Sequel: The Game ›
Status: complete, but revisions are being made
The Pauper Princess
Chapter Twenty-Six
Though the scenery passed quickly, the night did not. Hours of endless riding passed in uneventful darkness. I came close to falling asleep several times, but an unexpected jolt would always startle me awake. Mehta did her best to stay awake as well, but as time wore on, I had to wrap my arms around her and hold the front of the saddle to keep her from falling. From this point on, the ride became brutal. My legs ached, my arms were still sore from earlier, and I hadn’t had a minute’s rest since the previous night.
We came to a pause at a large river just before dawn. I was desperate to dismount and stretch my legs, but I still had enough wits about me to wait for help with Mehta. The prince helped her down, and I walked with her to a large tree. We sat, using the tree as a prop, and watched as Ekohl and Jegan led the horses to the swift water.
I could see that they were discussing something, but the river drowned out their voices. I felt Mehta lean her head against my right shoulder. Looking down, I saw that she had already fallen fast asleep again. I was tempted to do the same, but Jegan and Ekohl were already making their way towards us.
“Is she asleep?” Ekohl asked. I nodded, and he sighed. I started to reach with my left arm to wake her up. “No, don’t.” I stopped, and he explained, “We’ll rest here for a while. There’s no way to cross the river, and the nearest bridge is gated until sunrise. We have at least an hour’s wait.” I nodded to show I understood. I longed to close my tired eyes, but I forced them to stay open.
“Won’t it be dangerous to travel near people?” I asked, trying to stifle a yawn. Ekohl looked to Jegan, passing my question to him.
“The bridge is guarded by soldiers,” the prince sighed. “It leads to one of Lequin’s largest towns, aside from the royal city. Crossing the bridge means entering the city walls. Crossing the river… well, I don’t think it’s even possible at this time of the year.”
“Can’t we look for a shallow place to cross?” I would prefer not to be trapped in a large city full of people who most likely wanted me- or rather Mehta- dead.
“I’ve never heard of a place to cross,” Jegan began, “I don’t spend enough time in this area to know for sure, but I do know that the river is unusually cold, and it’s still many miles to the palace.”
“So aren’t we close enough to the palace for you to be recognized in the town.” Both Ekohl and Jegan looked worried at this statement, as if this obvious problem had not occurred to them.
“Perhaps we should look for a place to cross,” Ekohl suggested. The prince nodded his agreement, and Ekohl reluctantly leaned down and tried to wake Mehta. She wasn't at all willing to depart from her sleep; she just groaned and snuggled into my shoulder. After a minute Ekohl relented and lifted her up. She rested her head on his shoulder and drifted deeper into sleep. He looked down at her and sighed.
“I don’t suppose you can hold her up now, can you?” Ekohl asked me. I thought of the hours I had already spent keeping my sleeping friend upright and shook my head. Jegan assisted in getting Mehta arranged sideways in front of Ekohl, and I somberly mounted my horse, preparing myself mentally and physically for a few more hours of riding.
We came to a pause at a large river just before dawn. I was desperate to dismount and stretch my legs, but I still had enough wits about me to wait for help with Mehta. The prince helped her down, and I walked with her to a large tree. We sat, using the tree as a prop, and watched as Ekohl and Jegan led the horses to the swift water.
I could see that they were discussing something, but the river drowned out their voices. I felt Mehta lean her head against my right shoulder. Looking down, I saw that she had already fallen fast asleep again. I was tempted to do the same, but Jegan and Ekohl were already making their way towards us.
“Is she asleep?” Ekohl asked. I nodded, and he sighed. I started to reach with my left arm to wake her up. “No, don’t.” I stopped, and he explained, “We’ll rest here for a while. There’s no way to cross the river, and the nearest bridge is gated until sunrise. We have at least an hour’s wait.” I nodded to show I understood. I longed to close my tired eyes, but I forced them to stay open.
“Won’t it be dangerous to travel near people?” I asked, trying to stifle a yawn. Ekohl looked to Jegan, passing my question to him.
“The bridge is guarded by soldiers,” the prince sighed. “It leads to one of Lequin’s largest towns, aside from the royal city. Crossing the bridge means entering the city walls. Crossing the river… well, I don’t think it’s even possible at this time of the year.”
“Can’t we look for a shallow place to cross?” I would prefer not to be trapped in a large city full of people who most likely wanted me- or rather Mehta- dead.
“I’ve never heard of a place to cross,” Jegan began, “I don’t spend enough time in this area to know for sure, but I do know that the river is unusually cold, and it’s still many miles to the palace.”
“So aren’t we close enough to the palace for you to be recognized in the town.” Both Ekohl and Jegan looked worried at this statement, as if this obvious problem had not occurred to them.
“Perhaps we should look for a place to cross,” Ekohl suggested. The prince nodded his agreement, and Ekohl reluctantly leaned down and tried to wake Mehta. She wasn't at all willing to depart from her sleep; she just groaned and snuggled into my shoulder. After a minute Ekohl relented and lifted her up. She rested her head on his shoulder and drifted deeper into sleep. He looked down at her and sighed.
“I don’t suppose you can hold her up now, can you?” Ekohl asked me. I thought of the hours I had already spent keeping my sleeping friend upright and shook my head. Jegan assisted in getting Mehta arranged sideways in front of Ekohl, and I somberly mounted my horse, preparing myself mentally and physically for a few more hours of riding.