the enemy of my enemy - chapter 3 spoiler

8/9/2019 The Enemy of my Enemy - Chapter 3 *SPOILER*

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The Enemy of my Enemy

Chapter 3 On the Run

Angellica ran like she had never run before. She could hear the dogs behind her,

and they were gaining on her, slowly but surely. The run through the tunnel had beenstraight, with flat terrain and no obstacles but once she had actually exited into the bright

morning sun and had started to race along the beach, her progress had become more

difficult. If she ran along the rocks, she risked slipping on seaweed or the occasionallyprecariously balanced stone that would twist under her as she moved forward. In

addition to the possibility of a twisted ankle, a fall on the rocks could easily result in a

broken bone, or worse. She did not want to contemplate the idea of tripping and bashingher skull open on the rocks when she fell, leaving her completely vulnerable to the dogs

that pursued her.

The rebel leader chose instead to run through the sand, and that was why the

mastiffs were shortening the lead tht she had on them. There were soft spots in the sand,and from time to time her foot would slide or embed itself a little more than expected into


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its shifting depths. The awkward footing reduced her speed, only slightly, but that was

enough to make a difference. Angellica was very thankful for the adrenalin that coursed

through her veins. If she were starting to slow from fatigue on top of the impedimentfrom the sand, the dogs would have been on her already. Her lungs burned, and her heart

pounded like it was going to burst out of her chest, but she kept running.

The beach seemed to go on forever. She wished that the theatre had actually beenlocated closer to the castle, but when she had first decided to establish the FFP as a front

for the Underground, any possibility of support from royalty was completely unthinkable.

King Thomass father had actually fallen on the anti-Renegade side of the debate. KingRoland had encouraged the harshest punishments possible for infractions of the law, his

hatred further fuelled by his sons disobedience in learning the forbidden magic. In fact,

King Roland had seen his sons escapades as a threat to Seaforests entire existence. At

the time of his experimentation with Renegade magic, as an only child burdened with theexpectation of some day assuming the throne, Thomas had challenged everything that his

family had believed in. Despite considering abstaining from the throne and leaving his

father heirless, Tom had eventually given up his rebellious games and returned to

Seaforest to fulfill his obligations. With his antics, however, the notion had been bornthat there could be a future for Renegades in Seaforest.

Once he had become king, Tom had gone to great lengths to seek out theUnderground, making his intentions clear that he meant them no harm, and that he

actually hoped to help them. Despite a terrible affliction that had cursed the middle-aged

king with premature old age, he had proven to be an effective secret ally. King Thomas

had wanted to make amends for past wrongs, and he was worried that this would not bepossible unless he could get the Renegade law overturned. On several occasions he had

facilitated escape attempts engineered by the Underground. In fact, it was partially

because of King Thomas that they had been able to rescue Cecelia at all. It was also theking who had proposed the phrase that could be used to identify Renegade sympathizers:

For Valour and mercy.

The Renegades were all aware of Valour Flynn and his horrible predicament,suffering terribly at the hands of a cruel man who had used a special enchantment to rob

him of his Renegade powers in order to torture and imprison him. The half-satyr

Renegade had managed to escape his tormentors, by eventually overpowering the deviceconstraining his magic, but he had killed his three captors during his quest for freedom

and became an outlaw slated for execution. Many years after his supposed crime, King

Thomas had helped Valour clear his name and had restored his freedom. The FFP

believed that his story proved that there could be justice for Renegades in Seaforest, andValour, now a bard, had become somewhat of a cult hero for the Underground. The fact

that it was Valours foster son, a man rumoured to be a Renegade himself, who was now

prince regent of the kingdom, gave them all great hope that they would someday achievefreedom as well. That, and the FFP were all aware that Prince Emrys had been fighting

for their cause, was an inspiration that kept them going, even when times were bleak.

Times like now, Angellica thought.The spires of the castle soon became visible over the tree line, giving the rebel

leader her second wind. The dogs still had a small stretch to gain before they would

reach her, and the fact that the castle was now in sight spurred her forward with even

more heart. She could see the boardwalk further down the beach, the one where King


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Thomas was slain by his own illegitimate children. Word on the street had it that the

twins, from an area north of Anthis, were both assassins and Renegades, but not just any

Renegades. The story claimed that they were the rare type of mages with naturalinclination, with the young woman inclined to water like Hestia, and the young man

inclined to fire.

