Part 6: Escape

(date ref: december 27th vol 1)

MORGAN

The fastest of Carthia's messenger horses had sped from the stronghold across the country with news of the great Kings death. To the further reaches of the land mass carrier pigeons flew, making better time than the horses. A place called Midian was the last name on a long list of provinces for one horseback messenger. No one ever visited Midian, not if they could help it. Even with the Great War practically on her borders she remained untouched. Nearly a hundred square miles of marsh and bogland comprised the interior of Midian. There were 'islands' of liveable ground, long and narrow these earth-banks threaded through the bogs, many shifting with the seasons. Few other paths existed; again most of them shifting with time, a miss-step could literally spell doom here. Its redeeming point was the abundance of animal life, for Midian literally teemed with all manner of creature. For this reason alone people still inhabited its insect and often smelly interior.

Lady Morgan, daughter of widowed Lord Midian, was a petulant girl. Virtually imprisoned by the landscape she was rapidly growing into a moody, spoiled girl. Recently the girl had taken to horse riding- a hobby riddled with problems in the Midian landscape. Morgan always got her way though. The few horses kept in Midian had, over time been bred to suit their boggy environment; they were tiny animals, with disproportionately large hoofs to reduce suction. They all possessed an innate knowledge of the bog, less witted horses failing to survive to maturity. They avoided dangerous ground, even when indistinguishable from its surroundings.

Midian boasted one permanent main road, wide enough for two carriages to pass along its entire length, and ran from one side of the border clear to the other affording the province some traffic. It was along this road that Morgan would ride, galloping down it at break neck speeds, not really aware of the danger, having lived with Midian's inherent perils all her life. On this day Morgan's horse had refused to go past their usual turn-around point and had neatly ditched the girl.

In shock and pain the girl picked herself off the ground and dusted off her dress, it's point clearly made the horse stood a few yards away munching a clump of bog-grass. Morgan glared at it, now distrustful of the beast, when she heard a voice

"Ho! Ho there" the man's voice called, it sounded weary

"Who's there? ... I'm not alone you know" she called back, looking round for the owner of the disembodied voice

"I'm a messenger" the voice sounded closer now, and it continued as a man broke through the bushes to one side of the road "I've come from the Stronghold"

"From the Stronghold?" she repeated with amazement, taking in his filthy state "Where's your horse?"

"Back there" he gestured into the boggy expanse "Got eaten by quicksand, poor thing. Give me your horse ... please – I'm on official royal business miss" he said, blunt through sheer exhaustion

"I'm no miss, I'm Lady Morgan" she said indignantly, standing taller, her muddy appearance forgotten

"Aye" he agreed, upon realising that she would not give up her horse he did not really care who she was. The long and often frightening trek through the marsh had all but done him in, the man longed for a bath, clean clothes and a good nights sleep, almost as much as he longed to be away from Midian. "Well can you at least direct me to the keep. I have woeful news to deliver"

"Woeful?"

"Aye"

"Then you'd better follow me" She remounted the horse and started back, the man stumbling along behind, it never occurred to Morgan that the messenger might need the horse more than she. It was obvious that the man had waded through several miles of unfamiliar fenland- something even a Midian born and bred would never do. It was a miracle he had made it at all.

(date ref: december 29th vol 1)

SILK AND EDWIN

Every mile they put between the fort and themselves felt lightweight lifted from their shoulders. Silk was becoming ever more lively, is normal irrepressible nature rising to the spirit of adventure.

The great mountain range grew steadily taller, the wide trade route drawing the straight to the Gateway.

"There it is " Silk said unnecessarily "You know Edwin, I've never been this far away from the keep before. It's like I've left all my clutter behind. I could just ride off into the distance, never to be seen again"

"Could you really?" laughed Edwin Silk looked into Edwin's eyes

"No, of course not. I'd miss you too much" They reined in, to give the horses a breather before running the gauntlet through the Gateway.

