An Unexpected Arrival

I know I’m doing my post a day early, but I don’t think anyone will care. Tomorrow I’ve got to do some training for work and it’s going to take all day and I didn’t think anyone would appreciate waiting until tomorrow night for the post. Speaking of jobs… My posts may move to Thursdays anyway. I really don’t know what my work schedule is going to be like and I know what my Thursdays look like already (classes in Poce in the morning and then spending the rest of the day waiting for my bus). I hope no one minds.

Now, as I said in last week’s post, I’ve got a character arriving that’s going to start a chain reaction of events that’s going to propel the rest of the story to the end of the Secret’s Captive. I get goose bumps just thinking about it! I’ll stop teasing you now. To the story!
***************
Another month had passed since he had chased Tracker out and he had been summoned again to the queen’s office. Martin wasn’t too surprised that she had. Shortly after the commander had named his replacement, he had been called, discretely, to meet the man. The new commander was a younger man, and well respected by the former commander. In fact, the new man was the former commander’s own son. Martin had higher hopes for the new Commander Bentley. He accepted gratefully that Martin was a spy and that he should listen seriously to anything he said.

However, things had settled down fairly quickly after he had stopped the Tracker. Under the influence of Luke’s truth poisons, the captured spies revealed others who had been spying in the mansion and those exposed had been quietly removed. Even his tent mates kept the adventures to themselves, though Jordan near hero worshiped Martin and the others. He cringed as he thought about it. Jordan was more likely to blow his cover with his constant awe now.

But other than that, it had been a quite month. Even Var had lessened his flirting with the girls and Martin had yet to walk in on another kissing session.

Wondering what the queen had summoned him for, Martin walked into her office. Abigail surprisingly wasn’t sitting at her desk, but stood at the large cabinet file in the corner, putting away a file.

“Hello, Martin,” she sighed when she turned around to see who entered her office without permission. “Please sit.”

Bowing, he sat down. Opening another drawer, she pulled out a sheet of paper and sat on her desk. Lacing her fingers together, she considered him for a moment before speaking. “Did you think I was right on sending Sara to the Tree?”

Martin frowned, wondering why the queen would mention her fiery daughter. Especially now. “She needed discipline,” he said slowly. “I can’t think of a better place for it other than under Suit’s command.”

“I know,” she sighed, holding the paper up and reading its message. “But I think she’s learned a bit too well there.”

Martin raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” he asked. “Something has happened?”

“Sara decided that she’s doesn’t want to sit at the Tree while her brother might be here,” the queen explained. “She’s disappeared from the Tree.” She held up a hand as he was about to ask how, silencing him. “It’s not too bad. Suit has someone tracking her. She is safe. However, she is coming here.” She grinned ruefully. “And according to the letter, she should be here sometime this week; she might even be here. If you wouldn’t mind keeping an eye out for her? And if you do happen to find her, please bring her to me.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

Great, he thought. The princess had taken an interest in him when she found out that he might be her brother. She claimed that he was more interesting than the other men at the Tree. She was another person likely to blow his cover if she trailed him here too. But it didn’t surprise him to find out that she snuck out of the Tree to come here. She was a lot like him that sitting still was not something she took easily.

“You are dismissed.”

Martin stood and bowed again before leaving. When he had closed the door, he rolled his eyes. Just when he thought that life was getting easy, this had to crop up. His mind occupied on the princess, he wandered back to his tent. It was one of the days when they didn’t have to go to classes and the majority of the men had gotten passes to go see the circus before it left. That was fine with Martin. He had plans on spending the day with Sona after she finished her filing. They had started walking the paths in the small forest, talking and stealing kisses. He smiled when he thought about it. Sona had told him that he was much better kisser now.

Arriving to his tent, he was a bit surprised to find both Jordan and Var standing outside their tent. They stopped talking as he approached. The two men had been a lot more quiet around him since they learned he was a spy, which was fine with him. The less chatter from Jordan and sneering from Var was a benefit.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Well,” Jordan said, looking down and shifting his feet. “Var’s just giving me some tips about finding a woman…”

Martin raised an eyebrow. It wasn’t like Var to give up such information easily.

“Don’t get the wrong idea,” Var snapped. “I just don’t want to be caught again by a spy.” Martin rolled his eyes. So that’s what it was. He didn’t bother to mention that Luke had managed to find all the spies at the estate and no one had been able to get into the grounds without a thorough background check.

Var glanced over his shoulder, smirking. “In fact, let’s practice that flirting I was telling you about.” A servant girl of about fourteen was approaching, her head bowed, her bonnet covering most of her face. Var grabbed Jordan and positioned him to intercept the girl.

