when he saw General Simon topping the rise behind them. Jim cursed and spurred the stallion to run. Simon and his men came on Blair who was just getting to his feet from his tumble.
"Blair, are you alright?" Simon asked as he slid from his stallion's back to hold his nephew.
"I'm fine, Simon." Blair said. He turned to look at the fleeing sentinel.
Simon ordered his men to give chase. Blair did not stop him.
"By Argos, I am glad you are alright. those beasts didn't hurt you did they?" Simon asked.
"No Uncle. In fact the one your men chase saved me from bandits and helped to heal my wound. I don't want him killed."
"Your father ordered me to bring back whoever had you alive. He will be surprised to find what I bring back."
"He is mine, Uncle. I swore to him that I would be the one to brand him when the time came. I keep my word."
"As you wish, Blair. I am sure Alexander will agree."
The men who chased him were on fresh horses, and they were quickly gaining on him. Jim's stallion was a mountain horse, not a destrier or racer, and though the stallion tried his best, he could not beat the soldier's horses. Jim thought about shifting, and fighting the soldiers, but quickly dismissed the idea. He could not shift from the back of a galloping horse, and the nets they carried would capture him in panther form as easily as they would in human form.
When they rode close enough, they threw the net, and Jim became so entangled he fell from the stallion's back. The horse eventually stopped, trained to do so if its rider fell and one of the soldiers caught it, while the others entangled Jim even more inside the net. He was dragged behind a horse in the net back to where Simon and Blair awaited. The soldiers stopped when they reached their general and prince, and young Blair knelt beside the net. Jim glared at the prince and growled as he struggled with the net.
Blair laughed, "You growl like a beast." He reached down and stroked the sentinel's hip through he netting and Jim's breeches. "And I do keep my word." He said.
The soldiers used iron manacles to bind Jim's hands behind his back, and an iron collar with a chain to lead him back to Mir Tor. Blair rode Jim's stallion since his own chestnut had broken a leg in his fall. Whenever Jim would start to stumble, the soldier holding his chain would pick him up by his belt and sling him over the withers of his horse where he would ride belly down, a hand clutching his belt until they reached a place to camp for the night. Once camped, Jim was chained to a tree, and given food and water. He slept curled up as close to the fire as the chain would allow trying to soak up the flames warmth. Blair took pity on him and had a soldier give the sentinel the blanket from Jim's saddlebags. He wrapped up in it, grateful but still fearful of what lie ahead.
It took about four days of travel along the King's Road to reach Mir Tor, the capital city. Jim walked and when he could not he rode belly down on a horse's withers. When they camped for the night, Jim was given food and water. During the ride to Mir Tor they stopped a few times to rest the horses and themselves and Jim was given water and food at those times as well. They reached the first of several stone bridges that spanned the Tor river and her tributaries. The Tor was a huge river where in the center a large island stood. The island was the location of the great city of Mir Tor. A prosperous city whose trading routes up and down the Tor river connected it to all of its country. Most if not all of the Alurian cities were built along the Tor up and down its several hundred miles of deep water. Furs, silk, ivory, and rice were the main products that Alurian traded with its neighboring countries. Most of the smaller villages along the Tor survived by fishing and rice farming along with the occasional hunting. Aluria was a prosperous country and had a large standing army and a heavy naval fleet that patrolled the Tor river.
Jim walked behind the soldier's horse as they crossed the stone bridge that spanned the Aluece, a tributary of the Tor. They had passed through a small fishing village that rested on the shore where the bridge began. The fishing folk had eyed Jim warily, and had cheered the young prince and the General whom they recognized on sight. The prince had accepted a gift from a small child, and had smiled at his people. Jim knew that the young prince was well loved by the populace as was his father despite the fact that the King was very cruel to his enemies.
"Your father was concerned, Your Highness, when you ran off. What exactly where you thinking?" General Simon asked.
"I was thinking that I was going to go nuts if I stayed within those walls another hour, Simon. Father should understand that, even if he is a king. Those walls are as much a cage as the one of steel and wood that await the sentinel. And unfortunately it is my cage." Blair answered.
"We all have our burdens to bear, Your Highness, and what makes us men is that we shoulder those burdens because our backs were shaped for them." Blair sighed, "I suppose, Uncle."
When they reached the road on the other side of the bridge they came to another fishing village and met several of the road guards that patrolled the bridges. They saluted their General and bowed to their prince. Simon saluted back, but they continued on their way crossing yet another bridge. Blair watched a patrol boat as it sailed beneath the high bridge.
"Has father made any progress with the Galiean dignitaries?"
"Some." The general answered. "But this is not the place to talk of that."
Blair nodded. He turned in his saddle to look at his new acquisition. The sentinel walked behind the soldier's horse, and glared at Blair when he felt the prince's eyes on him. Blair only smiled. They crossed two more bridges before they finally crossed over to the isle of Mir. Since they had crossed the first bridge the huge towers and palace of Mir Tor was always in the distance. As they got closer more of the city could be seen, including the massive walls and the shiny bronze gate. When they reached Mir, they traveled along a stoned paved road through a few of the smaller villages that surrounded the city of Mir Tor. the villagers on the island were the ones who collected the silk and wove them into cloth. They also farmed the rice paddies.
