Haven: Chronicles of Warshard (13 page)

“It’s the only option isn’t it?” Emeril
asked.

“Yes,” Haven
said.

“Then I suppose we should head out today. There is still plenty of light
left.”

Haven agreed, and together they dispatched word throughout the colony. They would move through Salander to Eris within the
hour.

CHAPTER 13

T
raveling through the dense forests of Salander slowed the expedition. Many people dragged trolleys and carts filled with belongings and the wheels constantly caught on the thick tree roots, slowing whoever stood near in the attempt to free the conveyances. Scouts constantly rode back and forth on horseback, telling the queen, king and prince of the people they led, as well as anything that stood in their path. Many were urged to abandon their carts, but for the many who agreed, there was always an equal number in
disagreement.

“Lady Queen, Lord King, Lord Prince,” a scout hailed them as he trotted up to the group, breathing heavily. “There is fire in the
woods.”

“What else can go wrong?” Haven
sighed.

“The forest has been set aflame. With no rain the city still blazes and everything in its path has caught fire,” the scout explained quickly. “I’m not sure of its reach
yet.”

Emeril seemed dismayed by the news, but Corrin simply nodded. “Send more scouts, and find its path. We will continue in the meantime. Once its path determined we can easily avoid
it.”

“Let us pray it doesn’t lead us into the flat lands.” Emeril
groaned.

Haven stayed silent and watched as the scouts took off. The fire was bad news, but she couldn’t help but be impressed how King Corrin handled it. While Emeril immediately launched into despair, the young king had stood firm and made not only a quick decision, but a smart one. It made her regret her earlier iciness toward
him.

As the day wore on and scouts returned, the Royals were pleased to hear that they could easily avoid the fire, while remaining hidden in Salander’s thick forests. While this was welcome news for the large group, Haven still felt as if they were moving too slowly. The injured and the sick were slowing their pace, while the trolleys had mostly fallen behind. Many stopped to help, but there wasn’t enough time to constantly lift and readjust their wheels. Haven worried they wouldn’t get to the tunnel in time, and the distractions would be for nothing. Alton would surely have begun his attack by now, or at least Emeril thought as much. He’d seen the king after the taking of Palmyra and wished him good luck in the battles to
come.

“Thank the blue skies above,” Emeril
said.

“Finally some good news,” Haven agreed, but her thoughts remained dark. They needed to hurry. With only a few days of war for distraction, they still had an entire kingdom to
cross.

“We aren’t moving fast enough,” Corrin said as he rode up beside
her.

Haven made a mental note to ask the young king how he was constantly reading her mind. “You’re right,” she said, avoiding his gaze. “We should have been well into Eris by
now.”

“The trolleys are slowing us down,” Emeril pointed
out.

“It isn’t just them,” Haven began. “It’s the people as
well.”

“What do you propose?” her friend
asked.

Haven took a moment to think while she observed the people around her. Mostly guards surrounded the Royals, but beyond them Haven could see her people and those of Wakefin, Eris, and Salander. Many were tired, but some were more gravely hurt than expected. They walked as fast as they could, but could not keep pace for much
longer.

One particular boy caught the young queen’s attention. He was of Rythern origin, with brown hair and eyes, maybe twelve years of age. Behind him, his mother pushed him along as fast as she dared. She was almost as weary as her son, who limped heavily, and had a crudely cut patch over his right eye. Frowning, Haven realized how unfair this was. They didn’t have many horses in their troop, but it didn’t seem right to continue to ride herself when she was perfectly capable of
walking.

“That’s it,” Haven
breathed.

“What’s it?” Emeril
asked.

Haven quickly dismounted her horse, stopping the guards around her. They muttered protests as she slipped between the horses, but she did not
stop.

“Excuse me,” she said, approaching the mother and
child.

They both looked up and then quickly attempted to bow. Haven waved them off. “Do not trouble yourselves,” she said, bending to assess the damage to the boy’s knee. She couldn’t tell how bad it was, though the cast had her imagining the worst. “What happened to your
leg?”