“Now,” he said, watching the girl approach. “The first thing about girls you need to know is that they liked to be smiled at. It makes them feel attractive. And say hello, be bold and show her you aren’t afraid of a pretty face.” Pushing the farmer on the back, Var stood back to watch Jordan try his new tricks. Martin sighed. He knew exactly who the girl was. The girl had her head bowed so that she didn’t see Jordan until she bumped into him. Even then, she didn’t even look up.

“I’m sorry sir,” she said, trying to pass off an uneducated accent, though Martin could tell instantly that it was fake. “Please excuse me.”

“I’m not mad,” Jordan said, a bit terrified that he had already scared the girl. He tried to smile but she wouldn’t look up. He bent down with a frown, trying to see her face. “Aren’t you a bit young to be here?”

“She is,” Martin said, walking up and standing next to the girl. He patted her head. “She isn’t even supposed to be here. Are you, your highness?” He pulled the bonnet off the princess’s head. Sara Santer glared at him, jumping up to grab the bonnet he held out of her reach.

“Martin!” she snapped, reaching as far as up as she could but still unable to grab it. “Give that back!”

“Fine,” Martin sighed, putting the bonnet back on her head and rubbing it on, shoving it over her eyes. “But I’m afraid I’m going to have to make a citizens arrest.”

“Arrest?” Sara asked as she pulled the bonnet up, her grey eyes wide. “You wouldn’t!”

“Yes I would,” Martin chuckled, firmly grabbing her shoulder. “You know you aren’t supposed to be here. And I’ve got orders to return you to your mother if I find you first.” Sara glared at him, adjusting the bonnet better on her head.

“Wait…” Jordan said, paling and staring at the princess. There was no question to who her mother was. The queen and her daughter were near mirror images of each other. “Princess Sara?” Even Var was staring wide eyed.

“I wouldn’t bother bowing to her,” Martin said, smirking. “It’ll only swell her head.”

“I don’t need to be kept humble,” Sara snapped at him, trying to yank herself free. “I’m a princess of Aeterna!”

“You’re a spoiled brat,” Martin corrected sternly, steering her away. “And I’ve still got orders.” He was sure that his tent mates were shocked at his causal tone and disrespectful attitude toward a princess. He found that he didn’t care. He was the crown prince and she was his little sister. It was about time she was treated like one.

Sara finally stopped struggling as they left the rows of tents, resigned to the fact that he was going to obey orders. “You’d think that they’ve never seen a princess before,” she grumbled as they walked to the mansion. “The least they could have done was greet me.”

“You caught them at a bad time,” Martin chuckled, the situation extremely funny to him. “The farmer you bumped into was trying to learn to flirt.” Sara’s face grew long, realizing what he had saved her from.

“I’m too young to flirt,” she whispered, horrified. “What made them think I was old enough?”

“You’re a girl walking around the single men’s tents,” he pointed out to her. “I’m surprised that you weren’t grabbed into a kiss.” That comment made her blush. No one else was around as they made walked into the mansion and to Abigail’s office.

Martin silently analyzed his little sister. The last time they had seriously talked was before he left for the Stand. Then she had been a testy thirteen year old, angry at the world for boxing her in. While he could relate, he didn’t feel any obligations to pamper the girl. She had been raised as a princess and took for grated that things were given to her. It was this attitude of needing to get out but also wanting to keep her pampered life that rubbed him wrong. He had decided shortly after meeting the princess that he would not treat her like one. She was just another spoiled brat that needed a good strong dose of reality.

Now that he looked at her, a younger version of the queen with small frame, blond hair, and grey eyes, he could tell there was a difference. The year she had spent living at the Tree had changed her. Perhaps not enough to completely get rid of her pampered needs, but the near fourteen year old now looked as if she knew there were more people than her in this world with greater need.

“You’ve changed,” Martin noted, finally letting go of her shoulder. “There would have been a time when you would have ordered me to let go all the way to the queen’s office.” Sara sighed, her shoulders slumping.

“I suppose you can say that,” she said softly. “Suit… was very frank with me at times.” Martin nodded in understanding. The spy master was known for his lectures that often left others in tears. They walked in silence for a minute.

“You’ve changed,” Sara suddenly said.

“Me?” he asked, a bit surprised. “How so?”

“I don’t know,” she said honestly, frowning as she examined his face. “There’s… Well, you’ve always been somber and grave, but… there’s a new gravity to you. Like you’ve seen something you shouldn’t have.”

