Light snow began to fall as Beau continued his forced march out of Mount Hope. The white specs floated in the air before him like tiny white feathers on a gentle breeze. He put his hand out and let the snow land upon his skin, watching the powder stick to his clothing as it slowly began to accumulate.

Julius walked up and stood at his side. “The forest goes on and on, never-ending. There are more trees than men in the world. How do animals survive out here with no food to eat.”

“They eat one another,” Beaumont replied darkly. “It is the only way to live in the wilderness. The mouse eats the grain, the fox eats the mouse, the wolf eats the fox, and man hunts the wolf, as Corin would say.”

“Now men hunt us,” Julius said.

Beau smiled weakly as an amusing thought entered his mind. “Are we wolves then?”

“No, we are children in a man’s world,” Julius said, not amused by Beau’s attempted cleverness. The silence was shattered by Shadow-cry screeching as he dived past them. Nisila turned around, locking eyes with Beau; She looked afraid.

“There they are!” a voice echoed behind them. Beau turned around, and in the distance between the trees, he saw movement. Two men on horseback were riding down the slope toward them. Beau saw his nightmare finally come to life. His enemies were no longer hiding and waiting, they were after him openly, and he would be captured.

“Damn it,” Gavin cursed. “You call that a warning, your bird is worthless. They are already on us! Run, get to the bottom of this hill.” Beau and Julius both froze at the sight of the riders charging at them.

“Prince Beaumont, run, now!” Nisila shouted, breaking Beau’s trance. He grabbed Julius and ran down the slope. Gavin half ran, half jumped to the bottom, carrying Nisila at his side. She grimaced in pain as they crashed onto the snow-covered earth below the hill.

Gavin pushed Nisila along. “Take the boys and run straight ahead. Let them see you.” He pulled his sword and put his back to a nearby tree.

Nisila did not argue; she took Beau and Julius, and ran as fast as she could. Beau glanced back to see Gavin with his sword out, his chest heaving with each breath. He motioned vigorously with his head for them to keep going. Nisila was leading the way but their movement felt slow and awkward. Beau did not know what Gavin was planning but he knew they would never outrun the men on horseback.

The first rider came dashing down the hill in a spray of snow. He went wide, passing to the left of the tree Gavin hid behind. The second rider came around the right of the tree, much closer to Gavin than the first man. Gavin did not hesitate. He reached up and took the man by his arm, yanking him out of the saddle onto the ground, he stabbed him in the back.

The first horseman was right upon Nisila but turned in surprise as he heard his comrade scream. Seeing Gavin standing over the body, he charged him, waving a hand ax in the air. Gavin did not move to get out of the way but instead poised himself as if he would take the charge head-on. Beau was no warrior, but even he knew to stand before a charging horse was suicide. Just as the horse was about to crash into Gavin, Beau turned away, too afraid to look.

What he did not see was Gavin sidestep at the last moment and strike the horse across its forelegs, forcing the massive beast to crash into the earth. The rider screamed as he pitched to the ground.

“With me,” Nisila said as she took hold of the first horse that wandered over to them. “We will ride. Beau in front, Julius in the back.”

“What about Gavin?” Beau asked.

Nisila looked back and Gavin had his sword drawn facing the man he just unhorsed. “He can take care of himself, he will find us, Shadow-cry will lead him. Get on, we don’t have much time.”

With much effort, Nisila climbed up and helped the boys in place. As she turned the horse around to leave, Beau took one last look at Gavin. The two men were slowly circling one another. Gavin spared Beau a quick glance, it was a glare filled with malice. Gavin engaged the fallen rider and the weapons rang as they collided. The horse took off and Beau grabbed on tightly to Nasila’s waist. They rode through the brush, as the faint echo of steel faded in the distance.

Beau felt a pang of guilt course through him. They left Gavin alone to fend for himself. If more men showed up, which was likely at this point, he would be overwhelmed.

The horse they rode suddenly reared and threw them off. Beau went soaring through the air landing hard on the ground. His shoulder and back throbbed, and he cried as he tried to find his footing.

With tears streaming out of his eyes, he heard Nisila moaning, but he could not find her. He came up to his knees, looking around, and saw Julius standing on wobbly feet, shaking his head.