The bronze gates were standing open as was the iron portcullis and two guards were stationed at its entrance, while other guards inspected the wagons and people who entered the city. When the prince's entourage came through, the guards did not stop them, instead they saluted their general and bowed to their prince and made damn sure that the road was clear for them to move freely. Passing beneath the iron portcullis made Jim shiver. The presence of the iron on his wrists and neck kept Jim in a near constant state of panic, and passing beneath the large amounts of iron that was the portcullis did not help. During the trip, Jim had watched for any possible chance of escape, but the guards were alert, and the iron never came off.
When he had spotted the walls of Mir Tor, Jim knew all hope was lost and it put a deep despair into his heart. His only consolation was the knowledge that his clan was safe. They passed beneath several gates, moving toward the inner city and its walls. In the courtyard of the palace servants came to take their mounts, and the general dismissed the soldiers with him, taking Jim's chain leash from the one who held it. General Simon, and Prince Blair with Jim at their heels climbed the stone steps to the entry doors of the palace. Heavy muscled servants opened the huge doors, and they entered. The Chamberlain, Rafe, greeted them inside the palace, and escorted them to the Royal Hall where King Alexander awaited them. The Hall was surprisingly empty except for a few guards and Blair's father seated on the throne. With Jim in tow, General Simon and Prince Blair walked down the carpeted center and faced the dais where King Alexander sat straight and proud in his throne. Blair bowed his head to his father, and General Simon knelt upon one knee to his King and brother-in-law.
"Arise." King Alexander said. "And report."
"You Highness, Prince Blair was found on the King's Road within the King's Forest. He was a prisoner of the sentinel who we brought back in chains. The prince had a wound that we immediately took care of." General Simon reported.
King Alexander turned to his son, "And what, my son, did these beast do to you."
"Father, the wound came from a crossbow bolt fired by unscrupulous bandits who thought to steal from me and keep me for sport. The sentinel killed the bandits and took me back to his den where he helped heal my wound."
"Indeed." The King seemed surprised. "Why then, son, was this beast fleeing with you in tow?"
"According to what the sentinel told me, his pack leaders were thinking of keeping me hostage in return for some concessions from you, my honored father. This sentinel, however, did not see any wisdom in his pack leaders decisions, and when he discovered the ring, he took me from the pack in hopes to lead my uncle away from them so that they would not be in danger."
"What concessions were they hoping to get from me." King Alexander asked.
Prince Blair could hear his father's anger. "They wanted a decree from you that would make it illegal to hunt and capture all sentinels."
"They did , did they?" King Alexander's blue eyes lit with a fire of anger in their depths. He looked at Chamberlain Rafe, "Call a scribe to come at once," He ordered.
The Chamberlain bowed, and stepped out of the room to get the scribe.
"Father, when I was in this one's den, I swore to him to be the one to brand and collar him. Do I have my King's permission to keep that promise?"
King Alexander looked at his son. "Brave words to say to a beast who holds you hostage, my son. It is a wonder the animal didn't kill you for your impertinence." There was a hint of humor and pride in Alexander's voice. "Of course, far be it for me to have my son breaking his word even to a mere beast. The sentinel is yours."
"Thank you, Father."
At that moment, a scribe entered the room, and came forward when the King beckoned him. When the scribe was ready, King Alexander looked at Simon, "Could you find this pack that thought to hold my son hostage against me?" He asked.
"I could, Your Highness." Alexander nodded then told the scribe, "Take down this decree." The scribe dipped the ink pen in the pot and place it above the scroll. "Henceforth, those wild sentinels marked with the King's symbol shall not be hunted or captured by anyone but hunters sent by royal order."
Jim made a choking sound in the back of his throat. King Alexander looked at him, and smiled. "General Simon, I order you take some men and find this pack. I want all adults, and children over the age of thirteen to receive a brand with my symbol. Also I want a count made of all adults, children, and beast marked sentinels in that pack. Then bring back three of the beast marked sentinels of your choosing."
Simon bowed, "As Your Highness commands so shall it be done."
Jim fell to the ground and buried his head in his arms as he cried for his friends and family. He never heard General Simon leave the room. Several moments later, a tug on the chain that attached to his collar brought Jim's head up. His blue eyes were red rimmed from crying, and he looked up into the blue eyes of Prince Blair.
"I did not think my father would do that. I am as surprised as you." Blair said. Jim wondered why the prince spoke to him. "I spoke in haste when I gave my word in your den. You had saved my life, certainly my virtue, and I only gave back anger. But a prince's word, my word is important to me."
Jim only looked at the prince. Anger, confusion, and sadness warring in his mind. Jim didn't know what to feel.
"Come," Prince Blair said tugging lightly on the leash, "It is time."
Jim stood slowly, and wiped tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. He followed the prince out of the room, fear slowly building inside him. The room that Blair led him to had a forge where a man with huge muscles worked over. He bowed to the prince when they entered.
"Is it ready?" Blair asked.
"Yes, my prince." The blacksmith motioned to the branding iron with its small head sitting in the hot coals. Blair had told them to heat up the smallest of the irons.
"Give him a sopoforic." Blair ordered.
"You highness?" The blacksmith was confused.
"You heard me. I will not have him suffer more than is necessary."
"Yes, Your Highness." The blacksmith mixed a powder with some hot water and stirred it together. He brought the cup Blair took it from him.
Blair turned to Jim who stood waiting. "Drink this. It will help." Blair said holding the cup to Jim's lips.
