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Leafblade

By: Isaac Coyote

Chapter 6: Lessons Learned

The city was vast, even from this distance. Walls surrounded the interior, making it hard to see the buildings, but some still extended beyond the wall. At the far end of the city, a giant building extended above all the others. A cloth of some sort hung from parts of the building, and they casually waved in the wind. Tarin's eyes were good, but he couldn't even make out the design from this distance. He couldn't be sure, but Tarin guessed that was the castle he'd heard so much about.

Just beyond the castle, a vast body of water extended as far as he could see. He had heard of the ocean before, but to see it was a sight all its own, so much water in one place. Tarin wasn't sure if the beauty of the ocean complimented the elegance of the city, or if it was the other way around, but regardless, the two seemed to be designed around each other, making them almost seamlessly meld into each other.

The road Tarin and Valaren traveled merged with another about a half a mile from the city. While the road they walked was mostly abandoned, the road it joined was busy. Travelers leaving the city all headed down the alternate path, and the line formed in an attempt to gain access to the city mostly formed from that road as well.

Tarin and Valaren joined at the end of the line, behind a fox woman and her two kits. The older of the two appeared to be a couple of years younger than Tarin. He saw Tarin and smiled. "Hi."

Tarin glanced up at Valaren uncertainly. "It's alright, son." Valaren comforted

The mother noticed Tarin at this point. "Hello, young one." She offered politely. Tarin smiled weakly, but stepped back, pressing himself against Valaren for comfort, who responded by wrapping his arms around the coyote. "A little shy?" She paused. "What happened to your paw?"

Tarin turned his face and buried it into Valaren's arm. Valaren spoke up for him. "He had a bad encounter in Cailawyn." Valaren's voice was filled with sadness, but Tarin did not understand why until he continued. "I was out of town when it happened, so I couldn't protect Alarra, my wife and his mother." Tarin could not believe Valaren was lying so blatantly, but he couldn't call him on it, not now, so he remained silent. "I'm all the family he has left."

"How sad," The fox female replied sympathetically. "He doesn't talk, does he?"

Tarin peeked an eye out to look at the woman. She was speaking to Valaren, that much was clear, but she never seemed to take her eyes off of Tarin. There was a form sympathy in her eyes, one he'd seen once before, though he could not recall where.

"He speaks," Valaren offered, squeezing Tarin a little to offer some more comfort. "He is just shy around strangers."

"I wanna play." The younger of the two fox boys said, pulling on his mother's dress in an attempt to gain her attention.

She glanced around the area briefly, seeming to take the scenery in. "I don't see a reason not to." She said finally. The younger fox jumped in excitement before grabbing his older brother's paw and dragged him away from the line. "Stay where I can see you!" She called out as they ran off. "Come right back when I call you!" They waved back as a response, but continued to run. "Boys." She muttered. "Sometimes I wonder if they listen at all." She smiled knowingly at Valaren. "You know all about it, I am certain, having one of your own."

Valaren patted Tarin on the head gently. "He's been a handful already." He extended a paw to the fox. "I'm Valaren Leafblade, and this is Tarin."

She took the paw and shook. "Lessia Rawnfoor. The elder of the two is Brenin, the younger is Caleb." She glanced down at Tarin. "Did you want to go play with them, Tarin?"

Valaren gave Tarin a slight push towards the boys. The coyote turned to face Valaren, a look of uncertainty to him. "It will be alright, son. Just stay where I can see you. If anything happens, I'll be right here. I promise." He gestured for Tarin to go, and Tarin reluctantly walked towards the two boys.

* * *

Once Tarin was out of earshot, Lessia faced Valaren. "He doesn't look much like you."

Valaren nodded. "He looks more like his mother." He smiled a little. "She was full coyote. I'm no better than half. The coyote side showed true with Tarin. Our other children looked more like me." Valaren met her in the eye when he said that. It was a lie, but necessary. Tarin's safety was important, and the more people believed Tarin was his true son, the easier it would be to convince more people.

It was a subtle slip, but Lessia picked up on it quickly. "Looked?" She asked.