“You could put it that way,” he slowly said, turning the corner. He suppressed a shiver as he remembered what had happened at the Stand and his growing powers. “Those in my line of work often see such things.”

Sara shivered. “So I’ve heard.”

They arrived to the queen’s office, Sara now fidgeting as he knocked on the door. The monarch and her daughter often fought, it had been part of the reason why Abigail sent Sara to the Tree. However, the princess still loved her mother, even if she did try to deny it, and she didn’t want to disappoint the queen.

“Enter,” the queen’s voice echoed through the door. Giving the slumping princess an encouraging pat on the back, he opened the door and led her in. Abigail looked up in surprise.

“Martin,” she said, seeing him first, “you actually knocked…” The words died on her tongue as her grey eyes fell on her daughter.

“Hello, mother,” Sara said quietly, knowing she was in trouble. Martin itched to get out of the room. Family confrontations always made him uncomfortable. He had grown up without being part of a family and just could not understand why a family would fight when they were just so blessed to have each other.

Abigail sighed, leaning back. “Sara,” she said, shaking her head. “Why?”

“Oh, mother!” Sara wailed, dropping down into one of the chairs by her desk. “I want to help find my brother!”

“Obviously.”

“May I leave?” Martin asked, hoping to get out of this before they dragged him into their fight.

“Yes,” Abigail sighed, looking at her tearful daughter. Those tears, Martin knew, were real. The princess did want to find her brother. Just had he had grown up without a family, she had grown up without siblings in an adult world. “I’ll summon you later.”

Martin quickly bowed and left, glad he got out of it.
**********
Two days later he was summoned again to the queen’s office. He was in Grelend’s study for the advanced class when a messenger came with the summons. The others looked at him confused, while Thomas, Var, and Calvin wore expressions of surprise. The queen didn’t often call the men to her office publicly. Wondering why Abigail would summon him, he left the class and wandered down to her office.

It had been big news two days before when the queen announced that the princess was also there. Since then Sara had been mingling with the men, dressed like a proper princess instead of a servant, getting to know them just as her mother had done. Some men were quick to talk to her while others tired to avoid her. He didn’t think the princess noticed. When he got there, the princess and queen were sitting at a table, sharing some tea.

“You summoned me?” he asked, bowing briefly then standing at attention.

“Yes,” Abigail said, smiling a bit. “Please sit.”

Martin stared at the other chair, confused. He had never been this informal with the queen. Hesitantly he took the seat, assessing his mother and sister. Both looked clam; Sara even looked happy.

“Would you care for something to drink?” the queen offered, pouring more tea for herself. He shook his head; this just felt too strange. “You’re probably wondering why I’ve summoned you.”

“Yes,” he said, curious about why the mother and daughter weren’t fighting. If anything, they looked like they were on good terms.

“I need you to take Sara to an army post where she will then be escorted back to Nacre.”

Martin blinked. He wasn’t expecting that. Glancing at the princess, he saw that she was smiling, as if she was happy with the decision.

“You look confused,” Sara noted, smiling even wider.

“I thought you wanted to look for your brother.”

“I still do,” Sara said, smirking. “But my mother thinks I could do more in Nacre.”

“How?”

“Sara is of the age to start taking on Santer responsibilities,” Abigail said, smiling fondly at her daughter. “It would be a shame to not use her now. Especially since she’s grown up since she was last in Nacre.” That got a blush out of the princess, lowering her eyes. Interesting, Martin thought. Apparently the princess had received this praise from the queen before and it still surprised her.

“I’m going to act as a voice of the Santers,” Sara explained, quickly covering her embarrassment. “Mom will send me reports about the search here and I’ll relate that to the people “

“How is that helping to find your brother?” Martin asked, skeptical. It sounded like the queen wanted her daughter out of the way but still give the princess something useful to do.

“Not finding him exactly,” Sara said, tilting her head to the side. “More like prepare for his return. There’ve been rumors that Mom’s doesn’t have complete control of her faculties…”

“In short,” Martin summed up, “there are rumors saying she’s insane.” Sara blushed at how blunt he was.

“Essentially,” the queen answered, not the least fazed that he had just called her crazy. “There is no doubt that I have lost much to Terk, my son, my husband, my brother.” Martin frowned; he hadn’t heard about the queen’s brother. “There are parties that would like to see me as a delicate woman who can’t function without my husband or another man. It makes them nervous that I’ve been able to hold the throne for so long.”

“But I’m not crazy,” Sara whispered, glancing to at the queen to make sure she wasn’t going to get in trouble for interrupting. Abigail nodded her approval and the princess went on with more confidence. “I’m just a teenager, new to the world of politics. They’re going to test me, and what better test than making sure they’re ready for my brother’s arrival at court.”