Angellica shivered at that thought, almost losing her footing in the process.Those with a natural inclination for fire seemed to have the most difficulty dealing with

their attachment to the element. Without the proper training and controls, they were

known to become obsessed and completely unpredictable. They tended to be the mostdangerous of all the Renegades, and were largely responsible for the stigma attached to

Renegade magic, both in Seaforest and beyond.

There was, however, a saving grace to the tale of the kings assassination, which

would have cast an even darker shadow over the Renegades if based on the actions of thetwins alone. The story also noted that the twins had been prevented from killing the

queen, the unborn heir, and the current prince regent in addition to King Thomas, thanks

to the heroic efforts of Valour and Prince Emryss Renegade mother, Nia. There was

also the argument that if King Thomas had been allowed to continue practicing Renegademagic, he could have protected himself properly, and successfully defended himself

against the assassins spells and weapons. In other words, he would have lived throughthat tragic encounter. Since that situation both supported and detracted from the

argument that the Renegade law needed to be repealed, neither faction had attempted to

use it to further their cause. The Underground, however, did use the tale to fuel their own

fires.As the rebel leader reached the base of the pathway that led uphill towards the

castle, she realized that she might have been overly ambitious. The climb up the hill was

daunting, she was beginning to lose wind and steam, and her limbs were starting to feellike lead weights. She was in trouble, and she knew that there was no way she would

make it to the castle doors before the dogs would reach her. Something in front of the

castle, however, gave her faith that all was not necessarily in vain. With her last vestigesof strength, she turned onto the pathway and began to charge her way up through the

forest.

Realizing now that it would be of the utmost importance to actually be seen, shedropped her dimming spell.

* - * - *

Queen Mathilde had decided the morning was too beautiful to waste. She still

could not bring herself to go down to the beach, her late husbands assassination still

weighing heavily in her heart and the boardwalk still stirring memories of that traumaticday, but she was not adverse to enjoying an outing with her son in the castle gardens.

She felt especially secure with the head of the royal guard, Jarvas, close by her side. She

wandered happily in the sunshine between the flowering trees and shrubs, and the ornatemarble statues and benches that had been placed with careful design just outside of the

castle walls.

As little Prince Tom teetered from bench to bench, unable to walk on his own yet,

but enjoying the well-spaced support of the gardens dcor, the queen breathed in the soft


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perfumes of the blossoms that surrounded them and lifted her face to the sun. She was a

little melancholic today, missing the prince regent desperately. He had been away for

more than a week now, and despite Jarvass heart-warming company, she longed to seethe face of the man whom she loved again, which was ironically the same face as the man

she had loved before him.

Jarvas watched the queen and the heir with great care, well aware of the enormousresponsibility that rested upon his shoulders. He missed the prince regent as well,

knowing that Emrys was the only man Jarvas felt was more capable than himself of

keeping the royal family safe. Emrys was also more invested in keeping them safe,making his presence twice as reassuring.

Jarvas watched the queen take a seat on one of the marble benches, as she urged

her son to approach her from a short distance. Her pale blond hair seemed to glow in the

sun, a golden halo surrounding her face. The little crown prince was just as fair as hismother, sharing her colouring, but he otherwise resembled his father, who fortunately

also resembled his own late father. Jarvas was one of only five people who knew of the

crown princes true paternity, and he would keep the secret to his grave. As far as

everyone else in the kingdom of Seaforest was concerned, Prince Tom had been provento possess royal blood, supported by magical testing, and therefore was the legitimate

heir to the throne. No one had ever dared suppose that the little prince was not the latekings son.

Jarvas was stretching his large muscular shoulders when he noticed a strange

expression come over the queen, as she suddenly tensed, and then stood, glancing

somewhere past him. He turned, noticing at just about the same time the faint sound ofdogs baying in the distance. There was a figure moving up the pathway from the beach at

a very rapid pace, a woman, dressed only in wet nightclothes that clung to her lithe body.