He hadn't meant that, but he could easily cover that up. "They died, with their mother. Tarin was the only survivor of the attack." He looked out to where Tarin was playing. He seemed to be getting along fine with the fox boys. "He doesn't talk about it, I don't blame him."

"So what brings you to Alshaer?" Lessia asked, politely changing topics. She couldn't tell it was fabricated. This made Valaren feel a little more relaxed.

"Passing through." Valaren stated. "An old acquaintance of mine lives in Talonrock, just past the Barrant Mountains. We're going to see if he can set us up a place to live. What is your purpose here?"

"Attempting to return home." Lessia replied. "My husband left a week ago, and we're following behind him."

"Trantie?" Valaran asked politely.

Lessia smiled warmly at Valaren. "Close, Regalis. How did you know?"

Valaren glanced to Tarin and the two fox boys. "I've been to Trantie once, before Tarin was born. It is a nice place to live."

Lessia nodded. "So was Alshaer and Isaldir, before war broke out."

Valaren nodded in agreement. "War dirties the most beautiful of life."

"So," Lessia commented, clearly in an attempt to change topics. "Is it true the Disciples have taken control of Cailawyn?"

"From what I heard, yes." Valaren replied darkly. "I was on my way to investigate when I found Tarin, unconscious and wounded a day out of the city." He didn't have to lie much to get through this one. "Once he woke up, and told me what happened, I figured it best not to see for myself."

Lessia frowned. "I am truly sorry for your loss. If there is anything I can do to help."

"All is not truly lost," Valaren replied, "so long as my son still lives."

Lessia nodded. "You take care of that boy. He seems far too sweet to have suffered as he has."

Valaren smiled, "I will." Movement in front of the line drew his attention. "It appears they are opening the gate."

"Boys!" Lessia called. "Come here!"

Valaren could not help but smile to himself when he saw the look of disappointment on Tarin's face. He did not enjoy seeing the young coyote suffer, but the fact that he was disappointed clearly showed that he had actually been enjoying himself. "Son, come here. We're ready to go."

* * *

The streets were bustling when Tarin and Valaren crossed through the gates. All the people made Tarin a bit nervous, so he grabbed Valaren's shirt with his good paw and stayed close. Valaren glanced back at the tug, but said nothing and kept walking.

The city was populated with such a variety. Tarin had never seen so many different species before in his life. A family of foxes walked just ahead of them. There was a wolf discussing business with a bear and a rabbit on the side of the street. Just beyond them was a badger, a leopard, and a lynx, attempting to post a sign in front of a building. Two mice children ran among the crowd, seemingly oblivious to the throng of people moving around then, yet still skillfully navigating inside.

Tarin bumped into Valaren from behind, having missed the fact that he stopped walking. "First time in a city, son?" Valaren asked, not overtly loud, yet not attempting to hide his comment. Tarin nodded in response. "It is quite large, something to get used to."

"It's a little scary." Tarin admitted.

Valaren placed his arm around Tarin's shoulder. "It can be at first. You'll adjust, given time."

"How long are we going to be here?" Tarin asked.

Valaren gave Tarin a slight nudge from behind, getting him walking again. Valaren picked up behind him as soon as Tarin was in front. "A couple of days."

"Days?" Tarin asked, surprised.

"I am in agreement with you on this one, son." Valaren replied sullenly. "I want to leave just as bad as you do," he explained, "but it will take some time getting an audience with the king."

Tarin frowned, "What will I do while you are meeting the king?"

Valaren looked down at Tarin, "You'll be with me, of course."

"No," Tarin replied too quickly. "I can't. I mean, I shouldn't."

Valaren chuckled. "Nervous about being in front of a king? Do not worry. Follow my lead and everything will be fine. Any minor slip ups can be ignored as a failing of youth." Valaren stopped. "Here's the place."

The building Valaren indicated looked no different than the buildings around it. It was a little old, though it was fairly well taken care of. A small group hovered near the door, but they didn't seem to pay any attention to anyone other than themselves. A scent of food cooking lingered out the door to Tarin's nose as a tiger quickly slipped inside.

