Ileus: The Dark Prince

When they had started from the Whiteclaw pack, Olivia had never imagined or dared to imagine that she would ride with Kaizan. In fact, she kept her distance. However, now she was riding with him. There was very little space left between them. The constant roll of the horse's gait made her come closer to him ever more, but every time she touched his chest, she would prop up to a straighter position. 

She had become hyper aware of the way she sat with him on the horse, especially as men around them peered at their General. Olivia was trying not to get affected by the feel of his hands that wrapped around her waist and rested on her thighs. They had kept a good pace of the horses because they wanted to reach Silver Vales as soon as possible. Olivia was not new to riding the horse, but her stiffness became painful. She found herself inching close to Kaizan after putting up for an hour. And now her back was pretty pressed to his chest and her hips were again cradled by his thighs. At some point of time, she just gave into the feeling of resting against his chest. Her pain exceeded her stiffness and now she just cherished his warmth. She looked over to see where her horse was and found that one of the soldiers was holding its reins and was only two rows behind her. 

Finn came close to Kaizan and said, "I am sending a few guards to survey the forest ahead. I can sniff the rogues down the path." Kaizan nodded. Finn turned back and ordered some of the soldiers to survey the forests beside the dirt path. They jumped from their horses, shifted into wolves and then loped in the forest. 

A few hours into the forest and the paces of the horses slowed down. Thick, gnarled roots in the ground interspersed with large rocks made it quite a task for the horses to navigate their way through it. Eerie feeling settled in Olivia as she saw that the forest was unusually silent. The soldiers who had shifted to survey the path ahead hadn't returned. She could feel Kaizan getting tense. His muscles had bulged and his shoulders were drawn back. He had held her very tightly in his arms. 

An hour later, the soldiers returned from their patrol. Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. However, her relief was short-lived. She heard rushed clomps of horse hooves behind them. 

"M'lord, there is a big group waiting for you and m'lady not more than two hours from here," said Finn in a breathless voice. He looked at Olivia with weary eyes. "They are planning another ambush to take her hostage and kill her. They have covered a vast area and have prepared well for this attack. Either we stop here, but then that would stall them for a few hours. They will find us or rather her." 

Kaizan's arms gripped Olivia so tightly around her waist that she thought she wouldn't be able to breathe. "Then they are going to die at my hands and rot in hell!" he grated. 

"The group is very big, m'lord," Finn said in an irritated voice. "They outnumber us three times over and it would be absolute stupidity to land into their trap!" 

Kaizan gritted his teeth. "Who is their leader?" he asked. 

"A rogue they call Savage." 

"Then Savage is going to be the first person I will kill!" Kaizan said as he exhaled, his breath forming a cloud in front of him. 

"M'lord, it would be wise to take a detour," said Finn.

"And how do you plan that, Finn?" Kaizan asked, his chest barely able to contain his anger. 

"I have a plan," he said. "However, that plan doesn't include you."

"What do you mean?" Kaizan growled. 

"M'lord, you have to take m'lady out of here. We have just signed the peace treaty and there is someone who doesn't want her to reach Silver Vales. He or she wants to kill her so that the war between the two packs resumes." 

Kaizan's chest was heaving with anger and Olivia too was feeling just as angry as him. She hated the political games, hated the battles and hated that she was used as a pawn in these games. Now that she was in it, she hated that her parents' bargain was being challenged at every step. This would be the second attack on them. Someone was desperate to break the peace accord between them. 

Finn suggested, "You must go away to the Northern Mountains to the Mords tribe. Take shelter there for the next two days and I will fetch a cavalry to get you and m'lady back when the threat is over." 

"Finn!" Kaizan roared. Olivia cringed and there was complete silence in the entire cavalry. "You are asking me to abandon my people while I run for my life?" It was as if his bravery was challenged. 

Finn rolled his eyes. He knew his General. Sometimes, his honor exceeded his love of life. "No, m'lord. I am asking to save the peace treaty," he said pointing at Olivia with his chin. "We have achieved it after five years of war. And then if we lose it with one attack of the rogues, it would be a shame." 

Kaizan narrowed his eyes. After a long moment of silence he said, "What about all of you?" 

"Like I said, I have a plan," said Finn. "But you have to get out of here. I will send two men with you." He pointed to the north. "If you are lucky, you should be there by nightfall. The Mords know us well. They will welcome you with open arms." 

Kaizan had saved their Sarazin from a merciless attack by the Whiteclaw pack two years back and helped him chase the enemy which was threatening to take away their women and enslave them. He peered at Olivia and wondered if she knew about the attack and suddenly his anxiety increased. Would they welcome her? 

"They won't attack your woman," said Finn in a serious tone.. "But make sure you show that she is your woman."