“Prince Beaumont,” Nisila said through gritted teeth, and Beau spun around to face her. “You have to keep going.” She lay on her side, the horse next to her with a quill protruding out if its head. There was shouting from somewhere in the distance–men arriving out of the woods. Beau crawled on his hands and knees toward her, as she waved him away.

“There is no time,” Nisila said, turning over on her chest. “You and Julius have to run. Get out of here now!” Beau looked back and saw his cousin making his way toward him, glancing back as he stumbled over the loose snow and fallen branches on the forest ground.

“More men are coming,” Julius said. “What are we going to do?” Seeing Nisila incapacitated on the ground, Julius threw his hands up, grabbing the short tuft of black hair upon his head as if he were going to tear his head from his shoulders. He began to hyperventilate and his eyes roamed like a wild animal looking for a way to escape the coming terror. Beau knew they could not take Nisila. She was too heavy for them to carry.

“I am afraid, I don’t know what to do,” He confessed to Nisila.

“Trust your instinct, be brave,” She replied, not looking up from the ground. “Shadow-cry will guide you.” Beau knew there was nothing else she could do for him. He felt as if he would vomit, but he took a deep breath, held onto Julius, and ran. Just overhead, he heard the raven call to them. When he looked up at the bird, it leaped from the branch it was on and flew off.

Beau hurried after him trying his best to follow Shadow-cry through the trees. Beau could not form any words in his head. The sound of himself breathing and the crash of his feet through the snow was overwhelming. His legs were the only thing he felt he had control over, so he kept running, wishing for a miracle to save Julius and himself.

“You get the children, and I’ll watch her,” Beau heard the riders. Beau and Julius tried to go faster, as another rider sped up after them. It would be impossible to escape. The rider went wide and pulled up directly in front of them.

“The road ends here, boys,” The mounted man said, as Beau felt his heart sink into his stomach. The rider had ruddy skin, long dark hair, and a full black beard. He urged his horse toward them, his eyes gleaming with pride. Beau turned around to find Nisila was still on the ground. A man dismounted his horse and walked up behind her, cradling a crossbow in his arms. He was dark of skin with short black hair and mean beady eyes.

Nisila looked up and saw the boys being herded by the horseman. “No! Leave them be!” she cried out. Slowly she began crawling forward. The two men both laughed at an attempt to get to the boys.

“Woah, young lady, where are you getting off too,” said the man holding the crossbow. Nisila ignored him, still trying her hardest to get to her prince. Beau saw the man raise his weapon and aim at Nisila. He tried to cry out, but his voice caught in his throat. Julius put his face into Beau’s chest.

The man fired, and the quill entered the back of Nisila’s right leg. Beau shuddered as he heard her scream echo through the forest. She reached back holding her leg, her face down in the snow.

“It’s over, woman,” the man said as he loaded another quill. “Now tell me, are you alone out here?” Beau saw the man throw his hands up, dropping the quill and crossbow. A look of pain twisted his features, and he slumped to his knees, revealing Gavin standing behind him, pulling a bloodied sword from his back. White mist streamed out of Gavin’s nostrils as he stood with the falling snow whipping about him. He casually wiped his sword on his cloak.

The rider who stood watch over Beau and his cousin bellowed a curse as he urged his horse into a charge. Gavin carefully sheathed his sword and picked up the crossbow and quill. The rider was bearing down on him, screaming and waving his sword as a madness had come over him. Gavin loaded the crossbow and shot the rider in the throat. The man fell over with his leg tangled in the stirrups.

The horse turned and took off into the trees dragging the lifeless sell-sword on the ground. The first horse was spooked and took off in the opposite direction.

“Damn, lost them both,” Gavin shouted. He shouldered the crossbow and removed a handful of quills off the dead man at his feet. He reached down to pick Nisila up, throwing her limp arm over his broad shoulders. He began dragging her forward while the leg pierced with the quill remained stiff and bleeding. She could no longer hold herself up properly, leaning on him to carry her.

“Don’t stand there looking stupid, move your asses!” Gavin shouted as he came upon the boys. Beau shook out of his stupor and urged Julius on. He followed Gavin, eyeing the long line of blood Nisila left behind. After a few feet, Nisila called for Gavin to stop, and he put her down against a tree.

Gavin retrieved water from his pack and helped her to take a drink. Beau noticed how deeply she breathed, and her head bobbed up and down as if her neck could not keep her head up any longer. The falling snow became thicker, and Beau could not see much in the distance through all the whiteness. A cold chill crept up his neck, but it was not from the weather. They were sitting and doing nothing and the enemies hunting them were still out there.