"What is this place?" Tarin asked curiously.

Valaren motioned for the young coyote to proceed to the building. "It is an inn, and where we will be sleeping tonight." He followed behind Tarin. "After long enough on the road, even the hardiest traveler longs for a night in a real bed."

A real bed? Tarin had never slept on a real bed. The closest he had ever come was the pile that was his sleeping quarters in the manor. Valaren pulled open the door and held it for Tarin to slip in.

The first sight that greeted Tarin was a wolf standing behind a counter just inside the doorway. He stood, looming over the room with a look of frustration on his face. He was taller than Valaren, which was a feat all its own in Tarin's mind, and his apparent foul mood made him that much more intimidating. When the wolf's eyes locked with Tarin's, the glare alone was enough to make the young coyote turn and start out the door. Valaren was only barely quick enough to grab him by the collar to prevent his escape. "No, Tarin, you aren't getting away that easily." Valaren managed to spin Tarin around, which gave the pup the opportunity to grab him by the back of his shirt and hide there.

"He's awfully old to be a scared pup." The wolf growled at Valaren.

"He hasn't been treated fairly." Valaren offered as an explanation. "He is easily startled as a result."

"He is coyote." The wolf replied. "Who would treat him fairly here?"

"I have been treated fairly."

"You are not coyote."

Valaren smirked. "I am half, in case you've forgotten."

The wolf grunted. "You've earned your right, what has the pup done?"

"He is my son," Valaren offered dangerously. "I earn his right for him."

The wolf stared intently at Tarin, who had peaked around to see what was going on. Tarin resisted the urge to hide again. Instead, he pushed himself around Valaren to stand out in plain view. "I see a resemblance." The wolf mused quietly. "It's there, if not obvious."

"Now that we are in agreement," Valaren replied casually, "A room for the two of us please."

The wolf smiled menacingly at Tarin, "Should I give you one bed, so the pup can hide behind his daddy in case he gets scared?"

Valaren moved to step forward, clearly a dangerous gesture alone, but Tarin managed to beat him to it. The coyote had no idea what he was doing, but he knew he wanted to stop it, yet he could not. "Just because you still call for mommy when the darkness comes, does not mean all of us do." The anger in the wolf's eyes edged on the brink of violence, and Tarin knew he crossed the line, so a part of him thought to back off. That part lost, however. "I'm sure she'll sing you to sleep after the nightmares you'll have tonight."

The wolf grabbed Tarin by his shirt and lifted him off the ground an inch before the blade of Valaren's sword pressed its tip into the wolf's throat. "Floren has spent years searching for a reason to get rid of you, Randal. If you do not put my son down by the time I reach three, she won't have to." Randal growled, though at Tarin or Valaren was unclear. "One." Valaren pressed the tip against his throat harder. "Two."

Randal dropped Tarin, who barely landed on his feet. Valaren pushed Tarin behind him before re-sheathing the sword. "Our room. Two beds. Now."

Randal retrieved the room key for Valaren, though he said not a word in the process. Valaren paid him for the room and led Tarin upstairs. It didn't take long for Valaren to find the room and usher Tarin inside. Tarin moved to the bed and sat, but Valaren remained by the door. "There is a time for raw, stupid, courage." Valaren explained with a neutral expression. He seemed to be carefully maintaining a state of emotionless. "That was not the time."

"I don't know what happened." Tarin countered. "I just started talking. I couldn't stop it."

"What would you have done had I not been there?"

Tarin hadn't really given that much thought. "Learn to fly, I suppose."

Valaren's look of disbelief was quite comical on the older canine's face. Tarin would have laughed had it been a less serious situation. "You have a complete lack of understanding of the dangers this world offers." Valaren crossed the room to Tarin. "I would have figured the wound you currently carry would have done something to educate you." Tarin lowered his head, attempting to hide his embarrassment. "Why did you get shy suddenly?" Valaren changed topics suddenly. "You were not that shy with me at all."

"Large crowds make me nervous." Tarin muttered.