The boy stammered, so the mother stepped in. “Apologies, Lady Queen, I do not mean to slow the troop,” Tears sprung to the woman’s eyes. “His knee was shattered when he fell in our
escape.”

“And his
eye?”

“One of those monsters.” The woman began to cry, her eyes wide at the
recollection.

Haven moved to put the boy’s other arm around her shoulder, just as the mother was doing. “Please do not fret and come with me,” she said. The woman stammered out more apologies, but Haven simply led them between the guards and their horses. When they arrived at her empty saddle atop her gray mare, Haven motioned for Blythe’s aid. The woman quickly dismounted, understanding dawning on her
immediately.

“You will take my horse,” Haven said. “You shouldn’t be walking on that
leg.”

“No, no, My Lady,” the woman said, “We
couldn’t.”

“You can and will,” Haven smiled. “Please, I only wish to help ease your
journey.”

After a bit of prodding, the woman finally agreed with tearful thanks. Haven and Blythe helped the boy onto the horse before helping the mother up behind him. Haven gripped her hand and nodded goodbye. Before Haven had a chance to rejoin the others, all the guards and royals among them were dismounting their horses. Haven watched in surprise, as Corrin was the first to approach an elderly woman and help her onto his horse. Emeril was next, followed by her guards, advisers, and the rest of the uninjured. Suddenly guards were moving through the crowd to find the most in need, taking them gently back to their horses and helping them on. It warmed Haven’s heart to see such goodwill among the
people.

Soon every horse was ready to go and the troop began to move again at a much steadier
pace.

By nightfall, they were in Eris. With spirits still high, fires blossomed around camp. Children ran about and women sang. Haven sat by a particularly large flame, watching as a few young girls held hands and danced. Smiling and laughing, Haven enjoyed the sight of the people. Lareina sat by her side and, together, they immersed themselves in the night’s festivities. No one knew what tomorrow would bring, leaving Haven anxious. She tried to stay in the moment, singing along to a familiar tune while the girls twisted and sprang through the air, giggling and teasing those around
them.

“You look like you’re enjoying
yourself.”

Haven looked up as Corrin sat on her other side. She didn’t need to look at Lareina to know a smile had sprung to her
face.

“I am,” she said, though her anxiety only grew in his
presence.

“Do you want to
dance?”

Haven looked at him with wide eyes.
“Dance?”

“Yes,” Corrin laughed. “Haven’t you ever danced
before?”

“Well
yes.”

“She’d love to,” Lareina said as she leaned forward, pushing Haven gently from behind. Haven turned to glare at Lareina, but Corrin had already taken her hand and pulled her
up.

“It’s so nice of your friend to volunteer you,” he grinned, moving closer to the flame and the
song.

“Yes, how kind of her,” Haven said, trying to will the blush from her face as Corrin took her hands and began to
dance.

Twirling her, the young king moved into the light of the fire. The women there cheered and the girls giggled and laughed, dancing around them, hands clasped. Haven joined in their laughter, unable to stop the bubbling joy that sprang into her chest. She was filled with adrenaline as they hopped around, twisted, and came back together again over and over. More voices joined the singing, a few small instruments joined the mix, and soon Haven was lost in a fog of
happiness.

“It’s nice to see you smile,” Corrin said as he pulled her to him quickly. She nearly banged into him and had barely heard him before she was twisted away again. Laughter bubbled from her and she caught his
eyes.

“It’s nice to enjoy myself for once.” She twirled, and he caught her before she fell. They both laughed, and sprang back into the dance, the girls screeching with delight around
her.

“Haven!” a voice shouted through the
song.

Though the music didn’t stop and not everyone stopped dancing, Haven found herself abruptly against Corrin’s chest, her hand in his, frozen in the middle of a move. She breathed heavily, looking toward the voice. Lareina appeared and the two
separated.

“What is it?” she asked, brushing her hair behind her ears while she caught her breath. Lareina pulled her from the crowd, while King Corrin followed
behind.