“What are we waiting for?” Beau asked hysterically. “What if more of them show up?” Nisila and Gavin did not respond as Gavin knelt before her. Beau looked back and forth between them. He felt like an unspoken conversation was taking place; it was clear in the way they looked at one another.

“Well, what are we going to do?” Julius asked as he scanned the surrounding woods frantically. They all spun around as a horn echoed in the distance. Gavin looked at Nisila once again, but he had greater urgency in his eyes. Nisila shook her head, to answer Gavin’s unspoken question, and she lowered her head with a deep sigh. Gavin began stripping her of her possessions. He took her sword and began to remove her cloak.

“Stop it. What are you doing?” Beau asked, confused. “Help her to her feet, bind her wounds; they are coming.”

It was Nisila who responded, her voice soft and weak. “Prince Beaumont, listen to me. You need to follow Gavin now. He will see you safely to Morris Port. I cannot go on.”

“But you must!” Beau cried out, realizing that they would be left alone with Gavin. “We cannot make it without you. You made us leave and come out here; you have to stay and help us…I command you to stay and help us, please.” Beau pleaded as he tried to pull her up. He felt Gavin firmly grasp his arm and push him away. Gavin took her purse last, checking the contents before whisking it away under his armor.

Gavin took the crossbow and loaded it, placing it in Nisila’s hands. He put the remaining quills at her side. As he began to stand, she grabbed his arm.

“Look at me,” she said forcefully, with what looked like the absolute last of her strength. “You swear to me that you will see them safely to Aiti. You swear by all that you hold dare. If you ever had any honor at all in your life, then you will swear this.” Gavin avoided her eyes. She tugged at him, and he spun around angrily. Beau thought he would lash out at her, but he sighed and nodded.

“Say the words,” Nisila said.

“I swear it,” Gavin muttered, and when she would not let him go, he shook his head. “I swear on my honor as a warrior of the New Brotherhood. I will see the boys to safety.” Satisfied, Nisila let him snatch his arm away. He stood up and walked off.

Beau lingered for a moment, too afraid to leave her and too scared to follow Gavin. “Nisila, what are we to do? How can I trust him?”

“He is a mean bastard,” She replied softly. “But I swear he is not evil. Do as he says and you should make it out of this.”

“I am not what you think of me,” Beau sobbed. “I am not brave or strong.”

“Nonsense,” Nisila said through bloodstained teeth. “Look how far you have come already. I have known many men in my life who would not have had the heart to endure half of what you have gone through. I believe in you, Beaumont. When I first set my eyes on you, I knew that you were the son of King Bohemond. Go forth and do what you were born to do. In time you will see it has always been in you. You are my king. You will be king, that is your fate.” She raised her hand to touch his face, leaving a streak of blood on his cheek.

“I only wish I could have done more...I wish I could have taken you all the way home.” Nisila said as tears burst from her eyes, and she finally broke her mask of strength. Beau now found himself wanting to comfort her.

“You don’t have to be sad,” Beau said. “You have done everything you could, and I thank you. I will never forget you.” She smiled brightly at his words, her eyes glistening with joy. It was all he could say, and though it felt empty to him, at least she smiled.

“Your time’s up,” Gavin said, roughly pulling the boys to their feet. “Die well, Nisila.” He took Beau and Julius by their shoulders leading them off into the woods, which was now under assault by a full out snowstorm.

Beau looked back and could make out her leg from behind the tree through the heavy flurry. All trace of her quickly vanished as they went on. Another horn in the distance reminded him if the danger that was still near. With Nisila gone for good, he knew it was only a matter of time before he met the same fate. Beau looked up at Gavin, but the look he got in return only increased his anxiety.

Beau and his cousin were a burden to Gavin, and he did not care about them, the Middle Islands, royalty, or honor. Beau knew the man would leave them at the first chance he got. His only concern now was finding a way to escape his fate. He did not want Julius or himself to suffer. All the death he had seen stained his mind with thoughts of his own demise, and if it would be painful or quick.

Beau dragged his feet through the cold blizzard, and as thick snow whipped his face, the image of Nisila sitting on the ground remained at the forefront of his mind. He left her to die and he knew in his heart the same fate was soon awaiting him.