There wasn't an immediate reply. Tarin waited in silence, and when it seemed like Valaren wouldn't reply, he looked up. Valaren seemed to be waiting patiently. "And? There has to be more."

Tarin wasn't quick to respond, and that was his downfall. As soon as he was not able to immediately deny Valaren's claims, he lost his chance to lie out of it. He lowered his head again. "I was a servant in a noble house. Direct attention always meant I was in trouble."

Valaren nodded. "I see what I have to do." Tarin winced at his words. He knew what was coming next. He was going to take him back to the manor, turn him in for running away. "We need to expose you to more people, in a controlled environment."

"What?"

Valaren placed a paw on Tarin's head. "If you are around a lot of people, you'll see you're not a servant anymore. You can relax around crowds. It will be alright."

Tarin could not believe his ears. He wasn't taking him back? Something seemed too good to be true. Tarin peaked around Valaren's arm to look at the canine's face. "What should I do?"

Valaren smiled. "Take a walk. Enjoy the city." He moved to the door as he explained. "Stay out of the alleys and be back before dark."

"You're not going with me?"

Valaren shook his head. "I told you, I need to set up an audience with the King. I am going to the castle to tend to that right now." Valaren opened the door. "You can go for a walk if you want, or you can remain here. I will leave that choice up to you." Valaren started to close the door.

"Valaren?" Tarin asked suddenly. "Was it true what you said?"

"Was what true?" Valaren asked, poking his head back through the doorway.

"Are you really half coyote?"

Valaren smiled at Tarin. "Does it change anything if I am?"

Tarin frowned. "No, it doesn't."

Valaren nodded. "Whether I am half coyote or full zebra is not relevant. All that matters is that I need to see the King and you are too brash for your own good."

Tarin glared at Valaren, but there was no emotion behind it. He only appeared angry to cover the fact that he was confused. Valaren started to close the door, but Tarin spoke up again. "Wait. What is a zebra?" Valaren's laugh was the only reply he received before the older canine closed the door.

Tarin sat in silence in the minutes after Valaren left. He almost expected Valaren to return any moment, for whatever reason he would have. Since he met Valaren, the older canine had never let Tarin be alone for long, except the first night camping. Tarin felt safer out in the woods than he did right now, yet Valaren appeared to have the exact opposite sentiments.

Tarin pushed himself away from the bed. Perhaps he would take that walk Valaren suggested. It would at least pass the time. He entertained the idea of going to the castle, seeing if he could get a glimpse of Princess Liandra, or even see if Rayac was there. The chance at seeing Rayac almost made it worth the risk, but he decided against it. Liandra's warning was enough to keep him from going anywhere the Council might be.

Leaving his belongings in the room, Tarin made his way down into the main room of the inn. He spent the entire walk down preparing himself to have to match wits with Randal, but found his effort was in vain. Randal was gone, and a female bear was in his place. She was very pleasant looking, though beautiful was not a word that came to mind when Tarin saw her. She was somewhat plump, and had a very jovial appearance to her. She didn't seem to notice Tarin immediately, so he decided to head for the door. He managed to get his paw on the door and almost open it when he was finally noticed. "Don't be in such a hurry to leave."

Tarin stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder. The female bear was watching him, a somewhat maternal smile on her face. "I was just going for a walk." Tarin explained, though he didn't understand why he suddenly felt the need to justify himself to her.

"I'd like a word with you, unless you're in a hurry to be somewhere."

Tarin gave the idea a moment before responding. He could say he was in a hurry and be gone, but he didn't feel any need to flee. He let go of the door and started back to her. "What did you want to talk to me about?" He asked meekly.

"Sorry about Randal. He's been a problem since I hired him, but I can't get rid of him cause there's no one else to hire." She placed a paw on the counter in front of her. "I'd be rid of him if I could fill the empty spot."

Tarin was hesitant to respond. "You know me?"

She nodded, "Valaren gave me your description before he left. Said I was to keep an eye on you around Randal." The smile she gave him had a knowing appearance, and it unnerved Tarin slightly. "According to Valaren, you let your muzzle get away with you in front of him."