Behind her, following at an interval that was clearly too close for comfort, was an excitedand snarling pack of war dogs, large bull mastiffs with spiked collars. Mathilde bent

down and scooped Prince Tom into her arms, fear filling her eyes.

Jarvas reacted immediately, retreating to the point where he would be able toserve effectively as a human shield for the queen and prince, if necessary. At the same

time he hollered for the guards at the castle doors to come fetch his charges and guide

them securely back into the castle. As soon as they were there, and leading the queen andprince back to safety, Jarvas once again turned to face the oncoming stranger and her

pursuers.

The dark-haired woman was now about halfway to the castle. She clutched

something in her hand that sparkled in the sunlight, and Jarvas was suddenly concernedthat she bore a weapon, and intended harm to the queen and her son. He clenched his

fists and he took a few steps forward, hoping his aggressive stance alone might help to

deter her. Just as the guards and the members of the royal family had reached the doors,the running woman cried out breathlessly.

ForValourandmercy!

The queen immediately resisted the attempts of the guards to herd her into thecastle, struggling against them momentarily. Her silvery blue eyes widened and she

leaned towards Jarvas, calling to him.

Jarvas! You have to protect her, please! For my sake! For Emryss sake!

Please protect her!


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The large dark skinned man gave Mathilde an acknowledging nod, and drawing

his wide-bladed two-handed sword, he launched himself down the hill towards the

woman and her potential attackers.Angellica was now almost blind with panic, her breath coming in great gasps and

every inch of her body shaking. She had not been able to hear the queens cries,

deafened by the sound of the dogs at her heels. Seeing Jarvas suddenly draw his weaponand charge towards her, she faltered, fearing the worst, and stumbled. She fell onto the

pathway, the loose rocks there raking the skin on her hands, her knees and her shins, and

the impact knocking the breath from her lungs and jarring her teeth. The first of the dogswas immediately upon her, its fangs embedding deep into her shoulder. Had she been

able to find the strength to do so, the rebel leader would have cried out from the

excruciating pain, but all she could manage was a breathless whine.

And then the weight of dog and the sharp tearing of his teeth were gone. Jarvashad reached the fallen woman, and with near super-human strength, he had grasped the

mastiff by the collar, and flung it at one of the trees that bordered the path. Unflinching,

the huge man did not seem to notice as the spikes on the collar bit into his hand, drawing

blood. The dog made contact with the tree trunk, accompanied by the sickening crunchof bones breaking. Jarvas stepped forward over the prone woman, bracing himself with

his sword held out towards the remaining dogs. Three of the five dogs set upon Jarvas,the only real threat present. The other two lunged at Angellica, their true target, who lay

helplessly at the royal guards feet, moaning and bleeding. One of the dogs seized her

calf in his teeth, snarling and spitting. The other went for her hand, the one clutching the

shiny object that Jarvas had spotted earlier.As the three attacking Jarvas leaped upon him, he managed to slash into the first

with his sword, almost cleaving the animal completely in half. The beast dropped to the

ground, dead, as its two companions continued to bear down on the large, dark-skinnedman. One succeeded in latching on to Jarvas left arm with his fangs, swinging about

violently as Jarvas slashed at the second dog that was now attacking him, and whose teeth

had pierced the skin on his thigh. The edge of his blade sliced into the nape of the seconddogs neck, and blood began to spurt from the wound, drenching Jarvas and Angellica

completely.

It was at this point that some of the other guards from the castle arrived. One ofthem was able to carve into the muzzle of the animal that clung to Jarvass arm, and force

the creature to release him. The other two guards distracted the dogs that had been

tearing into Angellica. She now lay silent and unmoving, but her chewed and bloody

hand was still clenched firmly over the item that the dog had seemed so eager to get.Jarvas fell wearily to his knees, the searing pain in his leg, arm and hand finally hitting

home.

Infirmary, he growled through clenched teeth. Get her to the infirmary. Andmake sure they treat her like gold, he insisted between gasps. She is to be considered a

special guest of the queen.

Jarvas could not help but wonder who this mysterious woman was and where shehad come from exactly. He could not understand why the queen had seemed so desperate

to protect her, and he also could not figure out why the dogs had seemed so intent on

getting at the shiny object she had clutched in her slender hand. He watched as the other

guards gathered her up carefully and began carrying her back to the castle. Jarvas was


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fearful as to how much of the blood coating her flimsy nightwear was her own, as

opposed to from the dog that he had slain, which had bled profusely.

