Our landing at an Havanian dock was so easy, I almost wanted to remind Kristoph that I had made the better choice. Of course, we had a dangerous road ahead and so it was too early for any celebration. Kristoph, Joven, and I were still dressed as Havanian soldiers, which would help us move through the countryside without trouble. At least, I hoped there wouldn't be trouble. Much as I tried to hide it, Kristoph clearly understood that I was in no condition for a fight.

The three of us left the boat; then I ordered the rowers and coxswain rowing to return my regent safely to Ordmond. I reminded Albus of my strategies, but was firm that his first priority was to send out a search for royal Princess Mandalin. If Bronn made it to Aramoor, then I hoped he would either stay there where it was safe, or return to Anneleon in the company of Aramoor's army and under their protection.

To avoid any argument, I explained only what was necessary of my plans. Kristoph's mouth was pinched in a thin line of disapproval and Albus didn't look much happier. Joven clearly thought I had gone insane during my time in captivity, and as that wasn't entirely impossible, I didn't contradict him. In the end, they agreed to all that I asked, and Albus made Kristoph and Joven promise to keep me safe. Kristoph replied that he could protect me from everyone but myself, which I thought was a fair compromise.

After Albus left, Mott, Tobias, and I obtained some food and three sturdy horses from a farmer on the outskirts of the swamp. Eeron's camp was farther south than our position, and I hoped our path would keep us far from there. I couldn't stomach the thought of returning, willingly or not.

Gradually the sun rose at our backs. We were heading west at a slower pace than I wanted, but Kristoph insisted I preserve my strength and recover from the past several days. Patience had never been a virtue that interested me, and certainly one I had never courted. But for now, it was a necessary one. When night fell, I arranged for an inn where we could spend the night with a good sleep. With our uniforms, and my Havanian accent, nobody gave us a second look.

I felt much better the following morning, and even managed a meal of real food, or the closest thing to it in Havania. Once we were on the road again, Joven asked, "Shouldn't we turn farther south to reach Rakes?"

"We have another stop first," I said.

Kristoph groaned. "You remember we're deep in enemy territory, correct?"

"The people here aren't my enemy," I said. "Only their king. I need to send a message."

"Carried in the hands of an Havanian? Richard, you might not consider these people your enemy, but they won't look so kindly upon you. If you had a message to send, it should've gone with Albus yesterday."

"A fine idea, if I'd have thought of it yesterday," I snapped.

We rode for another hour before we came to the edge of the thieves' camp, the place where I had first been taken on my way to the pirates. It had always been a bustle of activity, and I'd expected the same liveliness now.

But it was different this time.

I left my sword in place as we rode into camp, but had my hand ready, just in case. The few men still there came to their feet to greet us, but they looked more like scavengers than thieves. A few were armed, but nobody went for their weapons. I recognized a few men but most of them were new faces. I had no friends here.

"You've picked us over enough!" a drunken man shouted through blurred words. "None of us here can fight --- the last group of soldiers knew that and left us alone."

With some nervousness, Kristoph and Joven looked at each other, and I remembered how we were dressed.

"What happened to the others who were here?" I asked. "Did they volunteer to fight?"

"Volunteered at the point of a sword," a man said. "They took everyone who might be of use."

Another man sauntered forward, staring at me. "How old are you, boy? You're no soldier. Or no leader amongst them, if you are."

"No leader amongst Havanian soldiers, no." When I removed my helmet, there was enough of a reaction that it was clear some of them knew me. "My name is Richard. I am the King of Anneleon, king of the Havanian pirates, and a friend of Zick's, who was in charge here. If you don't wish to fight for Eeron, then join me now. Ride with me and let's leave this place."

"Or we could capture you and earn a lifetime of gold from Eeron," the man nearest to us said.

I snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. If you had the ability to capture me, you'd have already been recruited."

They gave up and half turned away from me. "We're Havania," another thief said, sitting back down beside his fire. "We'll stay here."

"As you wish. But that's a thin stew in your pot, and I can help thicken it. If you're hungry, I'll pay your fastest rider to deliver a message back to Anneleon for me."

"No," Joven hissed. "You can't trust these men." But I only ignored him.

The man closest to me lifted his hands to his hips. "I'm the fastest rider here. What's your message?"

"It goes to my commander in Ordmond." I eyed him steadily. "Can you deliver it?"