"I simply pointed out the cowardice of being aggressive towards someone half his size."

The bear shook her head slowly. "I'm not sure I see how that was directed with the words you chose, but that's irrelevant, I suppose." A small sigh escaped in the brief silence. "If you need anything while you are staying, just ask for Floren. Anyone will know where to find me." She turned towards the doorway behind her.

"Floren?"

Floren stopped in the doorway. "Yes, Tarin?"

Tarin hesitated. He knew what he wanted to ask, but he had to be careful of the wording. He and Valaren were dancing the line of truth and fiction, and he had to make sure his steps were within bounds. "How do you know my father?"

"He's a regular," Floren offered, "As much as any traveler can be a regular at an inn. He comes to town a couple of months a year, and he always stays here."

Tarin hadn't really considered why he wanted to know. Now that he knew the answer, it almost seemed like a waste to have asked. Maybe he had expected some dark past, or some secret to the inn. He turned without another word and headed out.

The city wasn't any less busy when he stepped out. The bustling city citizens all moved along on their daily routines, going wherever their feet took them. Tarin stepped forward and joined in the current of traffic, getting pulled along without any knowledge of where it was going. There was no point in setting a specific route, Tarin did not know the city, or anything worth looking for, so he just let the constantly moving crowd take him wherever.

Tarin watched the people as he walked. He noticed a small diversity to the population, and although the majority of the people he saw were wolves, there were all sorts of other races as well. Despite the diversity, though, he saw no other coyotes in the crowd. That observation made him feel alone, even with the mass of people swarming around him.

Tarin was distracted by his thoughts and observations, that he never realized where he was going. When he finally stopped to see where he was, he found himself at a stretch of wooden streets leading out over the water, where several boats were being loaded and unloaded. He had never seen one before, but from what he was told, Tarin assumed this was what a dock looks like. A quick glance at the sky suggested to Tarin he should not stay and admire it, though, as it was getting late. He reluctantly left, returning the city behind him.

He walked the city, paying attention as he went, trying to find the road back to Floren's inn. He wished he had been paying attention, so he knew which way he needed to go, but nothing he saw seemed familiar. Twice he found himself back at the dock with no idea how he got turned around. After the second time, he grew frustrated and just sat down on the wooden dock, watching the water. If it got late enough, Valaren would come looking for him, and if he stayed in one place, it'd be easier to find him.

"Where's your father?"

Tarin turned with a start at the voice. It was Lessia. "Oh, I... uh... I don't know." Tarin admitted. "We got separated."

Lessia looked worried. "Where did you last see him?"

"The inn."

Lessia extended a paw to Tarin. "I'll help you find him. Your father is unique. Someone will have seen him."

The two walked around the city, asking anyone willing to stop for a moment if they'd seen anyone matching Valaren's description. No one admitted to having seen him. Lessia was determined to find him for Tarin, but she seemed worried the longer it took. It wasn't until after dark that they got anywhere.

"No, sorry." One old wolf replied after receiving Valaren's description.

"Wait." Tarin said suddenly. Lessia appeared shocked. Until this point, Tarin hadn't spoken with anyone they asked. "Do you know where Floren is?"

The old wolf smiled. "Floren, sweet girl. I remember when she first came to town. She was young and full of..."

"That's nice," Tarin cut him off, "It is important. Where can I find her?"

The old wolf lifted a paw and pointed down the street. "Left side that way."

Lessia thanked him and they headed down the street. It wasn't hard to find the building, mostly because Valaren was pacing frantically in front of the door. Valaren locked eyes with Tarin. Tarin didn't understand his own reaction, but as soon as he saw Valaren, he ran straight for him, wrapping him in a hug as soon as he got there. Valaren dropped to one knee and returned the embrace. "Where were you? I told you to be back before dark."

"Do not be too hard on him." Lessia offered. "He got lost. I found him at the docks."

