The Exiled King's Guard

Chapter 27: Lucas To The Rescue

Lucas POV

Everything was ready. We had heard back from Eli and the situation was near identical to what Jeff had first told us. I was supposed to head to the city in disguise and stay in disguise. I was posing as Margie’s nephew from another kingdom. Eli’s cousin. The purpose of visit was supposed to be to look for employment. This would allow me to look around and talk to people without raising suspicion. It would have been better if I could have been at Jeff’s. He was closer to the palace epicenter, he also had access to the dungeons, but I couldn’t risk it. He almost got caught trying to help me escape and was always under scrutiny nowadays. If caught, it would mean instant death for both of us. While I didn’t mind it so much if I died trying, I couldn’t put his life at risk. I was already jeopardizing his safety by leaving him in the lair. I needed him there. He had argued that it would be more useful to take him with me. And right now, with the way my mission was progressing, I could surely use his insights. But I needed eyes in the capital. Someone who could make judgements on things and take decisions. Just like he had done for Ashley. Speaking of which, I knew I had to at least try to rescue them. My history with her aside, given that they were also suffering at the hands of the Credorans, made it highly probable that we could be useful to each other. Of course, this meant I had to try and save that dumb prince as well. I couldn’t figure out why I disliked him so.

Oh wait, I could. He was stronger than me back when we were younger. I was better than most, but not him. And he didn’t leave a single opportunity to gloat. Always putting me down in front of his friends. I hated it, but I couldn’t do anything. I was a guest there, completely at his father’s mercy. I couldn’t afford to throw tantrums. And maybe that’s why, when I had seen him make fun of Ashley that day, I had decided to help her. That and the fire in her eyes. Something had told me then that she wouldn’t give up. But she needed guidance. Sure, her father was trying whenever he could, but either he didn’t want to bend the rules for her or couldn’t. It wasn’t… Damn! Here I go again. Focus, Lucas! We are going there to rescue the Prince and his aide. Whatever my hidden priority may be. Jeff knew about it, Esme knew about it, but nobody else should know that I cared more about saving her than the Prince. And that all this trouble was to save her, who the world deemed a nobody.

“Alright. Are you all set?” Esme’s voice broke me out of my thoughts.

“ Yeah, Gurgen has put in all the necessities in this.” I said, pointing to a basket at my feet. “I have food, water, maps, money. I think that should be enough for the next few days. Just pray that I am able to enter the capital safely”

“It’s a good thing Moonie came back here last night. Though it’s a miracle he was able to find this place”, I added, patting Moonbeam, my horse. He had miraculously come back to me last night. We had been together for so long, not having him was like missing a limb. I tried never to voice these things because everyone would always say ‘Oh, its just a horse’. After a few times, I stopped mentioning what he meant to me and just played along. Truth be told, he was special even before he came into my life. I got him before I left Cairintar, a gift from the King. He had a twin sister, something that rarely happens in horses. They named them Sunshine and Moonbeam. Opposite ends of the same coin. I had heard that Sunshine was a very willful mare. They couldn’t breed her, couldn’t train her for riding, nothing seemed to work on her. Whereas my moonbeam was the sweetest boy there ever was. Fast and strong, he truly was a gift fit for a prince.

“ I think the elements guided him home, Lucas,” Esme said knowingly.

Nodding, I fastened the basket to my saddle and checked all the other fastenings to make sure I was ready to go. As I turned to say goodbye to Esme, I saw her. I mean I really looked at her. I could tell something was off. She was nervous. She was hiding it well, but then I knew her better than most. And her body language was stiff. Sharp and confident, she always was. But she wasn’t calm today.

Suddenly, I felt guilty. I knew I was causing this reaction in her because I was doing something and she couldn’t understand why. She had heard me talk about Prince Zach, and I never had nice things to say. Of course, she would have trouble understanding why I needed to risk my life for him.

I stepped forward, taking her hand in mine, “Esme, don’t worry about me. I promise I will be careful not to risk more exposure than is absolutely necessary. I won’t try to be a hero, I will save myself and come back.”

Her eyes softened a little as she heard my words.

Smiling a little, she said, “ I know that, Lucas. And I have a good feeling about this mission of yours. I think you will succeed.”

“So then—”

“That’s not why I am nervous” she paused. “This girl, I have a feeling she will change everything”, she looked away with the last sentence. She wasn’t usually vulnerable like this. It made me feel guilty, and annoyed about the guilt.

“Hey” I said gently, trying to get her to look at me. “Are you feeling insecure?”

She looked at me and then looked away, “Maybe”. She responded in a small voice.

I pulled her to me gently and gave her what I hoped was a reassuring hug.

“ I have promised myself to you, and it will stay that way. I vowed to do right by the prophecy, by the sisterhood and by you, and I will do it come what may.”

Pulling back, she looked into my eyes, “But Lucas, what if you fall —”

“ Doesn’t matter. Besides, I don’t even know her anymore. Based on the company she keeps, I would bet she is arrogant and obnoxious too. And I would rather have Zanthea’s daughter by my side than some damsel in distress.” I responded, smiling at her playfully.

That finally got a small smile out of her. “But you know I am not her daughter daughter”

“You are, by the elemental and sisterhood rules. Now stop doubting yourself. You set everything in motion in the first place. Otherwise we would have lost everything to Irham already.”

Her eyes were shining now. Even if I could never love her like she deserved, I would always make it a priority to keep that shine in her eyes.

“Now let me go bring those two deadbeats to safety” I jested as I got on to Moonbeam.

With a final wave, we started. The trip was going to take a few days since I had to take a roundabout route into the city. Somewhere along the way I had to put my disguise on too. Determined to get those two out, I sped onwards into the forest.