The sentinel drank the liquid coughing a bit, but drinking it all. It was the prince who helped lay Jim on the ground when the potion began to work. Jim couldn't really feel his body anymore, and to him it felt strange. He was calm, and half asleep when Blair knelt down and removed Jim's leather breeches to reveal the muscled legs beneath. Blair took the branding iron, and the blacksmith waited with a bucket of cool water. Taking a deep breath, Blair placed the red hot head of the iron on the top of the muscled mound of Jim's left butt. The sentinel grunted and shuddered but did not scream thanks to the sopoforic. When Blair removed the brand, he replaced it in the forge, then knelt down and began stroking the sentinel's hair with his hand while the blacksmith poured the cool water over the brand. The blacksmith handed Blair a pot of ointment, that the prince took and used a finger to smear over the burn on Jim's ass.
When that was done, Blair held Jim steadily while the blacksmith removed the iron collar and manacles, and replaced the collar with one of gold, melting the gold studs with a hot pincher thereby locking the collar permanently in place. Blair finished stripping the sentinel of his leather clothes. Using a gold chain, Blair leashed Jim to the nearby wall, placed him on a fur blanket to protect him from the cold stone floors. He left the sentinel in the forge room to sleep off the sopoforic, and returned to his father's throne room.
***
KA:
As Blair returned to the throne room, Simon entered the hall by the main doors. He bowed to his king and lord.
“Your majesty, the scrier is unable to find any trace of the pack around their dens. They have left their territory and it will take some time to find them.”
“Take as much time as you need,” King Alexander dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Simon bowed and left the throne room to prepare the hunting party.
Alexander turned to his son.
“How is your sentinel?”
“Sleeping in the smithy, branded and collared. I will have to find a place for him,” Blair said thinking of where in his quarters he could keep the sentinel until the carpenter had the new cage ready.
“You could keep him in the menagerie,” his father suggested.
“I was thinking of my rooms for now, father.”
His father looked at him strangely. “What for?” He waved away Blair’s explanations. “Do as you want, after all he is yours now. Just keep an eye on him, and make sure he is tamed.”
“I will, father,” Blair promised, before bowing and leaving the throne room. He walked back to his quarters to give instructions to his servants regarding the new addition to his household. He would have to talk with the gardener about where to put the sentinel’s cage.
***
Jim was barely awake and only slightly aware of someone picking him up, someone large and smelling of earth. It was a comforting smell.
He was carried along echoy corridors, amidst noise of people walking, talking, whispering.
They stepped outside into the bright sunlight and the fresh smell of flowers, grass and trees. Jim could hear the tinkling of water.
He briefly sensed iron. It chilled him, but was soon over. Someone was giving orders; he knew the voice but could not place it.
He fell asleep again.
***
Blair returned to his rooms after a royal dinner with his father and the Galiean ambassador. Lady Lila was a shrewd lady, but seemed willing to negotiate. He gave his outer coat to a servant and walked to a chamber that had been previously used as a storage room. It had a high ceiling, a view of the garden and only one door. He opened the door and stepped inside to see his sentinel lying listlessly on a pile of blankets. There was an untouched plate of vegetables and meat strips on a low table by the pile of carpets, blankets, a few fur blankets and pillows. Evening light, striped and ornamented from the window, illuminated the simple room enough for a non-sentinel to see by.
“Will I have to go around naked all the time?” Jim asked in a colourless voice.
“When it’s warm enough. Don’t worry, you’ll have some clothing for when it gets colder.”
Jim did not react in any way. He continued to lie and stare ahead without really seeing anything.
Blair did not want his sentinel to die. He was not sure why. Did he want someone to ease his loneliness or to share his feeling of being trapped? Or maybe there was some other reason?
Blair shook his head. It did not really matter.
He walked over to the plate of food and put it by the sentinel’s head.
“Eat,” he ordered. The sentinel raised his head. There was a glint of irritation in his eyes. *Good.* “The alternative’s to get fed.” Two pairs of eyes locked, neither willing to back down.
Jim looked at the plate. He had not eaten since breakfast and the food *did* look good. Slowly he started to eat. Blair sat down on a bench by the large window, going through the events of the last tenday in his head. So much had changed. He had grown tired of the demands and expectations, had grabbed his horse and left. Now he was back. He had a sentinel, uncle Simon was hunting the rest of the pack and everything was still the same. He still had to follow the rules laid down by others, still had to follow the expectations of others. He had some power, it was true, but he had to be so careful. There were always so many other people to take into account, his decisions could and would be interpreted in a dozen different ways. It was complicated enough to dizzy a Cathayan philosopher.
He glanced at the sentinel who was drinking from an earthenware jug, looking at him curiously. Blair smiled. The sentinel huffed and returned to his food.
Something *had* changed. His perspective had shifted, his questions had more shape now and he had another being under his power, literally.
***
Jim finished his supper. He really did not like the idea of being force-fed. He had no doubt the prince would order it done, might even do it himself.
He glanced at his… owner. The prince seemed deep in thought. He turned his gaze to his surroundings. The room was small but airy. There was a privy in an alcove near the door. The window had ornamented iron bars, so lacy there was not enough room to put a hand outside. There were few furnishings: a small table and a bench by the large window. He looked outside the window. The garden looked beautiful and inviting. The scents teased him, calling him. But there was no way to open the single door from the inside. Besides, he was in the prince’s rooms, there were bound to be guards a plenty. By the sound of it, there were a lot of people around at all times.
The prince stood up. He walked over to crouch by Jim.