Valaren stood up, and Tarin, not expecting it, did not let go, and wound up riding Valaren as he stood. Valaren placed an arm under him for support. "Thank you for bringing him back. I was worried when he wasn't in the room."

"You are quite welcome. I would be concerned if my sons were to disappear." She smiled at Valaren, "Speaking of my sons, they are alone as we speak. I should return to make sure the damage is minimal."

As she turned to walk away, Valaren returned his attention to Tarin. "How could you get lost like that?"

"I wasn't paying attention," Tarin offered quietly.

"You could have asked for directions." He pointed to the sign over the building door. "Just give someone the name of the inn and they can tell you how to find it."

"What is the name of the inn?" Tarin asked.

Valaren stopped. He almost dropped Tarin in the shock. "It is written right there on the sign." He looked at Tarin, a realization coming over his features. "Read the sign to me."

Tarin looked up at the sign. He saw a picture drawn on it of a rose laying on a table, with what looked like a dagger stabbing the rose. There was some other form of drawing around the picture, but Tarin had no idea what it was supposed to be. After a moment of studying it, Tarin shook his head. "I don't know what you mean."

Valaren narrowed his eyes. "You're sure?" Tarin nodded. "Follow me." He set Tarin down and headed inside.

Tarin trailed behind Valaren as they headed back to the room. Valaren instantly went for his own pack once they were inside the room, and after a moment of digging through it, he pulled out a small book. He motioned for Tarin to sit, and opened the book. Once Tarin was sitting, he set the book on Tarin's lap and pointed to the page. "Read this for me."

Tarin frowned down at the pages. "I don't know how." He admitted.

"You don't know how to read." Valaren stated, clearly not asking. "This is a problem."

"I never needed to know how before."

"But it could have gotten you in trouble tonight." Valaren countered. "If you had been able to read the sign, you could have asked for directions. If Lessia hadn't found you when she did, someone else might have." Valaren's voice was shaking with emotion. It made no sense.

"Why were you so concerned? We barely know each other."

Valaren paused. He appeared to be getting his composure back. "You are far too young to be out on your own. You are a naïve and innocent pup, and I don't want to see you get hurt." Not knowing what to say, Tarin remained silent. "You are safe, that is all that matters now." Valaren sat down next to Tarin and placed an arm around him. "We have an audience with the King tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

Valaren patted Tarin on the shoulder, "I was expecting a longer wait as well. This works well for us. We can leave sooner this way." He glanced down to Tarin, "For Isaldir, correct?"

"Yes," Tarin agreed, "Isaldir."

Valaren crossed the room to the second bed. "I had Floren prepare a bath for you. It should still be waiting. Go get cleaned up then get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be busy."

* * *

Rayac could not get himself to sleep. The poor quality of the bed he was resting on had nothing to do with his insomnia, however, nor did the sounds of snoring around him. The numerous trainees surrounding him were barely even present in his mind. All he could think about was Tarin.

Was that really Tarin he saw today? It couldn't have been. Tarin was traveling the other direction. Rayac knew of no other coyote in the kingdom, but that didn't mean there were no others. He was walking alone, and he never even looked up from the ground in front of him, but it looked so much like him. If it was Tarin, he had to tell Liandra somehow. There wasn't much he could think of that either of them could do, but he trusted Liandra to make some arrangement. Tarin was in too much danger to be here, so long as he was on this task Liandra set him on.

He silently wished he could get Liandra to tell him the coyote's task. She was right, though, that it best he didn't know, in case the Council caught wind of his being involved in their attempts to save the King. The fact that he knew Tarin was doing something was more than he should have known, but he would never put Tarin in any danger.

There was no chance of Rayac getting any sleep until he took care of this problem in his mind. Sitting up, he scrounged around until he found some stray parchment to use. His superiors were careful not to leave much in their possessions. Training was supposed to be harsh, and they were only allowed to own what the military told them they could. Because of this, Rayac had no means of writing a note. With a sigh of reluctance, Rayac relented to his idea, and bit the tip of his paw. It hurt, as he knew it would, but he almost immediately tasted the blood, and was content that he succeeded on the first try. The last thing he wanted to do was bite himself several times until he finally drew blood.

