"Does it hurt?"

Ah, we're getting close to the end of this book and the pages I had the funnest time writing. Last time: Martin rescues a captured team, he's recognized as the one the Venterans want, he discovers nightmare dust, and someone is going to betray him. On with the story!
*************
An emergency meeting had been called, though Gillian wasn’t sure who called it. But he vowed he would find out and dish his sharp tongue out on that person. The news the rescue team had come back with was very disturbing. Martin was the one the Seacats wanted.

The news wasn’t what they needed to hear.

“What we need to do is to turn him in,” Chad South argued, pounding the table with a report on the cost of the siege. “If we stay under the Seacats’ power for much longer, it’s going to take years to recover!”

“I don’t think we should discuss this without Martin present,” Paul Eck said, leaning back in his chair. “If he really is the one the Seacats are after, then he should have a choice about it.”

“Agreed,” Gillian snapped. Everyone one in the room frowned at the outburst; normally he was the calm one. The prison commander took a deep breath. Now was not the time to loose his temper. “Martin just saved our men from the Seacats,” he went on in a calmer tone. “The healers ordered him to take a rest. That’s why he’s not here and that’s why I’m protesting this meeting. If we’re going to talk about his fate, he has a right to argue his position.”

Cantry snorted, sipping at his wine. “He’s just a spy. Aeterna has a surplus of them. Surely we can sacrifice one for the good of the Stand.”

Gillian clenched the tabletop, grinding his teeth together. No, Martin wasn’t just a spy. He was the Alex. And his name was on top of a list of possible princes. None of that information could be told to the war council.

“Martin can’t be turned over,” he growled. “There’s reasons I can’t explain, but we’d be in worse trouble if we do give him to the Seacats.”

Willy burst into laughter. “That kid? I’ve been watching for the last couple months, Gillian. I know you worry about him, more than a commander to follower. It’s more like a kindly uncle or something. I wonder if your defense for him is merely your own concern and what he really is.” The remark hurt, more than Gillian wanted to admit. Martin had a talent of making the powerful want to help him.

“I don’t blame the commander,” Yates argued, leaning forward and glaring at the thief. “If you’ve been watching, you would have noticed that the citizens respect Martin. I know that the majority of the Stand would not like it if we gave him over. And I would be one of the first to protest any action against our spy.”

“Thank you,” Gillian said softly enough that no one heard. Yates could be painfully blunt about how things really were.

“They respect him because he’s a patriot,” South said, glaring back at the Arms Master. “I’ve talked with the young man. And I’ve seen him send teams off and receive them when they got back. He cares for the people. He’d do anything for Aeterna. If I know him right, he would give himself up to save the Stand.”

That might had been the case before, but Gillian knew better. Martin’s duty to Aeterna now needed him to be kept alive, and not in enemy hands.

“Then we need to ask him,” Gillian said, trying to stall for time. “If he doesn’t want to go, we’ll find another way to get rid of the Seacats. And if he agrees to go…”

“He’ll leave,” South said stubbornly. “I know he will.”

You don’t know our spy as much as you think you do, Gillian thought, meeting the craftsman’s steady gaze with a cold one of his own. The nagging at the back of his mind about the young man pounded inside his head. Although they didn’t know why the Venter mages wanted him, or why his reflection was missing, it was piecing together the young man’s mysterious past. I doubt any of us know him as we think we do.
*********
Martin was more tired then he thought. It was mid morning when he finally woke up. His bunk was in a temporary tent in the main courtyard and the sun’s light filtered through the tent flap. The spy rolled onto his side and looked outside. The fort was already in full activity of the day’s work. Perhaps that means Gillian will be busy too.

The suggested restful night sleep did not come to him. The moment he laid down, thoughts plagued him. What did Gillian think of his missing reflection? Would he connect it with the prince? Martin sighed. The prison commander would probably make that connection. And what of the poison he didn't recognize? He put the matter out of his mind for the moment. He had given the sample to the healers; there was nothing else he could do about it. That still left the problem Gillian and the council.