“Now, understand this; I could kill you. Beat you half to death and Heal you. Blind you. Rape you.” The calm and matter of fact tone chilled Jim. For the first time, he was truly afraid. “No one would protest or ask why.” Blair rose and walked to the door. Jim’s eyes traced his movements. At the door, the prince turned to look at him. “I’ll let you know when Uncle Simon returns from the hunt.”
The prince went through the door. The click of the lock seemed to echo in the room.
The sentinel burrowed deep into his bed. Sleep was slow in coming.
***
Next morning, Blair decided to go out for a visit in the bazaar. A ship had come in from Cathay for a trading family he knew well. He told a servant to have his riding clothes ready and went to get his sentinel.
“You’ve eaten your breakfast, good,” he said, glancing at the empty plate on the small table. The sentinel glared at him. “How would you feel about going out?”
“Out? Where?” Jim looked at him suspiciously. Blair supposed it was warranted.
“I’m going to the bazaar and thought I could take my new sentinel with me.”
“To show off,” Jim hissed.
Blair sat down on a bench. “By the law and traditions you’re mine. There’s nothing anyone can do, but adapt to their lot in life and try to make the best of what Argos has given them,” Blair said softly. He did not want to lose Jim, did not want to be alone again.
“He’s not my god and I don’t want to be some pet, a pampered kitten.” Jim swallowed tears of frustration. “I want out. I want to live in a clan, to be considered an adult.”
“No, I can’t allow that. I keep my word, and you are mine now. You’re my responsibility.”
Jim looked at the prince. He was radiating quiet confidence, and pure stubbornness. There was no way the prince would change his mind.
“I’d like to go out,” he said quietly.
Blair rose and took the leash from a hook by the door. Jim changed his form. He was not going to be paraded around naked in his human form. The transformation hurt and it required a lot of energy. He would be hungry again in an hour despite the recent breakfast.
The prince seemed unruffled, not in the least afraid or surprised. Jim lifted his chin up.
***
Prince Blair rode with his guards to the Merchants’ Quarter. His sentinel was walking along beside him, leashed to a ring in the saddle.
Jim could hear the whispers of the townsfolk. They had heard that the prince had come back with a sentinel but had thought that the beast would end up in the king’s menagerie. The children ran beside the riders to take a look at him. Few had seen a sentinel. *Great Panther, give me strength.*
The bazaar had spread over the years to cover several quarters and streets, but the one street they were riding towards was at the southern end of the Merchants’ Quarter. It housed the wealthiest trading families as well as the silver and gold smiths.
Jim’s nose was working full time. There were strange smells and scents all around him; strange herbs, spices, foods, materials, oils… But above everything lay the smell of the river Tor.
“Your highness! You honour us with your presence,” an older man came out to greet them as they stopped by a large house with a store at street level. The wall to the street was partly open due to a huge window like opening. Through it could be seen the clerks’ tables, boxes, chests, casks, shelves as well as chairs for the customers to sit on as they were shown the better and more expensive merchandise.
“Avicia, health and wealth to your house. I heard you’ve received a shipment from Cathay.” The two seemed to know each other well.
“And I’ve heard that you found yourself a sentinel,” Avicia said a bit uncertainly, as if he was not sure how the prince felt about the matter.
“More like the sentinel found me,” Blair said cryptically. He took the leash from the ring in the saddle and fastened it to his belt. He tugged at the leash, pulling Jim from behind a guard where he had retreated.
“Come on, you have to face your new life sooner or later,” Blair said quiet enough for only the sentinel to hear.
Jim came to sit by the prince, mentally squaring his shoulders.
“He’s a handsome one,” Avicia praised him. His apprentices and some workmen had come to watch too. “Such faultless fur and a sleek body.”
*You’d notice,* Jim snorted to himself.
“If you’d come this way,” the old merchant steered them inside.
Jim lounged on a silk carpet as Blair sat on a high backed chair an apprentice had brought for him. No ordinary chair would do for the prince. One of the guards stood behind the prince, another by the door and two were with the horses. Avicia stood nearby, telling fancifully of every item brought before them. Jim doubted the old trader had been on any travels for years. He was no doubt making up most of the tales. Cloths, vases, rare herbs and incense, precious stones and various curiosities were brought before them.
Jim kept his senses on alert as Prince Blair maintained relations with the merchants. It sounded like the prince’s new sentinel was the talk of the day in town. The merchant’s wife and daughter-in-law had brought the children of the household to see him. The womenfolk were telling them of sentinels, tales and sayings that portrayed them, at best, as half-animals and, at worst, as dumb beasts. It was told so matter-of-factly, with such certainty. It depressed him. The mothers’ words enslaved and doomed him as surely as the collar and chain.
Blair bought some cloth and incense. They had lunch in one of the best inns in the Merchants’ Quarter near the port. The guards were given some snacks from the kitchen. A servant brought Jim a soft carpet to sit on as well as a sliver of ox meat and some strips of duck for lunch. *The cook knows how to use spices*, Jim thought to himself. The meat was pretty good.
Jim memorised the scent of all the lords and notables who came to greet the prince and praise his new sentinel. *Gives them an excuse to chat up to a member of the royalty.*
They returned to the palace as the afternoon heat started its oppressive rule. Once back in his cell Jim changed back into his human form. It was the form he was born with, the panther form was only on loan from his god. It would not do to keep it for too long.
