Preserving the Ingenairii (17 page)

“I wish that I could, but my heart has not been faithful, and I am engaged to a human woman back in my own land,” Alec replied with a grin.

“In fact, it is partly for her sake that my staunch companions and I have traveled to your land, your majesty,” Alec continued.

“A mysterious plague has struck the ingenairii of our lands, including my betrothed.
 
I am told that the cure for the disease rests somewhere in your lands, in an ancient holy place,” Alec straight-forwardly explained.
 
“I ask your permission to continue on our mission to find the sacred location that can let me help my beloved…my other beloved,” he stuttered with another slight grin.

“You have our permission and any assistance we can spare,” young King Frinungeard replied after a second, looking up at his aunt for confirmation.

Yes, certainly, you have our permission,” Rosebay agreed.
 
“Do you know where you’re supposed to go?”

Alec recollected clearly the words of John Mark.
 
“It is in a part of your land that is under attack by the invaders, the warriors from Michian.”

“You are welcome to go there, but those lands are dangerous, and the invaders are ruthless,” Rosebay warned.

“They have tried to attack our nation as well,” Alec replied.
 
“We barely managed to defeat them.”

“You were victorious?
 
How did you defeat the monsters they bring?” the king asked.

“We just barely did, thanks to help from our God,” Alec told the young monarch.

“Our armies could win if they did not have to face their monsters on the battlefield,” Frinungeard said.
 
“We hold them back as long as we only fight regular soldiers.”

“The demons are overwhelming among soldiers,” agreed Alec.

“We will assign an escort to take you to the battlefront tomorrow.
 
The journey will take several days,” Rosebay interjected.
 
“You are welcome to stay in the palace tonight as guests of the king.”

The following morning Rosebay and the king were present on the lawn along with the officer and infantrymen who would accompany them to the battlefront.

“This human, Alec the prince, is my companion by the customary ritual,” Rosebay told the military escort.
 
“Treat him with respect and courtesy.”

The men in uniform looked at Rosebay and Alec with grave curiosity, and nodded.
 
“Follow my lead again,” Rosebay told Alec, and she slapped his face vigorously.
 
He returned the slap, and then they kissed again, and spat out their bloody saliva.

“Will we have to do this next time we meet?” Alec asked with a smile as they finished the ceremony.

“Not if you propose to me,” Rosebay said solemnly.

“Before we part, I have one request,” Alec added.
 
He looked over at Delle and Brandeis.
 
“These two riders have traveled through the hazardous part of our journey.
 
Now that we have your friendship and support for the journey that is left, I would ask that you allow them to return the way we came, so that they may find their way back to their own city.”

“Alec?
 
No, absolutely not,” Delle said.
 
“We came along for the whole journey.”

“By the time you get back to Stronghold, the ingenairii will be saved, and Brandeis can be reunited with Noranda,” Alec explained.
 
“The rest of us can float down the river back to Goldenfields and Oyster Bay when we’re done, but you can go more directly home over land, and you can take back word of our friendship with the king of the lacertii.

“I believe this is the best way to proceed.
 
Please humor me,” Alec finished.
 
“We know we are among friends now, and I would like for Noranda to wake up and see you two waiting for her, or arrive soon after she recovers.”

Alec saw the desire in Brandeis’s eyes, and the nod of submission from Delle.

“We will arrange an escort for them to return to your homelands,” Rosebay agreed as she saw the arrangements settled among the humans.

 
A hasty round of farewells among the Stronghold members and the others quickly followed, and the two groups split apart.

The escort for Alec and his dwindling band led them away from the palace and out of the city.
 
By nightfall they had climbed out of the east side of the wide valley and were traveling again among mountains and valleys.

“Your animals are like those the invaders use against us,” their new escort told Alec as they walked along the road.
 
“They are difficult for us to fight on flat lands, but not so hard when we stay in the mountains.”

“What was it like, kissing the
lacerta
?” Patrick asked.

“The kissing was nice; it’s the slapping and biting we had to go through to get to it that I didn’t like,” Alec said straight-faced, bringing a laugh from everyone, even the other lacertii.
 
“My mouth is still sore.”

“I don’t recommend you try it with any girls you know,” he told his companion.

The next two days they traveled further east.
 
“How much further is it?” Alec asked his escort.
 

“
Five more days to the battle zone,” the
lacerta
answered.

“We could all ride on horses, and get there twice as fast,” Alec suggested.
 
“Our horses could each carry an extra rider for at least part of the day,” he judged.

The lacertii looked at him in horror.
 
“It wouldn’t be right,” one answered simply.

“But it could allow us to finish our duty faster,” Alec replied.
 
“Here, just try sitting on my horse.”
 
He stopped Walnut and offered the saddle to the
lacerta
.
 