I won’t get anything done by laying here all day. Rolling out of the bunk, he pulled his truck out from under it and changed his clothes. It was a good thing he was the only one in the tent at the moment; all the other men who shared the tent had gone off to their other duties.

Once dressed, he left the tent. Surely Gillian would be too busy to talk to him. This left Martin a full day to come up with an excuse why he had no reflection.
*********
The spy was good, Gillian admitted. The young man had somehow managed to avoid him all day. He also avoided the rest of the council. The commander couldn’t blame Martin, though. Each member probably wanted to find him and convince him what the right course of action was. Martin did not take anyone’s advice on his life very well.

It had taken an order to get the spy to meet with him. Gillian made sure the young man knew he would not be meeting with the rest of the council. This was a subject that obviously put the spy on the edge of his nerves.

The wind blasted him as he arrived on the battlement he asked Martin to meet him at. Glancing around, he saw the young spy standing by the guardhouse, watching the last rays of sun disappeared behind the horizon. Martin wore a worn coat, having given up his good one for someone else. His dark hair barely whipped in the wind and his hazel eyes looked farther then the sunset, to something that troubled him. The prison commander switched his gaze to the spot the spy was seeing. Loman lay in that direction.

He’s not so different than when we first found him. Some would say he had changed, but Gillian disagreed. Martin still had that fighting spirit, the same determined look in his eyes, and an attitude of taking on the world. He had just channeled it into a more quiet, and more dangerous, way.

“It’s a quiet evening,” Gillian said, announcing his presence to the spy. Martin didn’t even flinch; he always seemed to know when someone was around him. “The Seacats don’t seem as if they’re going to cause us trouble tonight.”

“Oh, I’m sure they have a plan,” Martin replied, his eyes still glazed over.

“They’re probably making it,” Gillian agreed, walking over and joining the spy at the guardhouse. “That’s why they’re quiet. They’re a bit obvious when it comes to changing tactics.” Martin just shrugged. Gillian let the silence come between them. How was he going to approach that subject? No doubt the spy had spent all day thinking of lies to cover his story. And Gillian knew he would have bought those lies if he didn’t now know who was standing beside him.

“Does it hurt?” Martin suddenly asked.

Gillian frowned. “Does what hurt?”

“The Seacats banished you from the sea,” Martin said, nodding to the ships that still blockaded them. “Does it hurt that you can no longer sail?”

Gillian stiffened. Apparently the spy had heard a lot more than he let them know. “It’s a painful memory,” he answered. “I don’t like to recall what they cursed me with… But, yes. It does hurt. Some days more than others. Why do you ask?”

The spy sighed and leaned against the stone guardhouse. Finally taking his eyes off the horizon, he gave Gillian his full attention. “Because it’s going to hurt talking about what you want to talk about. I was rather attached to my reflection.”

The prison commander flinched. Martin wasn’t going to tell him lies this night. He was going to be painfully blunt. The tone the spy used was full of bitter pain and… denial?

“Does anyone else know that you no longer have it?” Gillian asked. There. Not too painful a question.

Martin shook his head. “You’re the first.” Gillian was wise enough to not ask how he managed without a reflection. The spy could put on disguises in pitch black. Shaving wouldn’t be a problem for him. Now came time for the more painful questions.

“How did you manage to loose your reflection?”

Martin snorted, glaring at something off to his left. “Because of a possibility.”

Gillian was familiar with the term now and the bitterness that came with it. Martin refused to say what he could be; instead he always called it a possibility. His suspicions from before suddenly became concrete. Only a strong power could take a person’s reflection, and only then it had to be for a good reason.

Martin was the crown prince of Aeterna.

And he didn’t believe it.

Gillian sighed and looked back over the sea to where Loman was. The irony was real. They had no idea how important that street urchin was when they brought him to Aeterna. The soothsayer just said the young child was going to be a powerful figure when he grew up. The boy Martin called the mystic batty and always full of hot air. Most of the sailors agreed and dismissed the fortune. We should have listened.

