Chapter 4:
I Don’t Like Soldiers
It’s been a long time since I’ve worn anything on my feet. These boots make the dirt road indistinguishable from a polished wooden floor. I no longer need to pay attention to where I step.
My gaze returns to Trevus. His hand still rests on my shoulders as we walk, but I’ve become more accustomed to it. It was kind of him to spend all those coins on my bath and new outfit.
Trevus takes me across the street to a tavern with outside seating. A hip-high picketed wooden fence separates the patron tables from the road, and white tarps form a tent roof overhead.
He gestures for me to take a seat on the bench at a large wooden table. I sit down, and he settles on the opposite bench, leaving us face to face. He leans in, resting his hands on the table. My arms are tucked in at my sides. He’s a man of large stature, with broad shoulders, a sharp, square jaw and serious blue eyes. All of his attention is on me, and it makes me fidget on the bench.
I keep my gaze away from him, instead glancing at the other patrons at their own tables. There are bands of farmers, artisans and soldiers in gray uniform. What do others see when they look at our table? Instead of a prisoner, I have the appearance of a soldier. It would be obvious to anyone that my outfit matches Trevus’s, but I’ve never seen soldiers in black uniform before. The sleeves around my hands are to prevent me from posing a threat to Trevus or anyone else, but to those who don’t know me, they just look like gloves or bandages. They are my invisible bonds.
“Before we venture out,” Trevus gestures to the city gates at the end of the dirt road. “’Tis imperative that you comprehend your position.”
The air is taught with tension. Unsure of where the conversation is headed, I practice caution and stay quiet.
“Though you now wear an oban, do not mistake yourself for a capital guard. You, Jade of Mephia, remain a prisoner of the Kingdom of Versillia. You shall serve the officers of Versillia, such as myself, as well as the citizens of Versillia. Should you choose to disobey issued commands, or attempt to venture out on your own, the consequences shall be severe. As we shall be traveling, any insubordination would designate you as an unruly convoy captive. The punishment of such an offense is death, which I as an officer of Versillia, am authorized to carry out.”
My fingers curl into fists under the table. While his gestures of new clothes and warm baths may make him appear pleasant on the surface, deep down, he’s just as vile as any other soldier. The entire reason that he’s bringing me along is to unleash my connection on his enemies. I’m destined to disobey him, and then he’ll kill me anyway. Escaping is my only option.
“Do you understand?” He’s annoyed with my lack of response.
I give him a sharp look. “You didn’t need to explain that you’d kill me in the wilderness if you felt like it. You’re a soldier. I knew you were scum the moment I saw you.”
He rubs his thumb across his chin, my words catching him off guard. I’ll do what he says to keep my head on my shoulders, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to fake a smile.
“You behave,” he pauses, choosing his words, “surprisingly audacious for one in your position. I suspect that your sorcery is the root of your hubris.”
I decide to look at the wooden decor around the tavern instead. I’m not going to participate in his attempt to invade my mind. He’s wrong. I’m not proud of my connection – I loathe it. It’s the reason behind all of the hardship I’ve had to endure. I’d wish it away if I could.
A tall blonde waitress arrives at our table. “My greetings. What fare do you two desire?” she asks.
Trevus hands her a silver coin. “One bowl of tomato soup. That is all.”
The waitress’s gaze pauses on me for a moment. While I’d love to eat a tavern meal, I don’t have any money. I wrap my arms around my middle and remain silent.
The blonde woman leaves and returns from the kitchen with a steaming wooden bowl. The red pasty soup is placed in front of Trevus. With a nod, the waitress heads off again. There wasn’t an abundance of food offered to me in the tower. I’m hungry, so I ignore him and his meal.
Trevus pushes the bowl in front of me. He’s giving it to me without anything in return? He didn’t even take a bite, and there wasn’t a moment of hesitation – this was his intention all along.
The sweet, spicy aroma draws a smile out of me. I don’t wait for him to tell me to start, but the wooden spoon proves challenging to pick up through the thick sleeves that cover my arms. I attempt to clutch it between both hands, but the spoon flips out of the bowl, flinging red drops in a thin line across the table.
Not wasting another moment, I pick up the bowl with both hands. The warm soup greets my lips, and I delight in the taste. The savory tomato flavor is delicious. A meal like this was a rare treat – only when the guards had brought me down to be entertainment for a feast and there were leftovers the next morning.
The steaming soup is too hot for me to wolf down, so I keep the bowl just an inch below my lips and take small sips. Trevus wears an amused grin. His thoughts don’t matter in the slightest. I’m going to enjoy my tomato soup.
The bowl is empty just minutes after it arrived on the table. I’ve licked my lips clean, and my stomach is full and warm. I’m satisfied, and I almost thank him before stopping myself. With the position I’m in, I don’t want to say anything that may encourage him to start using food as a form of leverage.
