Chapter 22  The Emptying of Arden

            Ashlyn was surprised that she had awakened so early all on her own.  Normally a servant would have to roust her out of bed at this early hour.  She remembered that Martin would be making his decision about Julian this morning.  She quickly got dressed and strapped her sword to her side.  She gave herself the once-over in the mirror and quickly bolted out the door to get a bite to eat from the kitchen before heading to the throne room.

            By the looks of the servants running around, breakfast would be a mute point.  She had already been beaten to the kitchen by the rest of the family.  Just grab some fruit and stay out of everyone’s way seemed to be the best strategy at the moment.

            On her way to the throne room Ashlyn spied Pandora from a distance, who didn’t notice her.  She suddenly felt terrible for her again.  After all, it was her father who was on trial here.

            “You don’t look all that enthused to be here,” a familiar voice said in her ear.  Ashlyn looked up into her father’s face.

            “I just feel bad for Pandora is all,” Ashlyn smiled faintly.  “She’s been a true friend to me.  She had a chance to hand me over to Julian and she didn’t.”

            “She’ll be fine,” was all Brand said as they all filed into the throne room.  Martin was already seated on the throne.  Julian was back to his normal self except for the shackles, which bound his wrists and ankles.  Gerard and two beefy-looking guards kept Julian in one place.  When Ashlyn caught his eye for the first time, Julian growled and openly glared at her with a threatening move despite his bonds.

            “Get over yourself!” Ashlyn growled back at him in a voice low enough for only him and the guards to hear.  She threw him a dirty look and rolled her eyes as she continued past him.  Once the family had assembled, Martin rose out of his seat to speak.

            “Good morning.  Good of you all to make it,” he began.  “We are gathered here this morning to resolve the case made against Julian.”  The shuffling stopped and the murmuring ceased.  A pin drop could be heard as they all seemed to hold their breath as one as Martin continued.

            “Julian, you have been charged with committing acts against Amber and this family.  How do you plead?”

            “I am completely within my rights!  I’m simply carrying out my brother’s last wish.  Naturally, I want the blood of the one who spilled his!” Julian hissed.

            “Firstly, this was something between Caine and Ashlyn.  He was after her, remember?  She killed him purely out of self-defense.  Your call for revenge is unfounded.  That means that you have no rightful claim to her whatsoever and since you chose to overstep that line, you then involved the entire family.  Moreover, that stunt of closing off Arden nearly cost us for being cut off from the trade routes for so long,” Martin said.

            “That’s my forest!” Julian growled.

            “Not anymore!” Martin snapped.  “Julian, from this day forth you are proclaimed to be permanently exiled from Amber.  You will be taken to the boundary of Arden immediately whereas you will depart Amber never to return.  Should you return and violate this said decree, the order has been given to shoot you dead on sight.  Is that clear?”  Julian only glowered in response.  Gerard motioned to his men and Julian was escorted out.

            “This isn’t over by a long-shot,” Julian growled just enough for Ashlyn to hear as he was lead past her.  After he was gone Ashlyn let out a small sigh of relief.

            “And now for one more announcement,” Martin returned to his seat.  “Now that Arden is without a guardian, I think it only proper to give it one again.”  Ashlyn looked over at Pandora, who was looking up at Martin expectantly.

            “I hereby put Dalt in charge of Arden forest.  Pandora, you will help him out in getting settled into the routines.  Your first matter of business is to clear the forest out of any remaining soldiers that are loyal to Julian,” Martin said smoothly.  “Other than that, that’s all.  Thanks all for coming.”

            Ashlyn stood dumbfounded for just a moment as she looked over at Pandora to try and gage her reaction.  Although she wasn’t outwardly showing it, she could tell that Pandora was deeply disappointed.  Ashlyn looked from Martin to Dalt to Brand with a look of “Did I just miss something here?” but it was lost on all of them.

