Chapter 16: Chapter 16
The swaying lantern swung back and forth, casting odd shadows as the boy approached Nya’s hiding spot. In her mind, she saw, as long as she didn’t breathe until he walked past Warrior’s stall, he wouldn’t discover her hiding there in the darkness. But he was walking so slowly, by the time he was standing directly in front of her, Nya’s lungs were burning. She needed to take a breath. If she did, she knew he would hear, and then, she’d have to deal with him in a way that would not be beneficial to the young man with the lantern.
His boots crunched over the straw and clumps of dirt in the hallway as he slowed in front of Warrior’s stall. Even though she couldn’t see him, she knew that he was looking the other way at the moment and that Warrior was far enough back from the gate at the moment that the boy wouldn’t notice the bridle unless he really looked closely.
He continued on his way, the light shifting as he walked in front of the next stall. Slowly, Nya let the breath she’d been holding out and drew in another one. She breathed shallow inhales until the light reached the end of the walkway and then disappeared from sight.
Nya still didn’t move, waiting to see if he had gone back up to the loft where the boys usually slept or if he had simply put the light out and taken up a position in front of the door that she needed to use in order to exit. She played out the scenario in her mind, envisioning herself mounting Warrior and taking off. She got caught when she did it that way, so she thought about what might happen if she led the horse out by the bridle. That way was safer, though she’d still have to be careful not to make too much noise when she opened and closed the stall door.
Taking hold of Warrior’s reins, she carefully pushed the door open and led the massive horse out. Once he was clear, she kept the reins in her hand and pulled the door closed, careful when it latched not to make too much noise.
Then, looking carefully at the ground as they walked along, she led the horse to the exit, dodging big rocks and clumps of dirt. It was dark, but the horse’s eyesight was better than her human eyes, and he seemed to understand where they were going, so Nya gave him his head and let him lead the way.
Once they reached the end of the hall, Nya rushed through the process of opening the exterior door, rushing the horse out. She climbed into the saddle beneath the light of the stars, aware that there were noises coming from inside of the stable now. She had no time to think about how hard she’d let the door closed or whether or not the stable boys were coming. She needed to go now, or else the guards patrolling the yard would be back and discover her.
Nya ducked her head on the back of the horse so that she was nearly flat in the saddle and gave Warrior a kick in the ribs so that he would take off. Like a shot, the horse took off, Nya only lifting her head enough to be able to see where they were headed. She knew exactly where the best place to clear the fence was, so she steered him in that direction, praying they arrived before the patrol came back around.
Behind her, in the distance, Nya heard shouts originating near or in the stable. They had either discovered that a horse was gone, or she’d been spotted. But they were too late. The low portion of the wall was right in front of her. Not only did she sense freedom just beyond her, Warrior did, too. “Okay, boy!” she whispered in his ear. “You can do it!”
Warrior didn’t hesitate. The horse lengthened his strides, not slowing or hesitating in the least as he took off, up into the air, sailing over the wall.
For a moment, Nya looked around, seeing the bottom of the brick wall pass beneath the horse’s feet as the wind stirred her hair and stung her cheeks. It was as if she were a bird, truly having the freedom to come and go as she pleased. The horse wasn’t capable of flapping his wings and staying aloft, though, so eventually, he had to come down. Luckily, the ground rose up on the other side of the wall here, too, and when Warrior’s hooves met the ground, it only jarred her slightly. The horse was unphased and didn’t even lose a step as he continued to gallop off into the darkness.
No one seemed to be following her. Warrior split between tree trunks, not caring a bit about his rider, so Nya stayed low, listening for hoofbeats behind her. She heard nothing but shouts in the distance, not the echo of other horses coming up behind them. Now that Warrior was in his element, running as fast as he could, she didn’t feel that there was any way that any of the guards could catch them. If they were to be captured, it would be because she did something stupid, like rode right into a line of troops on the border of Frindom and the next kingdom over. In order to make sure that didn’t happen, she’d slow Warrior down as she approached the border, but for now, the more distance she could put between herself and everyone who might be looking for her, the better off they both would be.
“The better off everyone will be,” Nya said aloud, sitting up in the saddle. “Everyone except for that damn dragon.”
Nya rode on through the night, slowing Warrior once they exited the dense forest and left the shadow of the trees. She didn’t use roads to find her way to the neighboring kingdom of Goodhorn, relying on the stars above her, which she’d been studying most of her life, to guide her along the way. They made their way over rolling hills and through crisp creeks, and by the time the sun was high overhead, they were on the furthest perimeter of her kingdom’s lands.
Her escape would become tricky again, now that they were leaving Frindom. There was no wall that separated the two kingdoms, but she knew that her father’s troops patrolled all borders carefully. Likewise, she had to imagine the King of Goodhorn would do the same. In order to successfully get into the kingdom and make her way toward the place where the dragon would snatch his prey from Goodhorn’s version of The Point, she would have to get past any troops that might be watching the borders and find a place to hide out for the rest of the day so that, when the time had come and the dragon was ready to make his descent and snatch the sniveling sacrifice from his or her perch, she could intervene.
It wouldn’t be easy. There were bound to be plenty of enemy soldiers everywhere she looked. And the chances of anyone believing that she was a princess, should she be captured, were not likely. No, she’d have to make sure she didn’t get caught, at least not until after she slew the dragon. Then, if the king wanted to take her prisoner, she would plead her case and hope for the best. The most important thing, though, would be making sure that damn dragon could never kill again.
Nya led Warrior into enemy territory slowly. The two kingdoms got along for the most part, but that didn’t mean she’d be welcome here. She took her time, trying to use the pictures in her mind to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid, but the chances of her lasting the day, of getting close enough to sneak up on the king’s soldiers, and lying in wait when the dragon made his appearance, were slim to none. Luck would have to be on her side.