Two large figures move in behind me, and my spine stiffens. I was enjoying the soup so much that I didn’t even notice them enter the tavern. The two men take a seat on my bench, boxing me in from either side. I tuck my arms in close, raising my shoulders. Both men sport the same black oban. They must be Trevus’s handpicks thugs. I glance up at each of them. My brow only reaches their shoulders, and if they were any closer together, I’d be crumpled like paper.
“Captain, when shall we depart?” the man on my right says.
“You have the Mephian girl. The mounts are ready,” the one on the left says. They both have gruff voices.
A sharp point presses against my thigh. It’s a steel axe. I jump up off the bench and take three steps back. Trevus watches me with a suspicious eye. He thinks I might bolt.
Moving a safe distance around the two large men, I take a seat on Trevus’s bench, staying at the very corner so I’m no closer to him than necessary.
Every pair of eyes at the table has homed in on me. The two goons seem displeased that I moved to the other bench. They should be staring at each other instead. I wasn’t the one to disregard other people’s personal space.
“This girl,” Trevus gestures to me, “Jade of Mephia, is our captive sorceress.”
The goon closest to me leans in. I inch away from him. He has ginger hair and a short matching beard. “‘Tis thick-headed to flee the moment your masters arrive. Have you not heard of a favorable first impression, girly?”
I give him a sharp look. “I don’t like soldiers.” This ginger-haired man is my least favorite of the three of them. “Stay away from me.”
The man rises to his feet and closes the distance between us. Salts. I’ve pushed him too far. He’s going to strike me. I cross my arms over my stomach and guard my neck with raised shoulders.
He runs his thick, meaty fingers through my hair. I try shift away from him, but his hand curls into a fist, and any further movement tugs painfully at my scalp.
I look to Trevus, but he doesn’t seem to care. This man is his ally. There are three of them against one of me, and they’re all twice my size.
I seal my eyes shut and hold as still as I can. If he slammed my head into the table, I could die.
“Marcellus, if you keep at that, she looks as though she may wet the oban that I recently purchased,” Trevus says.
His grubby hand releases my hair, but Trevus’s comment leaves me sour. The ginger-haired man, Marcellus, takes his seat back on the other side of the table. He wanted to lord his power over me, to humiliate me, as if the fact that I’m at the mercy of Versillian soldiers somehow eluded me for years. I hate all of these stupid men.
“Giddius, how many hours ride is the next settlement?” Trevus asks.
“Two days,” the thug with the brown hair answers. “We should move now if we wish to stay ahead of them.”
Ahead of who, I wonder? Are there people pursuing us? Perhaps they’d free me if they caught up.
Trevus stands. “Our unit has no knowledge of our departure?”
Giddius and Marcellus stand too. “Our unit is contained to the castle,” Giddius says. “There is no record or witness, and the mounts were purchased outside the gates. However, with both you and myself absent, they are without captain and lieutenant. A search party is not beyond the realm of possibility.”
A glance from Trevus indicates for me to stand. The three men leave the tavern, and I trail a few feet behind, staying as far back as I can without being reprimanded. It would be foolish to try escape while still inside a city packed with soldiers.
“Casus is bold. He is likely to assume command,” Trevus says. “As a rational man, I foresee he shall return to the palace and report our absence. That shall afford us a few days lead.”
We tread along the dirt road, nearing the city gates. Trevus and these two men are sneaking out with me. If Trevus is the prince, why would he have to hide from his own army? On top of that, he’s only bringing a group of four to rescue the
King
of Versillia? His story doesn’t add up. I can’t trust anything he’s told me. All I know for certain is that he’s taking me out of Antiock, and right now, that’s exactly what I need.
❤️
Whatever the case – use him like he’s using you.
I feel somewhat bitter on her behalf. He may just be using her, but he has the capacity to have his subordinates treat her in a decent enough manner…
Very smart.
Yoh! I love her fire!
That’s so awesome!
stawpp that’s adorablee
atee
boi if you don’t
PERIODTTTT
Congratulations 🎉
😔🥺😭🤢🤮
🎉✨️
Congratulations 😍
Dude congrats that is so cool hope ya have a good time.
Big congrats!!!! I wish you both an awesome wedding and much happiness.
love stories like that, actually happen?
bitch
I’m guessing it’s a coup he’s trying to prevent… someone has abducted the king and plans to kill him to take the throne!
Ow… just because she didn’t want to be squished between him and his friend
That would be sad… though I can see him using food to manipulate her anyway.
Or at least encourage her to behave…
Congratulations!
Thank you. Sorry if you got into trouble. Thank you again because waiting is painful
Today is Saturday, don’t you update? Please
Congrats!!!!!!!
OMG THATS SO FAWKIN BEAUTIFUL
FORGOT THIS CAME OUT TODAY HELLO
I’m loving this book so far!!
Love my hubby
💕🥺😍
Wowww congratulations you two, that’s adorable!! 🥺
my guy has the audacity to act all tough when his name is Giddius? I’d be miserable, too
Get a load of this guy 🙄
🤢
smart
As you should!!