***
The next two days the prince was busy with the Galiean ambassador. Jim became familiar with every inch of his cell, he even checked out the improvised privy. Most of the time he kept his senses stretched out. He shamelessly eavesdropped on everyone and everything he could. He was going seriously stir crazy.
Jim was sitting on a blanket, leaning against a wall opposite the window when the prince finally came to see his sentinel.
“The iron in the window bothering you?” Blair asked mildly as he sat down on the bench.
Jim kept quiet.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been to see you before now, but the negotiations with Lady Lila have kept everyone busy. I’m hoping that one day you can roam free in the palace area.”
*And change one cell for another.* Not that there were that many alternatives. If he ran off, the collar and brand would shout out to everyone what he was. He would be returned, or sold off to someone else. Even if he somehow managed to run off and find a sentinel clan, the brand would bar him entry to a clan. He was cursed, tainted.
Jim had not heard a single person in Mir Tor say anything in his defence, so to speak. Everyone thought of him as an animal, someone beneath even a street beggar. He had tried to talk with the maids who brought his meals, but to no avail. He had even heard a few men talk about freeing the hunt of sentinels due to overbreeding.
Jim looked at the prince sitting before him. He was the only one who *listened* to him.
“As your pet?” he sounded more desperate than annoyed.
Blair nodded. He took a deep breath.
“Do you remember the second part of my promise to you?”
Jim thought about the time he had nursed the prince, it seemed to be so long ago. “I don’t’- No,” he gasped.
“Yes, the cage is ready. Tomorrow it will be set up in my garden.”
Jim felt panic seeping in. The small room had been bad enough.
“I’ll let you out whenever I can, and one day I’ll let you roam free,” the prince promised, trying to calm him.
Jim shakily took a deep breath. “You’ve kept your word so far, in everything.”
***
Jim kept an ear and eye on the workmen as they put the cage in the garden. It was larger than he had expected. It could easily accommodate two sentinels and was made of dark wood with iron bars as well as iron ornamentation on the sides. It was put up on short rock pillars pounded into the ground. *My new home.*
***
Blair steered the sentinel toward the cage. Jim balked as they came to the cage but did not fight as he was pushed in. There was a thick carpet and a pile of furs in the cage. The sentinel flopped down on it. Blair was glad to see that there was more life in his eyes than had been that first day.
***
Jim was lying on a carpet with a fur blanket protecting him from the evening chill. Prince Blair was sitting on a bench beside the cage. There was an old tree behind the cage, rustling her leaves in a lazy breeze. Jim could smell the flowers in the rose bush by a small fountain. His cage was in sight of the prince’s rooms but still in a quiet corner of the garden. Jim was grateful his cage had not been put near the large main fountain.
“So, then the Galiean ambassador suggested that father send someone to visit the old queen. She’s quite willing to sign the treaty as it is now, but the queen would prefer to have personal reassurances that the treaty will be kept.”
“Will it be kept?” Jim asked. He suspected the prince was talking about such matters with him because it was safe to do so. He was not part of the court and there was no one he could talk with of such matters. He was a safe talking companion, a rarity in the prince’s world.
“As long as it can be,” Blair answered, not angry at the question. “King Alexander wants to improve the relations and will strive to keep it. But there are more people involved than just him.“
Jim nodded. There would be the guilds, nobles, officials… he definitely preferred the smaller scale affairs of a clan.
“Have you heard from your uncle?”
“Nothing new. He’s found your clan, that’s a certainty now. I doubt he’ll send another message, not before he’s a day march away.”
Jim felt tears threatening to flow out. His clan would be outcasts among the other clans; they were the King’s Sentinels. The king would send his own hunters after them from time to time. No other clan would want to have dealings with nor marry into or from such a clan. A few generations and they would be no more.
***
The next evening found the prince talking with his sentinel again. Jim was eating biscuits the prince had brought him.
Jim was finding that being in a cage was not all bad. He was outside and did not feel as claustrophobic as in the small room. The guards let him out a few times a day to empty his bladder and there was often something to sense happening nearby. But he was surrounded by iron; the cursed material was all around him. Time did not ease the scraping sensation in his mind.
“Simon will return tomorrow, with three full sentinels for the king’s menagerie.”
“The others?”
“Branded, catalogued. A few of the sentinels died.” Blair paused. “There’s another thing. The king has decided that I’m to go to visit Queen Elizabeth.”
Jim stared at the prince. The mere thought of being here, alone, depressed him. *Where has my anger gone?*
“I’m thinking of taking you with me, but the Galieans have strict rules concerning sentinels,” Blair warned him.
“Such as?”
“They consider it a sacrilege for a beast to be able to talk, so they cut off the tongue of any sentinel they catch.”
***
The next day Jim was nervously waiting for the evening and Prince Blair. He wanted to hear of his clan. Maybe the prince would take him to visit them. Together, the sentinels might be able to escape. Jim snorted to himself at his foolish hope. He had yet to find a way out and his senses were beginning to think of the prince’s household as his tribe. A sentinel could not live alone; he or she needed a tribe to protect, to look after. The priests of Argos called it ‘taming’ when a sentinel accepted his owner’s family as the tribe, the sentinels called it ‘chaining’. For Jim, the process was well on the way. The others could not escape it either. It was an integral part of being a sentinel.
***
The next morning after breakfast the prince came to the garden with the sentinel’s leash in his hand. He noticed that Jim seemed calmer, as if the sentinel was accepting his fate.
“Are you eager to see your relatives?” Blair asked as he opened the door of the cage.