He held my gaze. "On my word of honor as a thief."

Which, at best, was a contradiction in terms. Continuing, I said, "Good enough, I suppose. Tell him that during my time in captivity, I was forced to reveal our key strategies in this war, so everything must change. I need every spare man moved to Ordmond to protect the castle, and I want every trap ready in that city. I also want the wealth of Anneleon moved to a place called Black Hollow. It'll be safer there." I leaned in to him. "Now promise me that this message will reach my castle."

"That's a pretty dangerous message." He nodded at a single garlin clasped in my fist. "...I hope you're planning on paying more than that."

I stuffed the coin back into my pocket. That one wasn't for him. "No doubt Eeron would consider this message far more valuable than what I can afford to pay you here. But my companion will give you a few garlins now, and you may ask for many more once you've reached Ordmond."

I gestured to Kristoph, who reached into his saddlebag and withdrew a handful of coins for the man. He pocketed the money and then told the other thieves to get his horse ready.

There was nothing more to keep us here now. I wished the men well and told them we had to be on our way. After we rode off, Kristoph said, "While in captivity, you lied to Havania about our plans."

"...Yes."

"And now you wish to change all our actual plans to fit those lies?"

"It seemed like a good idea."

He stared at me for a moment, and then shrugged. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"If I don't, then you'll always be there to point out my mistakes."

I smiled from the corner of my mouth and Kristoph chuckled lightly. The joke eased the tension that had been between us since my rescue, and even Joven relaxed somewhat. After another few hours, we stopped to give the horses a rest and for us to share some of the food we had brought with us from the inn. In the warmth of the day, we took shade beneath the canopy of a tall yew tree that overlooked the coast of the Blue Hale Sea in the distance. It was uncommonly beautiful and I longed to one day board a ship and set sail across it.

Before taking bites for themselves, both Kristoph and Joven leaned against the trunk and allowed me to eat as greedily as I needed to. It helped to return my strength, though it wasn't nearly enough for the conversation I had been avoiding since my escape.

When it couldn't be delayed any longer, I asked Kristoph, "Did I do the right thing, coming after you in that camp?"

"No." He sighed heavily and looked sideways at me. "But it wasn't the wrong thing either. The night you rescued me, from the minute they brought Imogen there, I knew I would tell them everything they wanted. I'd have failed you, Richard."

"I'd have done no better. I didn't even last long when they put Kristoph against me and he isn't nearly as pretty."

Joven snorted a laugh and said he wouldn't even try to disagree with that.

We rested awhile, and then Kristoph said, "...About Doranna ---"

My eyes had been closed, thinking again of that last moment with her. "I thought I could save her. And you as well."

"You did save me. She might have gotten away too, but she wouldn't leave you behind any more than you'd have left her."

"She took the arrow intended for me. She gave her life for mine."

"And you risked yours for us. Why didn't you send someone else in? We have other warriors capable of that rescue."

"I knew Havania was looking for information, and if anyone was captured they'd dredge my plans from them, as they would've done with you. But if I became their captive, I knew I could give them the exact information I wanted. Which I did."

Joven shook his head. "If you were going to lie, why not just tell them at first, before they had to beat it out of you?"

"They'd never have believed me if I made it that simple." My voice softened as I felt again their strikes and blows. "They had to beat it out of me so that they would accept my lies. It was going to happen anyway. At least we got something from it." The price for misdirecting them had been very high, so much that it had nearly killed me. But we had an advantage now in the war. Havania would waste a great deal of energy chasing shadows that did not exist.

Little more was spoken until we were back on the road again. Then my thoughts inevitably turned back to Doranna . I said, "The arrow hit below her shoulder, but might've missed her heart. If she survived the fall, then they would've tried to heal her, so they could use her against me."

"Then why didn't that happen?" Joven spoke gently, knowing his words would add to the crushing ache within me. "If she survived, of course they would've used her and not me. So why didn't they?"

I already knew the answer, though I couldn't find it in me to speak the words. She had said it herself when we were together. Even if she had survived, she would try to die. She would choose that, rather than allow herself to become a weapon against me.

But this understanding only stirred my frustrations. "Why did she stop that archer? All she had to do was run."

Kristoph pressed his lips together, then with the same calmness as Joven had used, said, "She stopped him because that's who she was. Don't be angry for what was best about her."

....