            She turned on her heel and quickly strode out again to find Blake and the others.  They hadn’t gone too far.

            “Ashlyn!  You should be feeling better about that verdict.  Why don’t you look happy?” Blake had a mischievous look in his eye.

            “I’m happy.  I’m smiling.  Are you going to tell me that you missed it too?  I’m just not sure if I heard right in there,” Ashlyn followed him and Vincent back to the lounge.

            “What, the part about Dalt taking over the forest?  No, I’m sure I heard that.  I thought Pandora would have been awarded the forest at the very least,” Blake became serious as they approached the door.

            “Probably decided against it because Julian is her father,” Vincent offered.

            “I seriously don’t think so!  If anything she proved her worth just by not turning me over to Julian.  Where Dalt is concerned, I think Martin’s brain goes on vacation!” Ashlyn picked up the darts.  “Vince, no offense, but sometimes your brother can be a real bonehead.  I mean, does he have any idea what putting Dalt in charge will do?”

            “Ashlyn, quick question.  Are you ever happy?” Blake asked as he opened his beer.  Ashlyn didn’t answer and gave him a look.

            “Sometimes you worry way too much,” he propped his feet up and took a long swig.

            “You don’t think this whole Dalt-thing is fishy?” Ashlyn asked them.

            “A little,” Vincent admitted.  “But Martin is the King.  We should trust his judgments.”

            “Sorry, but that guy is losing my trust every time he makes one of these decisions,” Ashlyn threw the darts.  Vincent only sighed softly to himself as he retrieved the darts.

            “Don’t look at me,” Blake continued on his beer.  “I have nothing to say.”

            “Hey all,” Pandora greeted from the door.

            “Hey, you.  You feelin’ okay?” Ashlyn asked.

            “I’m fine,” she replied.  “I’ve come to see what you are all up to.”

            “Trying to relax a little.  When do you leave for Arden?” Vincent asked.

            “That’s what I’ve come down here for.  The forest needs to be emptied of the soldiers and I’m going to need your help.  Most of those soldiers were loyal to my father and I think there will be trouble.  I don’t think Dalt and I can do this by ourselves,” she replied.

            “I’ll help,” Ashlyn stepped forward.

            “We’ll all go.  I’ll see if Sorsha can join us,” Blake put his feet down.

            “Good.  Meet us at the stable with your gear in twenty,” Pandora said with a grateful smile.

            “Pandora, are you really okay—especially now that he’s given the forest to Dalt?  I’m sorry, but I just have to know,” Ashlyn asked quietly.

            “I’m fine.  I’m going to be just fine,” was all Pandora said before she left again.

Ashlyn only sighed heavily and headed up to her room.  She hated having that helpless feeling.  She felt like she had to do something.  She felt that Dalt shouldn’t be taking over the forest—it would be a bad thing, but what could she do about it?

            She couldn’t do anything about it but go with the flow.  She made a quick sweep of her room, grabbing her riding gear and heading for the stable to saddle up Moon Dancing.

            As she reached the stables she found herself to be the last one to get saddled up.  Dalt was already there, not saying a word and just waiting for her.  He only nodded in acknowledgment and simply watched as she quickly slapped the saddle onto Moon Dancing and quickly mounted up.  Wordlessly, she fell in behind Pandora and the others and they headed down the mountain and into the forest.

            “We’re going to try this the diplomatic way first,” Pandora said as they entered the forest.  “They get the ultimatum and then we try to remove them by force if they don’t leave.”

            “So what about the ones that are still loyal to the crown?  Will we be rebuilding that army?” Sorsha asked.

            “No, I have something else in mind for the forest,” Dalt replied.

            “You mean you’re emptying it out of Arden Guard entirely?” Ashlyn asked.

            “Yes.  We’re wiping the slate clean and staring over,” Dalt replied.

            “Looks like we get a fight on our hands,” Sorsha muttered low enough for Ashlyn to hear.