“Yes, and eager to hear who was killed and who escaped.” Jim gracefully exited the cage and stood by the prince.
“No one escaped,” Blair stated as he fastened the leash onto the collar. Uncle Simon was thorough. He would not have let a single sentinel to slip through.
Blair walked slowly toward the royal gardens. The palace was a busy place in the mornings. Blair had to stop several times to talk with nobles, dignitaries and officials. It seemed as if everyone wanted a word with the prince regarding his upcoming trip to Galiea, even the elderly mistress of the wardrobe. *Argos, the preparations have barely begun and I already wish I was on my way back.*
Finally they made it to the menagerie at the southern end of the royal gardens. The sentinels’ cages were at the first row beside the unicorn stalls. Blair kept back as his sentinel greeted the others.
“Jehan! Morgan! Mairea! I’m glad to see you’re alive, but I wish you weren’t here.” Jim went to stand by the old sentinel’s cage. It was as near as the leash would allow him to go.
“Me, too. It was our own foolishness that sent us here,” the old one said sadly. “I just wish the others could have been spared.”
“I heard some were killed.”
“Yes. Tyco, Lean, Robin and Caroline died trying to fend off the soldiers,” the young male sentinel told Jim. Blair could sense the sadness, a heavy cloak hanging over the sentinels.
“Jim, I’m sorry, but I have to ask,” the young female sentinel said. The comment was followed by a whispered conversation too quiet for any but sentinel ears to follow. It did not seem to reach any conclusion, not a happy one anyway. Blair was not worried that they might be planning to escape. There was no way to escape and in a few weeks they would be tamed. Priests said that such had been Argos’s original plan. The sentinels had been created to serve Argos’ human creations, but the demoness Lilin had let a few sentinels to escape into wilderness. The present day wild sentinels were descendants of those escaped sentinels.
After some time, Blair decided it was time to head back. He tugged on the leash.
“Time to go.” Jim glared at him, but turned to follow him after a whispered goodbye to the others.
***
Jim lay on his back, watching the evening sky. The prince had said that he would not be coming by today. Just as well, Jim had enough on his mind. He had cried for Caroline and the others, but could not help thinking they were the lucky ones. Even a golden cage was still a cage, and getting chained…
Jim sat up. What had he just heard? He concentrated on the conversation taking place in one of the corridors of the palace.
“The prince won’t refuse. He’s getting restless again and is looking forward to travelling to Galiea. He has even asked Lady Lila if it would be acceptable to bring his new sentinel with him,” one of the men reassured the other one.
“When will he leave?”
“In a moon cycle, no more than two, enough time to finalise everything. We can put the plan in motion as soon as the prince has reached the Moon Sea.”
“I’m still worried about General Simon,” the other one commented.
“So far, it seems he’s going too. If not, we shall have to work around him, or push him aside if need be,” the first one said coldly.
The two entered the main courtyard and switched their talk to inconsequentials.
*They’re planning to discredit Prince Blair or someone they know he would protect. Or maybe it’s something more serious.* Jim thought about what would happen to Prince Blair’s sentinel in case of a scandal or a coup. His imagination came up with several worst-case scenarios.
*What to do?* Jim was not going to tell the prince, that was a certainty. It might be that he was to be chained to the prince, but he was not going to give in gracefully. But he certainly did not want to stay behind as the prince left. He would have no one to protect him, no one who cared enough to make an effort on his behalf. In Galiea he would be under the prince’s protection, and under the protection of the rules of hospitality. As long as he kept his mouth shut and his head down he would be all right. How to ensure that he was not left behind? Good behaviour, a few hints of getting stir crazy ought to do the trick, even if the thought rankled him. *Better a wounded pride than ending up as a hunting sentinel in the mountains, and that’s thinking positively.*
Part 2
Part TWO
[WIP]
***
The preparations for the trip took just one moon cycle. They would have taken longer if Prince Blair had not made it clear to chamberlain Rafe that this was to be as informal a trip as possible. Rafe actually pouted and mumbled something about not being able to use his talents to their fullest. Blair stayed firm and the Lady’s Moon saw the king at the port, saying good-bye to his only son.
Jim watched the proceedings from the ship, sitting on a large coil of rope. Captain Henry was standing behind him, holding his leash. Blair was suspicious of Jim’s willingness to accompany him. Quite understandably, Jim had to admit. He would have been suspicious of himself too.
Blair had taken him to see the others a tenday ago. He had told them of the conversation he had overheard, and they had promised to keep their heads down and ears open. The others were lucky in that they belonged to the royal family, not to a certain person and were not in as much risk if something happened. Still, no need to take any unnecessary risks.
The other sentinels had not heard of anything suspicious, apart from the usual court activities, that is. Jim was beginning to think that either the conspirators were really good or were aiming somewhere other than the court itself.
The high priest of Argos stepped forward to bless Prince Blair and General Simon. The prince’s uncle would come along to make sure everything went smoothly on the trip, and to hold talks about the pirates and the safety of the trade routes with his Galiean colleagues. *Everything’s going well for Lord Kincaid.* Jim had recognised the other voice as belonging to a wealthy merchant lord. He was still not sure about the other one. Not that it mattered that much, but he was kind of curious. It would also help in figuring out what the plotters were planning.
The captain’s shout startled him out of his thoughts. The sailors prepared to take off with ease born out of long experience. The plank was removed as soon as the prince and the general had stepped aboard. Two other ships would sail with them, for safety, and were already waiting lower down the river.