The commander didn’t know what do now. The honorable thing to do was to send a letter immediately to Queen Abigail and Fred Chief, but… He didn’t know if it were the right thing for Martin. Who was he to judge if their prince was ready or not?

“What am I going to do with you?” Gillian asked, the cold air whipping around them. “I know you’re not going to make this easy for any of us.”

“I am stubborn that way,” the spy said. Gillian chuckled. That was true. “Besides,” Martin went on, his gaze attracted to the surrounding warships. “We still have to deal with them before you can get any word out.”

Gillian lowered his gaze to the warships. They hadn’t moved during their two month stay. “The Seacats must be getting very frustrated,” he commented. “They can’t stand being on land for very long. The sea is calling them. It won’t be too long before they act. How they act, however, is the question. They may break their alliance with Venter. But they also might try to capture you.”

Martin scoffed. “I’d like to see them try.”

“I would prefer not to see,” Gillian said, his tone a bit too harsh than it should. “From now on, you’re under protection.”

Martin groaned and leaned harder on the wall. “Sure. Go ahead and put a target on me while you’re at it.”

“It’s for your own good,” he snapped. “And it’s not just to protect you from the Seacats. Some of the council wants to hand you over to the Seacats. They say it would be better for one man to take the punishment than endure this siege any longer.”

The spy seemed surprised. Gillian thought Martin would have been angry at the news. “You didn’t tell them about the list?”

“Heithery! Martin! It’s classified information!”

Martin frowned and was about to reply when a soldier came running up the stairs. “Commander Gillian!” he called. Reaching them, he bent over, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

“What is it, sergeant?”

Taking in a final deep breath, the soldier stood to attention and saluted. “Sir, we think the Seacats are leaving!”

“What?” Martin asked, taking a step forward. “Leaving?”

“Boats of Seacats have been seen crossing to their ships,” the sergeant answered. “And if our math is right, a good majority of them are already gone.”

Gillian blinked. It was something the Seacats would do. But something did feel wrong about it. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

“We’ll wait for tomorrow to tell everyone,” he ordered. “Keep an eye on the Seacats, make sure there’s an accurate count on how many leave. And if they are gone by morning, we’ll send out all our teams to make sure they’re gone.”

Gillian chanced at glance at the spy… prince. What am I to do about him? He will want to be out there. And if what he knew about Santers were true, Martin would go mad as the urge to help overpowers him. Perhaps the spy was right; giving him a guard would make things worse. Very few people knew that the Venter mages wanted him. Even fewer knew about the list. And the commander knew he was the only one who knew the young spy was the prince. Martin certainly didn’t believe it.

“And I’ll also head out,” he announced, surprising both spy and soldier. “I’m going to make sure those Seacats are gone from the Stand. I’ll pick my own team.” And the first one of that team was Martin. Gillian had to keep an eye on the young man to make sure he wouldn’t get in any trouble, from either the Seacats or the council.
*********
Something is wrong. Martin could not shake the feeling that someone was watching him. Oh, yes, Gillian had not let him out of his sight since their conversation the night before, a problem he was going to have deal with later, but there was something else watching him. Something that did not mean him well.

Weary of the unseen watcher, Martin was more aware of his surroundings. The other members of Gillian’s team, all dressed in stealth suits, also watched their surroundings. Currently, they were walking out of one of the Stand’s homes. The orders were to check every building, every ally, and every tunnel for any remaining Seacats. Gillian had picked, aside from his personal guard that accompanied them, Arms Master Yates, his apprentice Phillis, and, surprisingly, both Glen and Tyler.

Martin glanced at the covered face of the commander. What’s your game? The commander may not have said it aloud, but Martin could see it in Gillian’s eyes and actions. The prison commander thought he was the prince. What Martin could not figure out was what he was going to do about it. Thankfully the commander had said nothing to anyone else. There were no guards assigned to just him and he had not been ordered to stay at the fort. However, Martin knew the commander well enough. Gillian would act on the knowledge sooner rather than later.

“Seems they’ve left the Stand,” Yates commented to the commander as they reached the end of their search area. Martin glanced out to sea where the Seacats still moored.