“It’s King Brae,” she whispered. “He’s
dead.”

Haven gasped, but Lareina shushed her, pulling the two Royals to a quiet area away from curious
ears.

“He’s gone,” she continued, “Emeril is a wreck. I’m sorry, but he needs
you.”

Haven nodded quickly, all thoughts of song and dance fleeing her mind. “Take me to him,” she said, forgetting her fun with Corrin, or about the man entirely. Lareina nodded and led her away. Corrin followed to where the dead king lay, and expressed his condolences before Haven was whisked off alone by the young
prince.

“Emeril, I am so sorry,” she
said.

Her friend sat against a tree with his face in his hands. He hadn’t said a word, only taken her with him. Haven couldn’t tell if he was crying or not, but she couldn’t imagine how he wasn’t. He shook and trembled all over. Haven sat near him, remembering how Corrin had done this for her. She put her arm around the prince. Emeril stiffened at first, then quickly leaned into
her.

“He’s gone,” he muttered into his
hands.

“I know,” Haven whispered, rubbing his shoulder to soothe
him.

“My father is dead and I am not ready to be
king.”

Haven gazed down at him sadly. “No one is ready to rule a kingdom, Emeril,” she said. “You will do what’s right by your
people.”

“How can I do what’s right when I’ve already done so much wrong?” He suddenly pushed her away, leaving Haven sitting in the dirt alone. He stood and began pacing back and forth while Haven tried to decipher what he meant. Tear stains streaked the prince - now king’s cheeks. He seemed more anxious than she felt, though worry had settled in her
chest.

“What could you have done wrong, Emeril?” Haven
asked.

“Everything,” he breathed, stopping and gripping his hair angrily while he stared away from
her.

“Emeril, you aren’t even technically king yet,” she tried to reason with him, standing as well. “You couldn’t possibly have done
everything
wrong.”

“But I have,” he said, finally looking at
her.

So many emotions swirled inside those blue-green eyes. There was despair, anxiety, and guilt. She reached out to him and gently touched his arm. “But you haven’t. Please be reasonable, Emeril. You will be a great
king.”

“I will be nothing!” he shouted. “As I am nothing to
you!”

Haven stared at him, dumbfounded. “Nothing to me?” she couldn’t help but laugh a humorless sound. “Emeril, you are my friend. We’ve known each other since we were children. How could you say that you are nothing to
me?”

“Because of him! You barely even know him and you’re off dancing and talking in secret,” Emeril growled. “He even calls you by your first name, the absolute
nerve
of that
man!”

“You’re jealous?” Haven gasped. “Of
Corrin?”

“I want you to be mine, Haven! Why can’t you see
that?”

Haven stared at Emeril with wide eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing. All of Emeril’s talk of Nakta, and heartbreak, and how they were once thought to be married. Had that all been because he had feelings for her? Haven thought back to the moments he came to her that seemed so sudden. How he was there for her, and she for him. Had she somehow led him to believe that she was interested in him as more than a
friend?

“I can’t be, Emeril,” she whispered, unable to look at him. She could still barely process what she was
hearing.

“Why
not?”

“I can’t be with
anyone.”

“You can if you wish.” Suddenly Emeril was in front of her, hands gripping her arms tightly. He held her against the tree. Haven was so surprised she forgot to squirm away. “You can be with me. You know you want to. We’ve never been simply friends,
Haven.”

“We
are
just friends,” she insisted, sense returning to her. “Emeril you’re hurting
me.”

“You cannot be hurt,” he said. Haven met his eyes and didn’t recognize the man she’d always
known.

“I can be hurt,” Haven said. “I cannot be killed, Emeril. Please, let me
go.”

Emeril shook his head, pushing closer. Haven struggled in his grip, realizing what he meant to do. Before she could stop him or slip away, he kissed her. Haven tried to yell at him to stop, but he forced his mouth against hers again and again, his tongue slipping between her lips. Tears sprung to her
eyes.

When he finally moved his face from hers, she was crying. “What’s wrong?” he asked,
breathless.