Jim watched the town disappearing below the horizon as they sailed out of port and along the river. He yawned and settled on the coil of rope. The sun was warming nicely and pets were not supposed to do anything anyway. *Might as well take a nap.*
***
Blair watched as Mir Tor was left behind. It was a five days’ sailing up the river Tor to the Moon Sea and a further two tendays to Galiea. He hoped the sentinel would not become seasick.
“Your highness?” Simon asked softly.
“I’m alright, Uncle. Just… thinking.”
“About those vague rumours?”
Blair nodded. “I know there’s nothing unusual to them as such, but they make me uneasy. I have this faint sense of foreboding.”
Simon walked to stand beside him. “Have you talked with a priest or a seer?”
“Yes, but they can’t tell me anything definite. There’s always something dark by the horizon, you know that.”
Simon turned his head to watch the city, as it grew smaller. “We could have stayed,” he said slowly.
“No, not for anything short of a vision. Besides, I warned everyone to keep their eyes open.”
“Rafe and Lady Megan are quite capable of keeping everything in order,” Simon assured him. Simon had put Lady Megan in charge of the palace security. She was from the mountain region and had already earned a reputation for being a good swordswoman and something of a daredevil. She was quite capable of taking care of the palace.
Blair nodded. He knew Simon was right, but that did nothing to dispel his worries.
***
Jim had to admit the river region was beautiful, if somewhat smelly. There were new smells and sounds to memorise, the bickering between the sailors and the soldiers was amusing and the leash had come off the day after they left port. Blair had commented that the river was too wide for him to swim across. *No need to mention I don’t know how to swim.* His clan had always stayed out of the heavily populated river region and most of the mountain rivers were either shallow or too dangerous to swim in. Not that he was going to admit anything to the prince until it became absolutely necessary.
Jim glanced at Prince Blair sitting beside him on a rug. They were lounging at the rear of the ship. It was a sunny day and would have been calm if not for the soft winds conjured up by the ship mage. Blair was watching the river but Jim doubted he actually saw it.
*Something’s bothering him.* Jim felt a stab of guilt about not telling Blair of the conversation. He pushed it away, or tried to.
“Jim? What is it?” The prince had caught his grimace.
“Nothing,” Jim answered him quickly.
“You’re not getting seasick, are you?” Blair asked suspiciously.
“No, there’s nothing wrong with my stomach. It’s just… it stinks.”
Blair looked at him confused. Then he caught it, and started laughing.
“Well, it does. Do you have any idea what’s in that river?” Jim demanded with affronted dignity.
Blair just laughed harder.
The sentinel upped his nose and waited for the prince to regain his royal bearing.
“It’s a river of life, my sentinel,” Blair said after awhile, still smiling. “Life has a tendency to smell. That’s what the cleaning spells are for, you know. The river’s kind of large for any cleaning spell and, besides, all that flowing water disturbs spells. Hence, it smells.”
Jim snorted and decided to change the subject. Anymore of this one and he *was* going to be seasick. “Are we going to stop anywhere?”
“Not before we reach the Moon Sea. We’ll sail straight to Polair at the island of Canvasse. It’s only one day’s sailing from Tor’s Mouth.”
“Meaning it’s another three days until I can feel something stationary under my feet,” Jim complained. *And another two days before whatever’s going to happen will be put in motion.*
***
Jim watched the coastline growing smaller. It was disturbing. Water surrounded the ship on all sides and seemed to swallow up the land. He retreated to the cabin and refused to come out until they sailed into Polair.
The island of Canvasse was situated by the trade routes to Mir Tor. The city was built of rock and colourful tiles. It was clean and cheerful town, full of confidence in itself. The city officials came down to the port to greet their prince.
“Our city is honoured by your presence, your highness,” a young lord of Polair greeted Blair, bowing deep to the crown prince.
Blair nodded to the lord. “We are here to restock our food and water supplies. I regret to inform you that we must be on our way while the winds are still in our favour.”
“Sorry to hear that,” the young lord looked genuinely disappointed. “I hope you’ll have time to be our guest on your return trip.”
“If Argos so wills.”
***
Jim was sitting on a cask as Blair talked with the young lord about the latest news from Mir Tor, watching the workmen. The wares had been ordered beforehand and it was only a matter of loading them on the ships.
Simon walked over to them.
“We’ll be able to leave in under a candlemark, my lord.”
“Good. Have you heard of any pirate activity of late?” Blair asked the young lord.
“They seem to be concentrating on the northern islands. They’ve been but nibbling around here. We’re glad for the respite and have been strengthening our defences.”
“A wise course,” Simon commented.
Jim snorted as the young lord practically beamed at the praise from General Simon.
***
Jim was contentedly snoring away in his hammock in Blair’s cabin when something awoke him. It tickled his nose and had his hair standing up.
He opened his eyes. Something was wrong with Blair. It was as if he was… glowing faintly.
Jim rose and walked the few steps to the prince. He reached a hand to touch, but snatched it away as something burned him. *Magic!*
He ran out the door and over to Simon’s cabin. The guards looked at him curiously but did not make a move to stop him. After all, he was the royal prince’s sentinel.
“General Simon!”
“Wha- Jim? What is it?” Simon was wide-awake in an instant and grabbing his shirt and leather jerkins from a chair by the bed.