“Yes,” Gillian muttered, rubbing his chin. “And took what they wanted and leave us with the mess.” He also looked at the ships, his eyes dark with anger. “I don’t trust this.”

“Sir?” Tyler asked, tugging at the mask on his face. “Can we take the masks off now? As far as we know there aren’t any Seacats here.” The others nodded to show their support. Martin had to agree with them. They had spent all day spent searching and it was now mid afternoon. Despite the cold winter wind, it was hot under the masks.

Gillian tugged at his own mask. “Alright.” The others sighed with relief as they pulled the masks off. Martin hesitated before he took his off; he still had the feeling that someone was watching him. He finally tugged it off and used it to wipe the sweat from his brow.

“Well,” the commander huffed. “There’s no denying it. They’re gone.”

“Think again!”

Martin spun around in time to avoid as a Seacat leapt toward him. Rolling to the ground, he dodged out of the way. The black tomcat hissed and lunged again. Martin rocked onto his back and kicked the creature over his head. Ripping his knives out, he crouched low as the Seacat charged him again. Martin ducked under his outstretched claws, swung his knives, and sliced at the creature’s belly. The tomcat howled and backed off again, shaking with anger as he pressed a hand to his gut to keep the blood from flowing.

“Filthy human!” he screamed. “You’ll pay!” Taking a swift glance around, Martin saw the others fighting their own Seacat. He was the only one who managed to hurt his opponent.

The tomcat screamed something. Suddenly, three Seacats joined the fight. Martin braced himself for the attack. The Seacats jumped into the middle of the fight and grabbed Glen.

“Let’s go!” the injured tomcat ordered, dashing for the nearest sea port. Glen screamed, trying to fight his way out of the Seacats’ grasp. Martin ran after them, ignoring Gillian’s distressed cry. Now was not a time to worry about himself.

I can’t let them take my friend! He had too few to lose!

His feet thumped on the wood planked dock, catching up with the Seacats. Glen had somehow managed to give them cuts from his blades. Martin threw his, striking the creatures in the arms. Yowling, they dropped the thief. Glen took his chance and ran to join him. Martin gave the thief a quick look. Didn’t seem that they starched him. Odd. They like causing pain.

“Back to the ships!” the black tomcat yelled. The other Seacats from the fight suddenly flew to the dock and dived into the sea. Giving him a hateful glare, the tomcat also dived into the sea. Martin breathed heavily. Something was wrong here.

“Martin!” Gillian yelled, running to the dock, the others catching up. “What did you think you were doing?” He was red in the face, though his expression was full of worry. Martin rolled his eyes. Gillian was going to be a bother if he didn’t set him right about the whole prince business. Glen laughed at their concern and started for them, throwing his arms out to show them that he was alright.

Thump.

Martin frowned. What was that? Sniffing the air, he took in a sharp breath and his eyes widened. That was blasting powder. Gillian saw the horror on his face and started running faster.

“NO!” he yelled. “Stay back!” He started running for the shore.

Bang!

The world dropped beneath his feet in a blinding light. Martin fell through the hole in the world. The water hit him, driving the air from his lungs. Throwing his hands up, he tried to swim for the surface when hands grabbed him and pulled him back down. Throwing punches and kicks at his unknown captors, he was pulled at unnatural speed through the water. His lungs burned for air and Martin knew he was on the verge of unconsciousness when he was finally thrown out of the water.

Splat!

He landed on a rocking rowboat. Several Seacats grabbed him before he could figure out anything more than that. He struggled against them as they stuffed a dirty cloth into his mouth and tied his arms and legs.

“You have a lot of fight, human,” said the black Seacat, wrapping a cloth around the wound he gave him. Martin tired to shove the Seacats’ hands off him and glared up at their leader. The tomcat squatted down to his eye level. “Yes. You have a lot of fight. I’m glad I don’t have to deal with you. But I do hope the Venter mages will take the fight out of you.”