Staggering back to his feet, the muscular bald man hoped Mathilde would forgivehim for not getting to the dark-haired woman faster. He chastised himself as he hobbled

up the path, heading for the infirmary himself.

* - * - *

Leaving Prince Tom with one of his royal nannies, Mathilde hurried downstairstowards the front doors of the castle. She was anxious to see what had become of the

strange woman who had cried out the words her late husband had once instructed her

would be a call for amnesty from the Renegade Underground. She was not sure who the

woman was, where she had come from, or why the pack of savage war dogs had beenafter her, but she was sure what she was. The queen was also aware how important

protecting the woman would have been to King Thomas, and how important it would be

to Prince Emrys now.

As she neared the doors she caught sight of Jarvas hobbling painfully down thecorridor, and headed for the infirmary. He was covered in blood and his face held a

disheartened look. Mathilde gasped and ran over to him.Jarvas, are you alright?

The question seemed kind of inane. The queen could see gaping open wounds in

his thigh and arm, and blood seemed to drip more heavily from one of his hands than it

did from other parts of him. More to the point, she was looking for reassurance that hewas not in immediate danger of succumbing to his wounds, and that he would have the

opportunity to eventually recuperate from them.

Im sorry, your majesty. I tried to stop them, but there were so many of them,and they were well trained. She suffered wounds to her shoulder, leg and hand. Last I

saw, she still lived, but she was unconscious. I didnt want to fail you, he said with

great regret.Dont be silly, Jarvas. You obviously didnt fail me, Mathilde insisted. Look

at yourself. You can barely stand, and most men wouldnt have made it back here on

their own, if they were in your condition. Move on into the infirmary and we can speakafter the healers have tended to your injuries - and no more nonsense about failing me.

You made sure Prince Tom and I both were safe, and if that woman was still alive when

they brought her back here, then you did what I asked you to do. It is up to the healers

now to make sure that she survives.One of the healers left Angellicas side in order to tend to the head of the royal

guard, and others joined the first to treat and bind his bites for further magical reparation

once they had finished with the injured woman. They had set aside the shimmeringbrooch made of interwoven iridescent metal while they had seen to her badly damaged

hand. The injury on her calf had been almost as severe, with great gouges hewn from her

leg, and her shoulder had been coated in blood that had not come from any of themastiffs. It took them a fair amount of time, magic and effort to repair all of the harm

done by the war dogs to Angellica as well as Jarvas.

After the majority of the work on her wounds had been completed, Angellica

began to stir. She startled, twisting and straining fearfully in their grasp, and nearly


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undoing some of the good they had just finished doing. The queen approached her, and in

a serene voice explained to her that she was safe now, and that she needed to remain still

so that the healers could finish with their efforts.Its okay, Mathilde said very quietly. For Valour and mercy. I heard your

message loud and clear.

The rebel leader relaxed immediately, aware now that her pleas had been heard bysomeone who had truly understood her. There was a slight smile on her face, as she lay

back again and allowed the healers to continue.

After they had completed her treatment, and then Jarvass, the healers left theinfirmary so that Jarvas, Mathilde and Angellica could speak in private, upon the queens

request. Angellica turned to look at the large dark man, her gratitude showing clearly on

her face. She reached over and grabbed her iridescent charm from the counter top,

clutching it to her chest.Thank you, she said softly, her hazel eyes losing a little of their hardness. I

was sure that I was dead. I owe you my life. But if we dont act soon, many others will

likely die. They need your protection.

Who needs our protection, and from whom. Ill send some guards to their aid,right away, but I need specifics, the queen replied.

My name is Angellica Bonda, the rebel leader revealed. I come from theFeltrey Feature Players, the theatre in the converted warehouse by the waterfront. There

are strange people who have invaded the theatre and who have proven to bear us all ill

will. They had already killed four members of my cast and crew, when I set out for the

castle. I appear to have lured all the dogs away, but there were also mercenaries, Redsunmercenaries, and shadowy men dressed in black who were using poison.

