My Envied Lady: Chapter 19

Chapter 19
It was late afternoon, and the four in hiding set out for the castle. "Why can't we just wait for the King or the Smurfs to find us?" asked Peewit. "Because I don't want every human in the countryside knowing where my den is, that's why. They can have all the loot in the main cave, but I want to keep my refuge." "Why Maenad, I thought you liked being a Lady in court, don't tell me you like living in the woods after all," teased Johan, back in his bloody tunic and astride Bayard. Maenad glared at him and sniffed. "I'm going to go ahead of you and try and sniff out some of your army. Human stink is a distinctive smell." She shifted to wolf form and bolted through the brush. Taking this as a challenge, Johan helped Sabina onto Bayard's back and chased after the werewolf. Peewit sighed and followed on Biquette. Lothar slunk from the main cave after discovering Fenris's body. He was shaking with rage. His men met him near the entrance with the swamp willows. "What's wrong, sire?" "We've been found out, that's what's wrong! Someone killed the werewolf and took the Princess and the other werewolf." He kicked a rotten stump in frustration. "What now, then?" "We head back, rethink our plans. This isn't over yet. We have to find out who did this. I'll wring their necks! This could cost us everything! Do you know the punishment for treason?" The Huntsmen stayed silent lest they draw their master's wrath. He stormed around, still ankle-deep in water, coming up with a new plan as fast as he could think of one. The King and his soldiers had almost reached the hills where the caves lay when a wolf crossed their path and would not move. "Do you think it's dangerous? Look how big it is!" "I've never seen a black wolf before; and where there's one, there could be others." "I think we should follow it," the King said, realizing it was Maenad. "She looks tame, perhaps whoever tamed her knows where the Princess is." Between her and the Smurfs with him, he had to be careful telling people how he knew the things he knew. But the men did not question, and they followed the wolf until the met up with Johan, Peewit and Sabina. Maenad slipped into the woods and walked out to meet them as a human. He dismounted and ran to meet Sabina, who hugged him with relief. She began to explain how Johan and Maenad had killed her kidnapper, and how Peewit had freed her. "Yes, I heard the whole story. You have no idea how happy I am to see you. All of you." He looked up at Johan, Peewit and Maenad. "I want to talk to the three of you later, but now we need to get back to the castle as soon as we can. You all look like you need rest and medical attention. Especially you, Johan."

Johan was doing his best to hide the fact that the pain in his ankle was getting more intense, but he was feeling very warm and looking very pallid. The king had no way of knowing what had happened with Sabina in the cave, and he did his best not to show any emotion about that, too. Maenad on the other hand, was doing her best to look injured, despite looking healthier and better rested than any of them. Distracted and surrounded by the smell of strange humans and horses, she did not notice three more mounted humans observing from the brush. "I think our plans may not need so much changing after all, men" Lothar whispered, watching the royals. "All the people we have been wanting to meet seem to have been delivered right to us." "But we're outnumbered, Sire. It's too dangerous." "Nonsense. We have the element of surprise on our side. And look at them. The soldiers are the only real threat. Are you really afraid to go up against two girls, a jester, and old man, and a squire who looks like he could fall from his saddle at any minute?" "No, Sire, it's just…" "Just nothing. I was once in a melee tournament where we were outnumbered by armed men, and I was able to come out victorious. Don't be such a woman. Here's what we are going to do…"   Evening was approaching again. The King sent one of the soldiers ahead to announce to good news that Sabina had been found, and that they were on their way back to safety, but with injured companions. They rode back as quickly as possible as dusk fell and the woods grew dark. Sabina rode double with her uncle and Maenad rode with Johan; she was too slow on foot in human form and Bayard was the only horse who wasn't terrified of her touch. Her ears picked up whispers in the night air. "Someone's following us," she said, looking around. "Oh, good. Maybe it's Tremaine and Broadback with that scoundrel Lothar," said the King. "It isn't them. They don't…they're not…what I'm trying to say is…I just know they aren't." "Who is it then?" "...It's your scoundrel, my King!" Hissed Lothar, suddenly beside him. Maenad snarled and leapt from Bayard, shifting as soon as she hit the ground. This sent all the other horses into a panic; the men who had never seen a werewolf shift before froze with fear, weapons drawn. Lothar knew what she was and had seen a shift may times. While the King was in shock and before the wolf got to him, he whipped a jeweled dagger from his belt and plunged it between plates of the King's armor. "Speak of the wolf and it is in the sheep pen!" He raised the blade for another strike, only to be knocked from his horse by Maenad. Sabina shrieked in horror, and Johan and Peewit ran to the King's aid. The soldiers were still in shock over seeing Maenad turn into a wolf, but Lothar's hunters rode into the fray. One snatched Sabina from the King's horse, the other sank two boar spears into the wolf, making her yelp in pain, but she did not release her grip on the traitor. Lothar himself was screaming in agony, his arm and hand completely inside Maenad's maw. This was not like the tournament at all. "Kill this thing! Get the girl out of here! Get me out of here!" The second hunter turned his horse and made a run for the woods. The King's men and Johan started after them. The first hunter managed to tear Lothar from Maenad's grip and run after the first. Sabina and Peewit was too busy attending to the King to stop them. Though he was unarmed, Johan kept up with the soldiers chasing Sabina and the hunter. One of the soldiers grabbed a bow and began shooting at the hunter. "For God's sake, be careful! You'll hit the princess!" Johan shouted, closing in on the hunter. Sabina did her part by kicking and punching him furiously. She had made it this far, she would not be taken prisoner again, not while her beloved uncle could be dying! Several of the arrows hit their mark, and Johan was able to pull Sabina away from the huntsman. The soldiers grabbed the wounded man and they made their way back to their injured King.