There was no way he could just write out what he wanted to say, if the Council found it, they would have dangerous information. He didn't have the clever mind that Tarin or Liandra possessed, so he couldn't come up with a code to tell her what he wanted. He also had to keep it short, he didn't have much blood to write with, and he wasn't going to ask his trainees to volunteer theirs. He put his bloody finger to the paper and started to write. 'Tell All Ready Inside Nathan is here.' He glanced down at his note after he wrote it. The fact that it was written in blood was mildly disturbing, but he had no other alternative. He had tried to be clever, he just hoped he wasn't too simple that Liandra wouldn't figure it out. Now he just had to get his note to Liandra.

The military was strict on following procedures perfectly. This strict following of the same tasks at the same time fostered a sense of responsibility, and attention to detail. It also allowed for a breaking of the system that Rayac was going to use to his advantage. Rayac had been there several days now, and he learned that their trainers came in to check on them every hour. All he had to do was wait for them to arrive, then he had an hour from when they left to find the princess, give her the note, and be back in bed. Years of sneaking in and out of the Falaren Manor was going to play to his advantage here. This time, however, the stakes were higher. If he was caught, he could be disbanded, sent home, or even executed. Even worse, if he was caught with the note, Tarin's life could be endangered as well. He had to be careful, for everyone's sake.

The sound of footsteps just outside the room caught Rayac's attention. He quickly and quietly got back in bed, tucking the note under his poor excuse for a pillow. With eyes closed, Rayac trusted his ears to tell him when the coast was clear. The footsteps paced the room, stopping at each bed for the briefest of moments. Rayac grew nervous as they came closer. He had to appear casually asleep, but he was afraid he would do something small to give away that he was still awake. The footsteps stopped right next to his bed. It seemed like they would never leave. Rayac carefully controlled his breathing, kept his eyes shut without clamping them down, and tried not to move. Finally, the footsteps moved to the next bed. He wanted to sigh, but he knew better and just kept it inside.

It wasn't long until the room was mostly silent again. Rayac waited a few moments more, just to be safe, before getting out of bed. He took the note and inspected it. The blood had smeared a little, but it was still completely legible. That was good. He didn't bother getting dressed. Trainees weren't allowed to wear much to bed, just enough to remain decent. Not that decency was an issue in the military. Bathing was a very public affair for trainees. It didn't matter what Rayac wore, though. He had no intention of being seen, and if he was, what he was wearing would have little effect on his punishment.

The training yard was an offshoot of the castle. The dormitories that the trainees stayed in were across the yard from the castle. Both, however, were outside the gates. Someone, many years ago, deemed it necessary for training to occur out in the public eye. It seemed to serve no purpose other than to give the citizens a good look at their soldiers in training, but there was some deep, hidden meaning behind it that Rayac had no interest in ever learning. This created the largest problem to Rayac's sneaking out. Once he was in the castle, he was confident in his ability to stay out of sight. Getting across the training yard, with no place to hide for a hundred yards at least, without being seen was going to be a task. The only place that offered any cover was a lone tree sitting next to the castle wall.

The streets immediately visible from the training yard were empty. This was not a surprise. It was far too late for any regular citizen to be out. Anyone with business after dark knew better than to do so in the shadows of the castle. He could sprint across and hope to reach the castle walls before an instructor came out, but he didn't like that plan. He did not know how often instructors walked the training yard. He was making guesswork at this point. He entertained the idea of going back to bed. He could find a way to get the note to her tomorrow. It was an unreliable plan, though. He could not get away at all, and he did not count on Liandra coming to watch at any point. It was common knowledge that Liandra liked to show up randomly at training, but there was never a set pattern to her arrival. It was part of her disguise as a whimsical, spoiled princess. If there was a way to get her a message to show up tomorrow... Rayac tossed that aside immediately. If he could get her a note to tell her to be here tomorrow, he could get her the note that he was currently holding.