The soldier shook his head.

“Just try sitting there.
 
It would be like sitting in a chair,” Alec urged.
 
“We won’t make you go anywhere.”

The
lacerta
shook his head again, though less vigorously.

Alec was desperate to move the group on the journey more quickly.
 
“Look, even our women ride these horses, and you are afraid to?” he asked, recognizing the evil glare he received from Armilla.

The
lacerta
soldiers urged their officer on, and at last he agreed, letting Alec help him place a foot in the stirrup and swing his leg over the horse’s back.

“You look wonderful up there!” Alec assured him.
 
“How does it feel?”

“Nerve-wracking,” the
lacerta
replied gruffly.

“What about the rest of you?
 
If he can get on a horse, so can all of you,” Alec urged the rest of their escorts.
 
“Armilla, help the soldier sit in your saddle,” he urged.

“Now just sit and hold onto the saddle horn,” Alec instructed a minute later.
 
“Feel what it’s like.”
 
He grabbed the horse’s halter and led it forward a few steps.

“You said we weren’t going anywhere!” the leader of the nervous escort group objected.

“This isn’t riding anywhere.
 
This is just testing the way it works,” Alec glibly assured him, and he led Walnut forward a few more steps.

Half an hour later, the horses were each carrying double passengers and traveling at a brisk pace, the lacertii looking proud and nervous of their innovative transportation.
 
Alec called a halt to the horse riding just two hours later, realizing that the lacertii were in danger of suffering brutal saddle soreness.
 
Three days later the group came to a halt atop a ridge that looked across a deep, narrow valley.

The last I knew, the battlefront was within this valley,” the lacertii leader informed Alec.
 
“When we ride down to the bottom of the valley, we’ll be among heavy concentrations of our soldiers.
 
You’ll need to stay close to us to make sure you’re not mis-identified.”

“Do you know if there are any ancient churches or temples in this valley?” Alec asked.

“I don’t know the battlefield features,” the escort replied.
 
“But we can talk to the officers below and learn what they know.”

The nine travelers began descending into the valley, switching back and forth on a busy trail that carried supplies and soldiers.
 
Alec heard no sounds of war, indicating that they were not yet close to the conflict.
 
By the next day though, the situation had altered.

“This is the general command tent,” the escort told Alec as they faced a large structure that served a steady stream of traffic as soldiers moved in and out.
 
“Allow me to enter first to warn them that you will be coming in,” he suggested, and walked into the tent.

Several minutes later, he emerged and waved his arm, beckoning them to enter.

A circle of faces stared at the entry as Alec and his companions stepped into the tent.
 
“We welcome you as a companion of the Regent Rosebay,” a man spoke as he stepped forward and extended his hand.
 
Alec placed his palm against the man’s, observing the slightest facial flinch as they made contact and shook.
 
“My name is General Pyathia.”

“Thank you for the privilege of allowing us to visit you.
 
We hope to not take much of your time, as we simply seek to travel through on our way to a destination.
 
We seek the remnants of an ancient holy place, one that would have been prominently used by humans in past ages,” Alec quickly explained.
 
“Do you know of any such facility?”

“There is a large pile of stones, with many walls still upright.
 
It is truly large – nearly half the size of the royal palace you come from,” Pyathia explained.
  
“It is also unfortunately several miles behind the lines the enemy now controls.
 
We cannot infiltrate behind their lines, but perhaps you would be able to…blend in, better than we do.
 
Especially with your riding animals, you could fit in.”

“Do you have a map that shows the location of the ruins, and where we are presently?” Alec asked.

“Are you one of the warriors who ambushed our supply barges during the recent war?” another officer asked suddenly.

Alec tensed up.
 
“Yes.
 
We were defending our nation,” he answered tersely.

“It was a smart move.
 
Very shrewd and very effectively carried out,” the other lacertii said calmly.
 
“We didn’t anticipate such a complete ability to stop supplies from getting through.”

“Thank you.
 
We used our best soldiers,” Alec relaxed.

They all gathered around a table where a map was unrolled.
 
“Here is our location,” Pyathia pointed at a spot.

“The front is here right now,” another officer added his finger to the paper.

“And the ruins are down here,” Pyathia moved his finger beyond the front.

“What would be the best way to get there?” Alec asked.

“I would tell you to go around,” the other officer at the map answered.
 
“Climb over this ridge and travel down the next valley, then come back into this valley in their territory.”

“For a small group of your size, that does seem best,” Pyathia agreed.

“We won’t have five trying to get there,” Alec rebutted.
 
“There will be only one.
 
I’m going to go alone.”

Chapter 13 – Abandoning the World

“Here we go again,” Armilla muttered loudly.

“No, listen,” Alec replied calmly.
 
“There are reasons I’m going to go alone.