Martin shook with anger. Captured! Again! I’ll get out of this, he vowed. I will never bow under them!
*********
Lord Keith Cantry squirmed, his stomach was just as queasy about being on the boat as he felt about being with these mages. I’m not meant for this, he kept thinking. He had hoped that once he told the Seacats who they were looking for, they would take the young spy and leave the Stand alone. It’s better for one man to suffer than all of us. Gillian just would not listen to reason. He kept saying that Martin could not be handed over, for reasons they would not understand. Cantry didn’t know what the prison commander saw in the young man, but this siege had been going on too long.

After Cantry had informed the Seacats that the young spy had left the fort to search the Stand, the creatures had kidnapped him and brought him to the mages. Their excuse was so that the mages could thank him themselves.

I don’t want thanks, he thought, feeling sick that he was with the mages. I want to go home. But no, the mages wanted him to stay. He glanced over to the three mages, flinching. The three were almost identical in face and form, all three wore dark bellowing cloaks. The only ways to tell a difference between them were small things. One was a half foot shorter than the others, one had blue hair, and the last had white eyes.

Cantry shivered. Why did they want me to stay? He had done his part. Before the day as out, they would have the spy. Though why they wanted the young spy was a mystery to him. There was nothing special about Martin; he was a commoner by the looks of it, with a knack for spying. But the mages had grinned when they were told they would have the spy that day.

All this foolishness over a spy, Cantry thought, shaking his head. Martin should have turned himself in the moment he learned that he was the one they were after, for the good of the Stand. And Cantry still didn’t understand what they meant by the young man not having a reflection.

“Ah,” the white-eyed mage said, a slow grin forming. “They’re coming.”

Cantry frowned. How could they tell?

Bang!

The lord jumped as the spy was brought aboard. It took three Seacats to drag him over the side, the spy struggling against his bonds. He tripped when they finally got him on the deck and the Seacats tried to pick him back up. Martin brought his legs close to his chest then kicked out with all his strength. The unfortunate tomcat got hit in his middle and went crashing back into the railing around the deck. Four other Venter soldiers had to rush over to hold the young spy down on the deck.

“Come, Cantry,” the blue-haired mage chuckled. “Let’s go greet him.”

“No,” Cantry stuttered, taking a step back. “I don’t want…”

The soldiers and Seacats somehow managed to drag Martin to them. The spy dug his heels into the deck to make their way harder. They finally had to punch the spy in the stomach, forcing him to his knees to keep him from fighting. He took in the three mages, his frame shaking with seething anger.

“Welcome to the Soyier,” the short mage chuckled. “I hope you’re journey was a pleasant one.”

Martin snorted through his gag and tried to jerk his shoulders out of the soldiers’ hold.

“No?” the mage went on. “Well, we can’t have everything? Now can we, Santer?”

Cantry shook. Did he hear the mage right? Did he say Santer?

The spy froze, his chest moving with slow deep breaths. The mages chuckled. “Yes,” blue-haired said. “We know who you are. But, your highness, we want you to meet someone. The one responsible for your capture.”

Cantry felt invisible force pull him forward. Martin’s eyes flashed with anger as he looked at him. Cantry felt his blood turn cold as the spy shook with new anger. The look in his eyes spoke of his hate. You betrayed me!

“Well, Cantry,” white-eyed laughed, slapping him on the back and jerking him out of the spy’s unforgiving stare. “What do you think? Your prince in all his glory. Changed face and all.” He looked critically down at the spy. “He does look like a commoner, doesn’t he?”

Martin scowled. Smack! The spy suddenly jerked to the side and knocked one of the soldiers down. His hands broke loose of his bonds. He didn’t waste time with his freedom. Ripping knives from his boots, he swung them at the other soldiers. The blue-haired mage snapped out a word he didn’t know.

Bang!

Martin suddenly collapsed on the deck, unconscious. The Venter soldiers approached the spy warily.

“He’s out cold,” the short one snorted. “Take him below and chain him up. We’ll talk with him when he can’t use his powers.” Cantry was frozen to the spot as the soldiers picked the spy up and carried him below.