Jadorans, Mathilde hissed, as she drew in a breath. But why would they be

after you. They often work in league with Renegades, so why would they be targetingthe Underground? - Unless you did something to offend them. Did you?

Angellica stared back at her, bewildered.

I dont even know what a Jadoran is, so I doubt I could have offended one.Besides my technician reported overhearing some of these invaders talking, and from

what they were saying, they were looking for an object, rather than seeking out a person,

or settling a personal matter.That might explain why one of the dogs practically gnawed your hand off, trying

to get to that bauble, Jarvas suggested in his deep rumbling tone. He gestured towards

the scintillating brooch she cradled at her breast.

The Weavecharm? But its merely a family heirloom with some nostalgic value.It only bears a lesser enchantment. Its a spell enhancer. What could they possibly want

with it? the rebel leader protested.

Can I see it? the large dark-skinned man asked.Reluctantly, Angellica handed it over. She felt as if she were in no position to

argue with her saviour. As Jarvas began to turn the brooch over in his hand and observe

it detail by detail, Mathilde stepped towards the door.Ill have a unit of guards head over to your theatre. Ill suggest that youve been

troubled by a band of ruffians thieves and vandals, and that your performances are

favoured by the prince regent and I, so we want to assure that no harm is done to your


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people or your theatre. If your attackers are still there, that ought to scare them off, the

queen assured her, before disappearing through the infirmary door.

Hey, Jarvas rumbled, pointing a meaty finger at something on the back of hermagical trinket. Whats that?

Next to the clasp there appeared to be something that looked like broken shard of

some blue stone and a slot. Angellica shrugged. She had noticed it before, but had neverthought much of it.

I dont know. I always thought it was just a defect in its construction. It doesnt

seem to have any bearing on its enchantment, she answered. Jarvas handed the broochback to her, aware that she seemed to be anxious for its return.

Where did you get it from, he inquired.

I told you, it is a family heirloom. My father gave it to me. He got it from his

mother, who got it from her mother, and so on. I have no idea from where it originated. Ijust know that it has been around for a long, long time, the rebel leader told him. There

was a pause as she stared at the Weavecharm with some trepidation.

Look, Angellica, Jarvas said. I dont know anything about this Valour and

mercy stuff, but if the queen feels that this is important, then as far as Im concerned, itsimportant. The fact that you are a Renegade doesnt bother me. My best friends are

Renegades. I owe my life to Renegades. It only makes sense that I would be willing toreturn the favour.

Angellica regarded him with an obvious expression of awe.

You were there when it happened, werent you? When the king was

assassinated? You met him Valour? You know him.He prefers to be called Snyder, but yes, I do know him. He is just a man who

happened to have been caught in a web of tragic circumstances. Hes far away from

Seaforest now, and as far as I know, he and Nia are happy. You should focus less onhistory and more on the possibilities for your future. Prince Emrys is going to great

lengths to try and secure a better one for you, the large man remarked with a stern look.

Do you think I might get the chance to meet with Prince Emrys? the rebelleader demanded. When we were able to deal with his father directly, it made things

much easier for the FFP. I was worried that when I got here there would be no one who

would be able to help me. You dont know how thankful I am that the king had let thequeen in on our secret, or I likely wouldnt be here talking with you.

Im thankful too, Jarvas admitted. I would have hesitated had she not directed

me to protect you, and if I had done that, I dont think that you would still be with us. I

got there just in time.At that moment, the queen returned to the infirmary.

The guards have been sent to your theatre. You both should rest. You may have

been seen to by the healers, but what they do still takes a lot out of you. Im going to thecourt mages and have them send a magical missive to Emrys. He should be warned

about what is happening. In fact, he should be prepared to intervene before he returns.

Im instructing him to contact us when they get to the border. You and Angellica shouldbe recuperated by then and can meet him at the outskirts of Feltrey. That way you can

brief him and he can decide how he wants to proceed. Are you okay with that? Her last

comment was directed specifically at the rebel leader.


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Angellica nodded and lay back on her cot. The crisis had been averted, for the

moment, but it was now her responsibility to try and prevent anything like this from

happening again.

the enemy of my enemy - chapter 3 *spoiler*

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the enemy of my enemy - chapter 3 spoiler