            “You’re not kidding,” Ashlyn replied in kind as they rode along.

            They rode on in silence for a few hours heading deep into the interior of the forest.  They found themselves at one of the outposts and were approaching with extreme caution.

            “Halt!” a voice cried out from the trees.  “State your business here!”

            “We’re here on business from the king!” Pandora called out.

            “The king has no jurisdiction here, only Julian!”

            “Julian no longer controls these woods.  As of today he is in exile.  The king has given them to me and I have his seal to prove it!” Dalt held a scroll aloft in his hand.

            “The king’s authority is no good here, either!”

            “Listen well, then!  You all have until the morning to get your gear and completely vacate yourself from this forest entirely.  Failure to comply will result in your being removed from here forcefully!” Dalt declared.

            “By force then!” came the cry.

            Moon Dancing began to shift nervously about and Ashlyn let in a small gasp as she spied about a dozen or more of the archers hiding in the surrounding trees.  She knew too well the sound of an arrow being knocked and being pulled back.  Without warning, she let a shot go from her crossbow, bringing one archer crashing to the ground and grabbing at his shoulder.

            “Pandora, I think it’s best that we were on our way to let them think it over,” Ashlyn said with a hint of “Now!” in her voice.

            “Get out now before a larger force returns in the morning!” Pandora said with emphasis.

            “She’s on their side!” another voice in the trees spoke up.  “Attack!”

            Before anyone had a real chance to duck for cover arrows were sent flying from all directions.  Horses reared up and whinnied frantically.  The call of retreat came from Dalt only a moment or two later as he tried to defend himself and found himself stuck with a few arrows that had found his leg and his mount’s rump.

            Ashlyn had managed to let off a couple more shots and shook one out of a tree when Moon Dancing violently kicked it when an arrow struck him in his hindquarters.  Ashlyn fought to regain control of her mount and felt an arrow pierce her in the arm.  She ignored it as she and the others retreated back in the direction of the Castle.  Once they had cleared the archers they quickly used Dalt’s Trump Gate of the stables and found themselves in safety once again.

            It would appear that not everyone came away unscathed.  Vincent and Blake were the only ones.  Dalt had two arrows in this thigh, Pandora had an arrow stuck in her shoulder, Sorsha had two arrows in her arm and Ashlyn only suffered the one arrow that was lodged just above her left wrist.  The horses barely fared better than their human counterparts and were instantly being taken care of by the stable hands who had run out to meet them.

            “Well, ladies.  Shall I do us the honors?” she pulled out her Trump of the infirmary.  “Dalt?”

            “I’ll be along directly,” he waved her off.  Ashlyn took a hold of Sorsha’s good hand and the girls stepped through the Trump.

            “The king won’t be too happy.  If it’s war they want, then we’ll give it to them!  Let the girls know that we leave at sunrise!” Dalt turned on his heel and headed inside to find Martin and make his report.

            “Great.  Us and what army?  Usually our army is the Arden Guard,” Vincent pointed out.

            “No kidding.  Let’s go get a beer,” Blake turned to head for the kitchen.

            “Right behind you,” Vincent removed his cloak and flung it over his shoulder.

            “How was it that you didn’t get hit?  I could have sworn I had seen an arrow or two bounce right off of you,” Blake said about their earlier encounter.

            “Oh, that.  I had cast a protective material spell over my cloak.  That’s what kept the arrows from penetrating,” Vincent replied as he hung it up on a peg by the lounge door.

            “Think you could cast that spell on the rest of us?” Blake asked casually.

            “I’d suppose.  It just means that I have to keep going off into my fast time shadow to keep re-memorizing the spell, but I can do it.  Does that mean I can’t have a beer now?” Vincent looked back at him.

            “After the beer then,” Blake smiled.  “I’ll tell the girls as soon as they get done with the infirmary and then we’ll put you to work.  Tomorrow morning, those archers are going to be sorry that they didn’t give up peaceably!”

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