Page 32 of The Masked Princess

“They’ve been injured, some more than others—” Mairu glanced at Soren, whose scowl had returned “—but as far as we are aware, there are no life-threatening injuries, High Lady Telimary.”

“I see. That is good news indeed. Is there a problem here?”

“Captain Kierson isn’t taking his condition seriously. The man can’t walk without a limp but still seems to think that he’s ready for more travel despite terrible bruises that cover nearly half his body. To put it frankly, ma’am, it looks like he got run over by a herd of horses.”

“I’m fine; it’s just a little bruising that will fade in a few days, and then I’ll be right as rain,” Soren said.

“How badly is he hurt?” Annalise asked.

“I fear he’s fractured something; if I had to guess, based on his symptoms, I’d say his hip or his pelvis, possibly both. Frankly, I don’t understand how he was able to walk or ride here.”

Soren leaned his head against the pillows and closed his eyes. “I was able to do so because I’m not really that injured… and because even if I was, I had to rescue Princess Annalise. I wasn’t going to let them take her from me… not when…” His voice dropped to a whisper, then faded away completely, and his face relaxed.

“We gave him some pretty powerful pain medication and a sedative a few minutes ago. He’ll be out for several hours,” Mairu murmured to Annalise and Helene.

“What’s the prognosis for him and the other Doveans?” Helene asked.

Mairu nodded and lifted her index finger to her lips before leading them away from the other injured Doveans. “As I was trying to explain to Captain Kierson before you joined us, anytime a horse falls on someone there’s a risk that it will kill them. He should have immediately seen a healer, but instead he walked on his injured side for nearly five days. If he’s lucky, he’ll only need two weeks of rest.”

Annalise gasped. “A horse fell on him?”

“That’s what he told me. I had to drag it out of him—he wasn’t too keen on speaking with me, and Captain Padrin had to escort him here. I fear when he wakes up, he’ll be spitting mad. He was very concerned about his duty of getting you to Rea on time.”

Annalise ran her tongue over her teeth and clenched her fists. “I’m going to kill him. The stubborn seabird with all his talk of chivalry never told me about a horse falling on him.”

“Is he on bedrest?” Helene asked.

“No, my lady. Unless his condition changes between now and tomorrow morning, he’s allowed short walks but shouldn’t do anything strenuous, including fighting or riding, for several weeks.”

“I see.” Helene dipped her head. “Thank you, Mairu. Captain Kierson looked like a handful, but it appears you handled him well. I’m sure we will be back later. Please give the Doveans whatever they need and let me know if there is anything you require.”

Mairu bowed. “Thank you, my lady.”

As they continued back into the keep, Annalise worried her lip as she thought about the timeline for her travel to Rea. They’d crossed the pass, but she was unsure how far away they were from Rhinnea’s capital city.

“I thought that I’d show you the town today to help you get a sense of surroundings since it sounds like you’ll be here for a little bit,” Helene said as they entered the foyer of the keep.

Two servants were waiting with armfuls of thick winter cloaks, hats, and gloves lined with fur.

“You look troubled. What worries you, Annalise?” Helene asked as she slipped her cloak around her shoulders.

“How long would it take to travel from here to Rea? I have to be in Rea by the spring equinox for my wedding to King Nelan. If I’m not, there will be a war between Dovea and Rhinnea, but I don’t want Soren to rush his recovery and hurt himself. The Rhinnean delegates were insistent that we leave Dovea as soon as possible for fear the pass would close, but they didn’t say anything about the weather on this side of the mountains.”

“Don’t worry; crossing the pass was the most time-sensitive part of your journey. Depending on the weather and speed of riding, travel from Orighet to Rea will take anywhere from several days up to a couple of weeks if it’s particularly nasty, but the main road is very well marked and cared for. Even factoring in Captain Kierson’s recovery, you’ll have plenty of time before the spring equinox.”

Annalise breathed a sigh of relief as she walked with Helene out of the keep and into the town. She’d left her mask behind, handing it off to a servant who’d promised it would be delivered to her chambers. “No guards?” she asked, looking around in surprise when no one followed them out of the gates.

“No need. We don’t have many visitors in Orighet at this time of year, and everyone knows who I am.” Helene drew a long dagger from under the folds of her cloak and gave Annalise a fierce grin. “But if anyone gives us trouble, I’ll be more than happy to show you how a Telimary woman protects herself.”

As they walked through streets that, while made of packed dirt, didn’t have any large holes or ruts from wagon wheels, Helene pointed out the various crafting halls and guilds as well as a handful of notable shops. After a brief tour of the town, they returned to the keep, where her aunt invited her to dine privately with her husband.

Dinner was a lovely affair of roasted venison, potatoes, and a squash medley that was so tender it nearly melted in her mouth. It was accompanied by a pitcher of mead and several soft rolls. Lord Telimary was a bit of an odd character in the best way—if Helene was a cat, sleek and well put together, he was an industrious badger, and he insisted on Annalise calling him Talen. In their short time together, he always seemed to be thinking of how to improve the Muranan farming yields or ways to make things more efficiently, and the stories of his mishaps and failed experiments made Annalise’s face turn red with laughter.

Seeing her aunt and uncle interact made Annalise’s heart twist painfully in her chest. She’d always known there was little love lost between her parents, but the contrast between the two couples was sharp. It was like spending a lifetime wandering in the snow and then stumbling upon a raging bonfire.

They didn’t talk about her parents or her curse. Such heavy conversations didn’t feel quite right for the happy introduction between Annalise and the half of the family tree she’d thought was lost. Her mother had so rarely spoken of her relatives that Annalise grew up thinking they were estranged, or far too distant to be of any help. She still had many questions about her heritage, her maternal side of the family, and her parents’ marriage, but for one night at least she was content to simply be happy.

CHAPTER 26