Broken Aro (The Broken Ones) (5 page)

His name came to her suddenly. "Kendric?"

He began shaking his head in disbelief. She stared at
him for a moment. "You shaved off your beard." She nodded to herself.
That's why she hadn't recognized him right away. "You looked like a bear
last time I saw you." Relief washed over her and she almost smiled. The
panic of being totally alone subsided a little. Kendric wasn't one of her
brothers, but at least he was someone she knew!

He chuckled again, running a hand over his eyes before
dragging it down his face. His look became solemn while he regarded her
thoughtfully for a moment. He turned toward the other men. "He's safe."

She rested her chin on her knees.
What did that
mean? Had they thought her to be a spy or something?
Suddenly, she
understood his words and sighed. He obviously didn't trust all of them if he
wanted to play along with the whole boy thing.

She gathered her courage, fighting the lump in her
stomach. "Are my brothers here?"

Kendric looked down at his hands and shook his head,
dashing her faint hopes. Really, she'd known they weren't though. They had
always been so protective of her, if they'd been on the ship she'd have heard
them. They would have asked everyone if she was here.

"Aro?" She turned to look at one of the
other men. His darkly tanned skin and rough looking face stood out. He
certainly wasn't pretty. The long scar running down one side of his face didn't
help either, but he had a happy, friendly look to him that made him not look
scary at all. "How old are you?" His voice was gentle, as if talking
to a young child.

Everyone started staring at her again. "Fifteen,"
she said quietly. Maybe she should have lied. Worry knotted her stomach. She had
no idea what she should do.

"Can you fight?" The blond cocked his head
to the side, waiting for an answer.

She blushed and looked at Kendric for guidance.

"Tell the truth," he said quietly, his voice
very kind. A faint smile played at his lips though, because he knew the answer.

His smile returned some of her confidence. She nodded
at them all. "But…" she grimaced slightly and wished they weren't all
staring at her. "I've been having trouble with the sword lately." Everyone
raised eyebrows at that. Her words came out in a rush. "Because I just
keep growing and growing and I can't seem to do anything right."

Everyone one of them either smiled or chuckled at her
admission, and of course they would. They remembered the same thing happening
to them. She sucked in a breath and continued. "I'm good with a bow. I've
not been having much trouble with it." What else to tell them? Were they
disappointed in her lack of sword fighting skills? Obviously they were planning
some sort of escape. Would they leave her behind because she couldn't fight? "I'm
best with knives."

Kendric's mouth twisted slightly, as if he fought to
hold in a grin. "You know, I do recall that."

She grinned but ducked her head again to hide it. Yes,
her brothers had often showed her off. She could play with her knives and bow
all year. Her brothers made her wait for them to be home before they let her
get her sword out, but she was pretty good with a knife.

"Get some rest," Kendric said, leaning over
to ruffle her hair.

She smiled a little in response to his gesture and
watched him move back to the little circle of men. Their whisperings began
again almost immediately. Were they talking about her? She couldn't hear what
they were saying over the other noises of the ship. Part of her wanted to jump
up and run over to see what was going on, to be in on the planning. The rest of
her pushed for caution. She didn't know these people, and they weren't her
brothers. She'd only met Kendric a few times and he'd been her brothers'
friend, not hers. At least the other men knew of her family. Maybe that would
help, she'd just have to wait and see. Leaning back, she closed her eyes.
Surprisingly, she wasn't shaking anymore, and her heart wasn't beating like
crazy. She had a connection to these strangers now, even if a small one.

She looked over at the other man in the corner,
wondering why he wasn't included. Maybe they just didn't know him. Or maybe
they did.

* * *

She stared off into the shadows, her mind numb. All
day she'd drifted in and out of sleep. Her head still hurt and she gingerly
touched the lump on it. If only she hadn't taken that hit. She would know what
happened to her brothers. She didn't know how much time she had lost. That was probably
a good thing. The less she remembered the better.

It wasn't dark yet, but the ship had started rolling
wildly. Kendric sat beside her, a hand on her shoulder, keeping her from
lurching around. It wasn't much help. Her stomach kept cramping.

"Tea would be good right about now," she
said absently.

He chuckled and nodded. "Winds picking up. We may
be in for a storm."

She looked up at him. He looked tired. "So what's
the word?"

His lips curved into a small smile again. The phrase
had been something her brothers always said. "You're good. No worries with
the men. I can vouch you're who you say you are. They all knew your father, or
your brothers."

A choked sound escaped her and she looked away
quickly.

His hand squeezed her shoulder slightly. "What is
it?"

"You said knew," she whispered. She closed
her eyes, fighting tears and pressing darkness in her heart. "I didn't see
what happened to them."

"None of us did either," he said gently and
she looked back up at him. "I asked the men for you. They don't remember
seeing your brothers."

She sighed and fought to control her raging emotions.
Though pleased he had asked for her, it still wasn't helpful. Her words came
out in a panicked rush. "They could be dead. Or have gotten out of the
city. Or be on another ship. Or dead."

"Aro..."

"I know…" She faltered and took a little
breath. "I know they're probably dead. Right?" She looked up at him
again and his brown eyes met her tearful ones. "The city fell, didn't it?"

He looked away and moved his hand off her shoulder. "Aye.
It fell."

She nodded to herself and concentrated on keeping calm
and taking little breaths. Things were how they were. She had to deal with it.
Her brothers had taught her that. "And now we're in another mess
altogether." She turned her head slightly, resting her cheek on her knees.
"What happens now?"