Once the Gateway had marked a prosperous era. Its half-mile wide formation was once packed with merchants. The Gateway, in basic structure was a large valley, and the only way to get from Surrendia to Carthia. Now though only bandits and criminals lined its length, as a result few people dared cross the border.

They paused for a moment, the rocky sides of the Gateway towering above them. Tenderly the boys clasped hands for a long moment. Then hands firmly on the reins, a chunk of mane in the grasp the horses leapt forward in to the gorge. As the valley grew and swallowed them, a primordial cry rose to their lips. Roaring like mythical heroes they galloped onwards, the horses flying over the ground. Several times they heard noises of pursuit, and more than once a volley of arrows whistled around them, but no one gained ground on them, such was the greatness of their speed. Eventually the other end of the pass grew and ejected them from the Gateway. Ahead lay the equal peril of Carthia.

(from spiral bk 2. Date ref: jan 1st vol 1)

MORGAN

It took some time to arrive at Midian's keep. To Morgan, having never left Midian's reach it was a grand building, it's central spire, the only stone structure in the bogs, rose three stories – clear over the tree line. It served as a lookout post, and at night as a kind of lighthouse. To the messenger though the keep seemed little more than a glorified cow barn. He longed to return to the Stronghold.

The ageing Lord Midian was particularly sleepy when his daughter arrived. The perpetual heat of Midian did not help. He refused to believe the messenger's news. Dodging a volley of insults, Morgan led the messenger away. Now she was back in her 'palace' Morgan attempted to act the lady.

"I'm sorry about that," she said, attempting to sound genuinely regretful, which was hard. The girl was pleased that she would have to deal with the visitor on 'royal business' her father barely made any decisions these days, she practically ran Midian already- it was only a matter of time.

"It's alright Ladyship. No one's taking it well" Morgan might have asked after the mans own health, offered him refreshments or a chair, but, at least for the moment eluded her. In her short life, doted over by her father, she had never had to consider another person's feelings. The Lady Midian had met her doom in childbirth, leaving the ex-warrior alone with the infant. At a complete loss he gave the servants the task of raising the girl. And as a child she had quickly learned the privilege her position afforded her, that the servants could not refuse her. She was different to all those around her, she was a Lady. One day she would marry a prince and live in a big castle, somewhere far away from Midian, somewhere dry. She continued questioning the messenger.

"How is Alexandra, our queen?"

"Not good" he lowered his voice, obviously about to divulge information that was not for common ears " We fear the shock has been too much for her, she was unresponsive when I left the Stronghold"

"Unresponsive?" she repeated, Morgan did not really know what that meant, but it sounded bad "Then Armand rules by proxy?"

"Aye, the prince recovered from his recent maladies- " Morgan had not heard that the prince had been suffering in the first place, but managed to hide her surprise, it would not do to reveal how totally cut off they were here " – His illness, now gone, seems to have made him think about things, re prioritise. Just recently he duelled both Lord Ethelridge, and Ariya the barbarian in a sword duel"

"Wow" Morgan gasped, even in the stinking backwaters the famous names were well recognised. Elysium appeared behind the messenger, realising the man's fatigue, she gestured that the man should eat and rest. Nodding slightly she said " I'm sorry, how thoughtless of me" she used her regretful tone again, noting with some satisfaction that it had improved "Please use our baths, I'll have a servant supply you with new clothes and food. You must stay the night"

"And a horse" Elysium added quietly, the messenger turned, surprised by the new and mature voice. Morgan shot her a look of thunder "Yes, of course, that goes without saying – you must have many places still to visit"

"No Ladyship, Midian was last on my list" Morgan had wit enough to notice the double insult, the messenger quickly added " But I am keen to return to my family, I would be most grateful of the loan of a horse"

All the while the man was bathing Morgan paced the floor furiously, issuing constant and often contradicting orders to the harried servants. The girl's brain was racing- she had not fully realised just how cut off she was. A virtual prisoner, all this time she had been duped into believing she occupied a privileged position in her own kingdom when really she was little bettered than a pampered convict.