“He can’t be the prince,” he whispered, shaking his head. “He’s just a spy!”

“A spy?” white-eyed asked, frowning thoughtfully. “That explains some things. But we’ll get our answers later.”

“But he is the crown prince,” blue-haired chuckled. “We should know. We’re responsible for changing the Santer’s face.”

“We figured you didn’t know who he really was,” the short mage added, grinning. “That’s why we wanted you to meet him. Congratulations, Cantry. You didn’t betray an orphaned spy. You’ve betrayed a Santer, the crown prince, no less.”

The truth of their words crashed on him. Dropping to his knees, the lord of Evan’s Stand felt tears streaming down his cheeks as the mages continued to grin. What have I done? He had thought he had been saving the Stand. Now he knew he had betrayed all of Aeterna.
*********
“No!”

Glen pounded the table, the force of his fist breaking through it. The council jumped at the force of his objection. How dared they say it was for the best to leave Martin with his fate!

“Martin would risk his neck for any of you!” he snapped, pulling his hand out of the table. “Think of what he’s done for all of you!” He glared at the council, those there. For some reason Lord Cantry, Gillian, and the commander’s staff were missing. Even Yates didn’t show up to the council summons.

“We know,” South said in a calming and soothing tone. Glen gritted his teeth. Why were they trying to calm him down? His friend was in danger! “But Martin would want it this way. I know the lad’s patriotic. He’ll pay the ultimate price for Aeterna.”

Glen wanted to knock all the council flat. Martin would lay down his life for Aeterna, but that didn’t mean he deserved that fate when they could rescue him!

“Exactly why we need to rescue him,” a soft voice said. Glen paused and turned around. Commander Gillian stood by the door of his office. His face was drained of color and he looked sick. “Martin would die for Aeterna, but that doesn’t mean we should let him.” He stared down at his feet. “Especially when he’s…” The prison commander didn’t finish his sentence. Taking a deep breath, he looked back up to meet their gazes with a firm determination. “I will organize a rescue team.”

“You might have trouble finding people to go on it,” Willy yawned. The fat thief tapped his cane on the table. Glen wanted to take that cane and bring it down on the thief’s head. “I know several people who want to see him dead anyway. Myself included.”

Oh, yes. Glen almost snatched the cane.

For the first time that day, Gillian showed a hint of a smile. “There you are wrong. I was just gathering people up. There are too many volunteers that want to go.”

Willy blinked, surprised. “When did the brat become so popular?”

“He’s spent the last two months teaching the citizens how to fight,” Gillian answered. “Many say they owe their lives to the young man because of what he’s taught them. He was their teacher and then their commander. He was there when each team got back and made sure everyone was alright. Martin cares for these people, Willy. And now the people will return the favor.”

“Sir,” Glen started to say, saluting.

“You’re already on the list to go,” Gillian cut in.

“This is all very moving,” Eck sighed, “but how are you going to get to the ship? As I recall, we don’t have any warships. And all the merchant ships have been destroyed by the Seacats. I don’t see how you’re getting out to sea.”

“They’ll be using my ship,” Gillian said slowly, almost painfully. “It’s moored under the fort.”

“What?” Willy yelled, jumping to his feet. “Why didn’t you tell us we had a warship?”

Gillian gritted his teeth. “Because when the Seacats banished me from the sea, they banished my ship as well.”

“Well that’s useful,” Glen muttered. “Give us a ship that can’t sail.”

The prison commander took in a deep breath and then another. “My ship has been out to sea before, after the banishing. It just… hurts me when it does.” Glen frowned. What sort of pain? Gillian shook his head.

“But I am willing to do my part to save Martin.” He stared at his feet again, ashamed. “Since I’m the only one who knows…” Glen was confused. What was with Gillian’s unfinished sentences?

“They’re preparing the ship was we speak,” Gillian said, the authority in his voice and posture returning. “They will be leaving after dusk. The mages won’t kill Martin quickly. We have time to save him.”
************
Oh, my poor, poor character. Only two more posts to this story, then we begin the Secret's Captive. I hope you enjoy!