“And you really think she can do the job?” Martin asked, eying the teenage princess, causing her to blush again.

“Sara has been raised from the crib to deal with politics,” Abigail said proudly. “And the year under Suit was a good thing for her. I have every confidence in her to prepare the court for her brother.”

Martin stared at the two women as they gave encouraging smiles at each other. They were serious! And they didn’t even seem to be at odds with each other. But more than that, something else hit him.

They’re already getting ready for me, he thought. They don’t know me but they’re ready to do what they can. He wasn’t sure what he thought of that. All his life he had to fight for what he got, from the streets to the spy network, nothing was ever given to him. And here they were, ready to help even though they didn’t know who he was. It made him nervous, but it also aroused another emotion he was not used to dealing with.

Guilt.
*****************
It was still another couple of days before he and Sara embarked to the army outpost on the other side of Raven Pass. Although it was not the most direct course to Nacre, it was the closest outpost to them. They would have the recourses and man power to escort the princess back to the capital to begin her work. The morning of their departure, Martin looked the princess, her horse, and her gear over.

“It’ll do,” he finally concluded, turning to his Rowan. For the sake of safety, it was decided that the princess would be disguised so no one would recognize her on the road. The mansion had been told that she had left the night before because she was anxious to get to Nacre. In truth, she had spent the night tucked away in Sona’s apartment. Now she was dressed in a servant’s uniform, her hair carefully died to look darker. She busied herself with adjusting the bonnet back on her head. He had given her a stern lecture that her safety depended on her disguise and that she would obey his orders without question. It had been a surprise when she had gracefully accepted those terms.

The queen wasn’t there to send them off. It must be believed that the princess had left the night before. The excuse Martin had for him and the disguised princess for leaving the mansion was that he was asked by a family friend to return their runaway daughter. Truthful enough.

Sticking his foot in the stirrup, Martin vaulted himself up onto his horse, Sara doing so like wise. He bit his tongue as he watched. The princess was a known horseman, her favorite pastime being riding her horses out in the country side. However, for her disguise she was supposed to not know much about horses. The simple fact that she mounted her horse flawlessly, and side saddle, proved that she knew what she was doing.

Perhaps I’m going to have to revise her back story, Martin thought, steering his horse for the gate. Sara may have spent a good time at the Tree and picked up a few things, but she wasn’t a spy. The story he came up for her had to match what she did.

Showing the passes to the men at the gate, they left the mansion and rode through the town. The circus was busy tearing down to go to another city and the majority of the kids went to watch. The other inhabitants were busy with their own lives, working oblivious to the fact that their princess was riding past them. Soon the city gave way to fields, the occasional farm house breaking up the rows of fields. It was only then that Martin decided to strike up a conversation.

“So,” he said, “what made you decide to go to Nacre?”

Sara had been staring at the fields when he asked. Frowning, she turned to him. “What do you mean? Nacre is my home.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “But I also know you. You want adventure and Nacre politics, I’ve found for the most part, aren’t adventurous.”

Sara blushed at his accurate deduction. “Honestly?” He nodded. She bit her lower lip, looking nervous. “Mom showed me the paperwork.”

Martin burst out laughing.

“It’s not funny!” Sara wailed, looking earnest. “She showed me all that paperwork that she and Sona have to go through… It’s boring! At least, if I’m in Nacre, trying to prepare the court for my brother’s return, arguing with nobles, carefully word what I have to say to the public… That’s a lot more interesting than all that paperwork!”

“I suppose it is,” Martin said, still chuckling. “Tell me. How were you going to handle being queen one day if you don’t like paperwork?”

Sara groaned, looking out over the fields again. “I suppose I need to grow up sometime… But I don’t have worry about that now, now don’t I? My brother’s going to inherit. Not me.” There was something in her tone that he couldn’t quite recognize.

“Does that make you jealous?” Martin asked, fishing for an answer. “Are you disappointed that you’ll probably never have the throne?”

She laughed weakly, turning back to him. “Disappointed? No. Relieved? Yes. I am, however, faced with a new problem.”

“Oh?”

“I have to figure out what I want to do,” she said, staring at the horn of her saddle. “Sure, I’ve daydreamed about being something other than a princess… but I knew those dreams weren’t for me. Now they do and I don’t know which dream I should pursue.”

“Tell me about them,” Martin offered. The princess shook, staring at him with shock.

“Tell you?”

He shrugged. “Why not? Perhaps I could help you. I’ve done a lot of things in my life. Perhaps I could help you in a direction.”