Waiting wasn't getting anything accomplished. Rayac moved out of the doorway and along the building. If he stayed in the shadows of the building, he might be able to stay hidden if anyone showed up. He was suddenly grateful that his fur color was so dark, hiding in shadows seemed so much easier for him because of it.

He was almost to the castle wall when Captain Beneras stepped out of the instructors' barracks. Rayac froze in his tracks, eyes locked on Beneras. Beneras was an older wolf, though not nearly as old as Lord Aunair, but was much more physically fit. Beneras had been a soldier since he was old enough to carry a sword. The Captain was not one to brag about this, but the other instructors bragged enough for him. Because of his time in the service of the King, his body was a well toned killing machine. Despite this, however, Beneras was constantly emphasizing the necessity of preserving life. Most of the students didn't respect him, as most felt the Captain only held his position because he was friends with Prince Kendrick. Despite the rumors about him, Rayac couldn't help but admire Captain Beneras. However, right now, he was an obstacle in his goal.

Captain Beneras moved towards the trainee barracks at a slow pace. Rayac held his breath. The instructors always threatened about random inspections, but Rayac figured they were just threats to keep them in line. Could this have been one of those inspections? What would he do if Captain Beneras stepped inside the barracks? He had to deliver the note, but then what? Beneras stopped right at the entrance and scanned the training yard. Rayac held still as his eyes passed over him. It could have been his imagination, but Rayac swore he saw the Captain hesitate when he passed over Rayac. It didn't matter, though, as Captain Beneras immediately turned around and went back inside the instructor barracks.

Rayac wasted no time closing the distance to the tree. He climbed it as high as he could go and looked into the castle grounds. The area just beyond the wall was a simple walkway outlined by bushes. From what he could tell, the castle garden was down the path to the left, and the main entrance was to the right. Just at the edge of his view, coming from the castle, Rayac saw His Majesty, King Alshaer, making his way towards his relative position. Rayac had no time to think. He jumped as best he could out of the tree and over the wall.

The landing was rough. The impact shook his entire body, and he ached all over because of it. Nothing was seriously injured, but he was definitely going to be sore for training tomorrow. He had to get out of sight quickly, so he dove head first into the nearest bush. He was not having a good night, as he quickly discovered the thorns of the bush he dived into. They dug into his skin below his fur, and it was all he could do not to yelp in pain. The note was still safe in his paw, and he made sure none of the new blood he was losing would get on the note. He repositioned himself so he could see out of the bush onto the path, but he dared not try to remove any of the thorns inside him, it would make too much noise.

He sat there in a pure state of misery for a few minutes before he finally saw the King come into his view. He was surprised to see him truly alone, but that worked well to his favor. "Your Majesty." Rayac whispered as loudly as he dared.

King Alshaer stopped walking. "Who is there?"

"It is Rayac, Your Majesty."

"Rayac." King Alshaer repeated. "You should not be away from the training yard. You could be expelled for this."

"This is too important." Rayac explained. "I have a message that must be delivered to Princess Liandra before sunrise. Can I trust your Majesty to deliver it for me?"

"You can."

Rayac extended his paw with the note out to the King. King Alshaer took it without question. "Can you see yourself back?"

"It might be difficult." Rayac admitted. "My entrance was not exactly as I planned."

"Allow me to assist you." King Alshaer navigated around the bush and to the wall. "I will lend you my height to reach over the wall."

Rayac painfully pulled himself out of the bush. It did not want to relinquish him, and it left quite a few punctures in his skin before he could get free. "I thank you, your Majesty."

King Alshaer stared at Rayac for a moment. "This must be important for you to suffer as you do."

"Just be certain it reaches Liandra's presence and no one else's."

"It will be done." King Alshaer assured. He then helped Rayac over the wall.

His whole body ached by the time he got back in bed. No one stopped him as he snuck back through the training yard and into the barracks. Not even one of the trainees was awake to notice him return. He was tired enough to fall asleep instantly, but he did not. Instead, he remained awake until the next hour. If he had been caught, they would assuredly call him on it then, but the next inspection passed without so much as a word. Rayac only then allowed his weary body the rest it was demanding.