"We're headed for Janur Port. There we'll be
unloaded and taken by caravan to Franua."

"The slave capital of the world," she said
blandly.

He nodded. "Aye. There we'll be stripped, sorted,
and branded before we're sold on the auction blocks."

"Gah," she said with little feeling. Did he
have to be so honest?

"That about sums it up," he agreed.

"Any hope of a rescue?"

He shook his head, dashing any little hopes she may
have had. "No. The slave fleet may come across the Dressan Navy but they'll
just sink us all."

"You're doing a wonderful job of making me feel
better."

Looking over at her, he gave a little chuckle and
grinned.

"What?" She regarded him warily, her comment
had been serious.

"Never thought I'd be watching out for someone.
Certainly not like this." He shook his head. "Aro being a boy."
He glanced at her again. "Would have been easier a few years ago."

"Hmph!" She glanced over at the others who
had been watching them intently. "I think they're thinking you're just
insane. You shouldn't be laughing."

He chuckled again. "Well there is that, too."

She rolled her eyes and nodded in the direction of the
quiet man in the corner. "I see he's not in your circle of friends. He a
problem or what?"

"Observant." He made a slight face. "Not
a problem really."

"Then what?"

"He was one of a number of visiting princes. Bo
remembers seeing him around the castle."

She looked over at the man again, her curiosity
piqued. "A prince? Prince of where?"

"No idea. We asked and he wasn't telling. Won't
give his name either. So we're just calling him Prince."

"He must love that."

"He didn't look too impressed." Kendric
agreed with a smirk. Soldiers and nobility never got along. "I see where
he's coming from though. If the slavers knew, it could be troublesome for him
or his people."

"Hmm," she replied, not really having any
idea exactly what trouble that would be, but not wanting to show her ignorance.
"So is he in on your plans of escape?"

He raised his eyebrows. "What makes you think I've
got some?"

"Well if you don't yet then you're an idiot."

He chuckled. "You got me there. He's in. He's
just not participating overly much now. In a bit of rough shape."

She looked over at the man, Prince, again. "Well,
I'm in on whatever you're doing."

"Aro…"

She glared up at him. "You aren't leaving me
behind!"

Her words obviously shocked him. "Of course not!"
He grimaced. "I owe your brothers, if nothing else."

"You know I can fight," she said quietly. "I'll
be doing so no matter what you say, so you might as well give me something to
do."

He glowered at her, she glared back. He snorted. "Fine."

She grinned and sat back, tucking what remained of her
hair behind her ears.

Shaking his head, Kendric looked over at her. Suddenly
he lunged at her, raking his fingers through her hair until it covered her face
again. "Rot it, Aro! Don't be doing that!" He shook his head again at
her shocked look. "You don't look
that
much like a boy," he
whispered.

Her cheeks grew warm in embarrassment. "Sorry."

"Well, back to planning. You coming?"

She looked at the group of strange men. "Do they
know? About me?"

He glanced at them. "No. I'm thinking it'd be
best to keep this up as long as we can. Safer that way."

His comment worried her. Did he not trust them not to
hurt her? "If you think so." She looked over at Prince again. "I
think I'll see what's ailing his royalness." Kendric raised his eyebrows
and she made a face and leaned back again. "In a little bit. When I build
up my nerve. And don't feel like throwing up."

"You'll get used to it."

"I doubt it," she muttered. "Anyone
else hurt?"

"Nothing serious. How's your head? You've been
out for a while."

She raised her hand and rubbed at crumbling dried
blood in her matted hair. "I don't think it's too bad. It's not opened up
again."

"Good. Get some rest." She nodded and he
moved back to the other men she didn't know.

She grimaced. She didn't want to think about meeting
them all. Their stares were bad enough. She didn't know if she could succeed in
acting like a boy
.

"What's with the boy?"

"He's good. Just right now he's feeling a bit
shy, and sea sick. This isn't easy on a young boy." The others nodded
solemnly and looked over at her.

She put her forehead on her knees again. She was
definitely going to hurt him. The ship lurched again and her stomach twisted. "Uh."
Yes. As soon as she didn't feel like dying.

Chapter 3

Meeting a Prince

The sea calmed at some point. Being trapped in a ship
made it hard to tell the time of day. The cell's location at the back of the
ship didn't help either. Outside the bars she could see the small hatch that
let in light part of the day, and an occasional wash of sea water.

The men kept up their quiet chatter. The one in the
corner remained still and quiet. She frowned as she watched him. Kendric said
he was in rough shape. She assumed he'd been injured in the fighting. His
wounds must not have been too severe, or the slavers wouldn't have taken him.

Often enough she'd have to patch her brothers up. In
the winter, they were always getting into tavern brawls or injured during
weapons practice. She could set simple breaks and stitch and wrap wounds. Her
father and brothers had taught her a little, but she'd learned more from some
of the army wives. She'd made an effort to learn all she could. Her plan had
been to the join the army, which meant fighting. Knowing how to tend wounds
could save her life.

Unfortunately she didn't have any of her supplies.
Hopefully the prince's injuries were something she could help with. Her brothers
always said she did a great job of tending to them. Pain curled in her chest
again. Closing her eyes tightly she tried to push thoughts of her family from
her mind.

She crawled over to the prince, trying not to blush
when he turned his head to stare at her. She took his silence as a good sign.
She'd never met a prince. She avoided nobility whenever possible. Nobles and
soldiers didn't get along, or so her brothers had told her often enough.