Sara hesitated for a moment before launching into her narrative. The miles flew by as they talked of her future. The land gradually changed from farm land to meadows, and then a few trees cropped up. By after noon, they were starting up the mountain pass, surrounded by a thick forest.

“I’ve noticed,” Martin said after they talked of her idea of becoming a healer, “that you haven’t said anything about marriage.”

Sara blushed. “I want to get married someday,” she admitted, her voice a bit higher than normal. “But I’m still too young.” Martin decided to not point out that girls started marrying at fifteen. Most girls started flirting at Sara’s age.

“I worded that wrong then. I meant about marrying into another noble house. From what I’ve heard and read about nobility is that they like marriage alliances.”

“Yeah,” she grumbled. “But that doesn’t mean much to Santers who don’t inherit. Santer tradition is a bit… different from other royalty. Yes, the heir marries for alliances, but the other children are allowed to pick their own fate. I could be a beggar for the rest of my life, should I wish it.”

Martin rubbed his head, confused. “That doesn’t make much sense. Again, as I understand it, royalty like having a lot of kids so they can have said kids marry into other houses, other nations. Create alliances that way.”

“True for the rest of the world,” Sara said, holding a finger up. “But. How would you like to marry someone who has powers?”

“Mages marry all the time.”

Sara groaned and rolled her eyes. “Powers that could potentially affect their lands? Their weather? The rest of the world puts up with the heir, thus the marriage alliances for them, but they aren’t so forgiving with the others. There is a reason why the Santer line isn’t branched and why it’s rare for the Santer family to have any more than three kids. I’m not the heir, Martin, not any more. Yes, perhaps some nobleman would want to marry me, but it wouldn’t be for an alliance.”

There wasn’t any bitterness in her voice, surprising him. She honestly didn’t care that she didn’t have a place among the nobility anymore. She’s free, he realized. She’s free to be who she wants. No wonder she wondered about her future.

“But until my brother does return to court,” Sara kept saying, not noticing him staring at her, “and until he marries and has heirs, I’m still useful as a Santer. I have time to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life.”

Martin shook his head. He would have thought that she would have wanted to stay in the world of politics, where she had been raised. But her plans, her dreams, were far wider than a normal princess. Sara wanted to help, just not as a noble.

It was getting dark and the top of the pass when Sara finally considered to ask him a question he had been expecting from the start.

“Where are we staying for the night?” she asked, frowning at him. They hadn’t bothered packing bedrolls and the army outpost was on the other side of the pass, another half day’s ride.

“There’s an inn on the top of the pass,” he explained. “We’ll rent a room for the night.”

“Oh,” she said lamely. “I guess I should have paid more attention.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “You should have. But before we get there, I want to tell you about some changes I’ve made to your story…”

“You’re in danger.”

Martin froze. That voice! He had heard it before, when he was fighting for his life in the ocean near Evan’s Stand. Pulling his horse to a stop, he quickly looked around.

“Martin?” Sara asked, stopping her horse. “What is it?”

He held up a hand to her, silencing her. The voice said they were in danger. Opening himself up to emotions, he searched for signs of life. The forest had gone still and quiet. There was a wrongness in the shadows of the trees, coming closer. Whoever was approaching meant harm.

“Heithery!” he swore. “Sara! RUN!” He kicked Rowan into a canter, back down the pass. Behind him, he could hear the princess’s horse close on his, The ones in the forest panicked, realizing that they had been found out. They started running to catch up. Sparing a glance back, Martin saw them crash into the road, chasing after them. Sara also looked back, gasping in shock.

“Martin!” she cried, turning forward again.

“Keep running!” he yelled, returning his attention to the road. His Rowan could outrun most horses, and Sara’s horse was an old messenger horse used to running. Their pursuers were on foot… He sensed more up ahead. A trap!

Not wasting time, he pulled Rowan to a stop again, turned around, and charged for the men on foot. Sara cried out in alarm but was quick to follow his lead. He would rather run through the men on foot than see what sort of trap they had ready for them. They were about to run through the men…

SLAM!

Martin hit the ground, the air forced from his lungs. Someone had knocked him out of his saddle and was pinning him to the ground. Martin thought of a hundred ways to pull the man off of him when something hard hit the back of his head. The last thing he remembered was Sara’s terrified scream.
**********
Humming contently to self. I’m not getting any nicer to my characters and I’m not partially bothered by that. Maybe it’s because I know the end…. Next week! Martin and Sara have to figure out to escape this new threat and they’ll run into someone with a secret! Enjoy the journey!