Morgan Rice: A Charge of Valor

Alistair paced the halls of the Duke’s castle, her gut twisting, telling her something was wrong. She could hardly stand staying here knowing that Erec was out there, fighting for all of them. Cowering behind the safety of a castle wall was not who she was. She had remained behind only because she had promised Erec, only because he had been so intent on it. But she could stand it no longer.

She sensed that he was in great danger. That he needed her. She had to do something. After all, Alistair was no mere woman, no mere wife. She was daughter to a King, and wife to a noble warrior. Pride and loyalty ran in her veins, and nothing would change who she was.

Decided, Alistair crossed the room and stormed from her chamber, out into the castle hall.

“My lady!” came the voice of a surprised attendant. “Where are you going? You are supposed to stay behind the safety of these doors. I have been instructed to watch over you!” the soldier said, nervous, marching quickly alongside her down the hall, trying to keep up.

She ignored him, continuing to strut with purpose.

“The Duke would have my head if he found out I let you leave!” the soldier pleaded. “I must protect you from an invasion!”

But Alistair marched faster, throwing open the door at the end of yet another corridor. Finally, she turned to him.

“I do not need your protection,” she said firmly. “Or anyone else’s.”

Then she turned and hurried down another corridor, taking the long stone spiral staircase down, two steps at a time, until finally she rushed out into the courtyard, the soldier hurrying after her.

Alistair ran to her horse, mounted and gave it a good kick. It took off at a gallop, racing across the courtyard of Savaria, through the arched open gate, to the shocked stares of the remaining guards. They looked as if they did not know how to react, as if they debated shutting the gates, but were uncertain.

Alistair did not give them time to decide: she burst out the gates, and into the open countryside. She rode alone, across the empty landscape, galloping for somewhere on the horizon, somewhere Erec was.

She would stop at nothing until she found him—and did whatever she could to save his life.

Kendrick sat huddled against a wall, hidden inside the passage beneath Silesia, Godfrey, Akorth, Fulton, Brom, Atme, Srog and Sandara with him. The eight of them had been holed up there all night, hiding out from the slew of Empire forces looking for them. All night Kendrick listened to the hurried footsteps of soldiers scrambling, eager to find them. But they were too well hidden, thanks to Sandara.

They had all spent the night recuperating, Kendrick sleeping for the first time, stretching out his weary limbs, as did the others. Sandara had given them each water and wine, and had applied various salves to help heal their wounds. Although sore and stiff, Kendrick was beginning to feel back to his old self. It was surreal to be here, to feel alive again. He had been sure he would never come down from that cross alive again.

Kendrick looked over at his brother Godfrey with a whole new respect. He lay slumped against the wall, Akorth and Fulton beside him, three people in the world who Kendrick would never have imagined would aid in his rescue. Kendrick knew that Godfrey did not have the martial skills of a warrior—but he had to admire him for what he did have: craftiness, and supreme survival skills. After all, of all of them, Godfrey was the only one who had managed to survive, and to free them. He also had a lot of heart. Disguised as an enemy soldier, Godfrey could have ran away; instead, he risked death to come back for all of them. It raised Godfrey in Kendrick’s eyes; he thought of him now as much as a warrior as any of his compatriots in the Silver. And he owed him his life.

“I have to thank you,” Kendrick said, leaning over to Godfrey.

Godfrey looked up, surprised.

“You are my brother,” Godfrey said. “There’s nothing to thank me for. Besides, we didn’t do much.”

“You are wrong,” Kendrick said. “You did a tremendous thing. You displayed bravery and valor. Most men in your position would have turned and ran. But you came back for us.”

Godfrey shrugged.

“I shirked my duties my entire life,” he said. “It was the least I could do.”

“The hardest part of all of it was not having another drink,” Akorth chimed in, smiling.

“This hero stuff is hard,” Fulton chimed in. “If it came with a few pints of ale, it might be more tolerable.”

Kendrick couldn’t help smiling back.

“Don’t worry,” Brom said, leaning over. “If we make it out of here alive, I’ll see to it you get an entire tavern named just for you.”

“You are a wishful thinker,” Akorth said. “We are completely surrounded. There are thousands of troops out there. We have nowhere to go. How will we survive this?”

“We’re not,” Fulton answered, shaking his head. “We’re going to waste away in this tunnel, like a bunch of rats, and die here.”

“Either that,” Akorth said, “or surrender.”

Kendrick shifted, agitated, having grappled with the same thoughts himself all night.

Kendrick looked over at Sandara, who sat against the wall, looking calmly down. She was even more beautiful in the dim light of this cave, beneath the flickering of the torch, than when he had seen her up on the cross. His heart beat faster looking at her.

“You helped us just as much,” he said to her. “You risked your life for the enemy.”

“You are not my enemy,” she said. “I serve Andronicus out of obligation, not desire.”

“Still, you risked death,” Kendrick said. “For all of us.”

Sandara lowered her eyes.

“I did what anyone else would have done,” she said.

Kendrick felt his heart pulling for her, felt a stronger attraction to her than he had to anyone in his life. He wondered if she felt something for him, too.

“If we ever get out of here,” he said to her. “I will find a way to repay you.”

She slowly shook her head.

“No, my Lord,” she said. “You already have. You allowed me to take action, to finally run from Andronicus’ army. I should have done so long ago. I may die, with the rest of you. But at least now I will die as a free woman, and not as a slave.”

“What is all this talk of death?” Atme boomed out. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t plan on dying on this day.”

“Nor do I,” Kendrick chimed in.

“Nor I,” said Srog and Brom.

“I’m fine with not dying,” Fulton said, raising a hand in agreement. “After all, I haven’t had my full of ale. I’m not ready to go to heaven yet.”

“ Heaven ?” Akorth laughed. “Aren’t you presumptuous?”

Fulton reddened.

“Well if I’m going to hell, you’re coming on my coattails,” he answered.

“I’m paving my own way to hell,” Akorth replied.

“Why don’t we all pave our way together?” Kendrick asked.

They all turned to him, hearing the seriousness in his voice, falling silent.

“What do you mean?” Godfrey asked.

“I mean, I, for one, do not plan on lying here to die like a dog. Nor am I prepared to end my life in surrender, so that Andronicus can torture us.”

“Nor I!” Atme shot back.

Kendrick, feeling emboldened, sat up straighter, feeling a new power rise within him.

“Then I say we fight!” Kendrick said.

“Fight?” Akorth asked, puzzled.

“We may all die,” Kendrick said. “But we will die together. On our feet. Now is our moment, before we waste away. We will go out there and surprise them, and kill as many Empire as we can. And come what may, we will go out in one final charge of valor!”