“It’s prince Blair. Something magical is going on. I don’t know what.” It was kind of difficult to tell someone what was going on when you did not know it yourself.
“Just take a deep breath and calm down,” Simon said to him as he put on his clothes and sword belt.
“Henry!” Simon shouted as he stepped out of his cabin. The captain in question appeared from the cabin the guards had claimed as their off-duty quarters. “Get the ship mage and bring him to the prince’s cabin.” Henry ran off to wake up the mage as Simon walked briskly to the cabin in question.
Simon opened the door and entered without knocking. Jim followed him.
***
The cabin became crowded pretty soon. The ship mage had announced that the prince was in contact with someone and would wake up on his own. It was a deeper contact than the one between the prince and his uncle in Jim’s tent so long ago. Jim still missed his clan, still wished he had left the prince for his uncle to find.
Jim all but jumped up to the roof (not much of a feat on a ship) as the prince started talking.
“Uncle?” Blair blinked at the light.
“I’m here, as well as the ship mage, the captain and Captain Henry.”
“Good,” Blair rose up to sit on his bed. “The High Priest and Priestess are dead. There was an accident as they were inspecting the construction of the new chamber for the temple. King Alexander had called for the council,” Blair announced.
Silence, still and shocked. Only the king was more powerful than the High Priest and Priestess. It was whispered that together, those two could outrank even the king.
“Shall we return then?” the captain asked.
“No.”
“Your highness?” Simon asked puzzled. Surely the prince should be there.
“The choice and anointing takes time, and it’s basically a temple matter. Besides, Megan is on it. She’s suspicious of their deaths.”
“She has good instincts,” Simon admitted.
“Any talk of who will be the next high priest?” the ship mage asked.
“There’s talk but nothing definite.”
*It was something big, and not aimed directly at the court.* Jim was glad he had gotten out. It was going to be risky at the court as all the families vied for the second most powerful posts in the kingdom.
“Shall we sail on then?”
“Yes, to Vecta. It has a large port town with a temple. By the time we arrive there, the priestess of the temple will know more of what’s happening.”
“We’ll be there in two days, your highness.” The captain bowed and left. The ship mage followed him.
“I’ll be at my cabin. Trying to catch some sleep before starting to drill the men,” Simon said. Blair nodded and his uncle left.
It was only Blair and Jim in the suddenly empty cabin.
“You knew,” it was not a question.
“No, I did not *know* anything. I half heard a conversation. Something was going on and they would begin as soon as you left, but that’s all.”
“Who were they?” Blair demanded.
“Lord Kincaid, I don’t know who the other one was,” Jim said softly.
“It fits,” Blair said to himself. “Come here,” he ordered, every inch a prince.
Jim rose from his hammock and walked over to the prince.
***
Jim lay on the prince’s bed. His butt was bright red from the punishment he had received for not telling Blair. Jim did not blame the prince. The piece of information he held back might have been important, or maybe not. No way to know now.
Blair and Simon were busy talking politics and strategy. The ship mage was strengthening the defences. The soldiers were practising and taking care of their gear as the choosing of a new high priest and priestess would bring out every grudge and ambition.
Everyone was busy but him, he would just be underfoot. It felt depressing to realise that he was considered basically useless, just extra baggage. *Unless Blair wants me to become a hunting sentinel.* Some sentinels were used to guard and hunt. He had never thought of it as a tempting alternative. *Anything to be useful, to do something.*
***
Blair watched Vecta as the ship sailed toward the large island kingdom. He would have to send a message to the Queen, apologise for the delay. The negotiations might suffer, but he would not take any unnecessary risks in this. Something was going on, he could sense it. Something more than just temple plots. *The only thing bigger is the court, and the crown.* A shiver of ice ran through his spine.
***
Vecta was an independent island kingdom just off the trade routes. It preferred to stay neutral and out of trouble, but that did not make Vecta defenceless or weak, just reluctant to get into someone else’s fight.
“I’m here because of the loss our temple has suffered. I’d be grateful for a lodging at the temple so I can be quickly notified of any new developments,” Blair said to the crown prince of Vecta who had come to greet him. Prince Yoshi had come to the ship to greet Blair as certain matters had to be cleared before a foreign prince could set foot on the island.
“I’m sure it can be arranged,” Prince Yoshi assured him. “Priestess Nira?”
“We have ample room for Prince Blair and his men, your highness,” an old grandmotherly looking woman in the robes of a senior priestess told them cheerfully. “There’s just one minor detail.”
Both princes looked at her curiously.
“I assume that is your sentinel, your highness?” she asked Blair, pointing at Jim who was sitting on his customary place.
“Yes, it’s quite tame and housebroken, I assure you.” Blair could feel the heat from the glare Jim threw at him.
“I have no doubt about that, your highness. It’s just that he’ll have to sleep in the pens and be leashed while in the temple area.”
“That will be no problem.” The heat of the glare was doubled.
***
Blair walked to the temple by the main road. The word of his arrival had spread and there were people lining the road, eager to see him and welcome him to Vecta. Jim had changed shape and was flicking his ears and tail nervously. Blair kept a tight hold on the leash.
The houses were mostly of wood with white plastering. The rich had colourful mosaics on the upper floor walls; merchants used the mosaics to advertise their wares. The wares on sale seemed fresh and well made. The temple was in good repair. *A friendly and prosperous town that remembers to give Argos his share. Not a bad place to spend some time. Just hope the reason for it was not so grim.*
Part 3 soon