The Escape

I woke up in the morning in a sweet and panic touching my arm or what was left of it. It hurt a little but nowhere near as bad as when it was cut off. Thanks mostly to my magic. I looked to see where Willow had wrapped it. At the end with the stub two steams stuck of the bandage. I pulled off the bandage to see the two twigs sticking out of the stub. The sap had hardened over the wound preventing me from bleeding to ****. Part of me wondered what it would take to actually kill me.

"Hey, your awake." Willow said coming in with a bowl of something.

"What time is it?" I asked

"A few hours past day break. How is the arm?Willow said setting the bowl down.

"Looks like I will have to start pruning." I held up my arm.

"Leave it for now till we can get it looked at." She **** a smile.

"Any word from Raven?"

"Not yet." She shook her head. I ate breakfast which was a bowl of fruit. We couldn't risk a fire since the place was suppose to be abandoned. After I ate I slipped on a long sleeve tunic to hide my arm. I came down just as A rider was coming up to the house. Thankfully it was Raven. She jumped off and came up to me.

"Shadow said that you lost an arm." She said as she came over. I was surprised that she actually looked concerned. It wasn't a look I was used to seeing from her.

"I will live. My magic stopped the bleeding." I said.

"Good. I am glad."

"Where were you last night?"

"Securing the dark mirrors, or one of them. The syndicate took the other. Neither one is any good without the other." Raven replied. That was good to hear. Two people had to die on either end of the mirrors so they were effectively useless hopefully.

"What about your cover?"

"They think the Syndicate was behind the attack on the ship as well. They don't know it was you yet but if they put it together several people in the court saw you meeting with the trade minister."

"Let me guess. He has business dealings with the syndicate?" I shook my head. She had arranged that very public meeting so we could be seen together. Coupled with Princess questioning of me it was clear Raven had made it so that she looked innocent in all of this.

"Yes." She nodded and handed me an earring. "Here."

"What is this?"

"It will hide the scar on your face encase they start looking for you. You will need to ditch the wagon and ride east by horse. The Orc army will be moving east in a few hours. They mean to attack your kingdom." Raven shook her head. It seemed they where done with cleaver plans and plots.

"Is it Prince Warwick?" I asked.

"I don't know. No one has seen him but I know Nox is alive and leading the march." Raven replied. A dark elf at the front of an orc army. That was sure to spark a war.

"Is she wearing a ring?" Sura asked. I knew what Sura was thinking. If we could free them like the others. If not at least we could kill her and end this.

"I don't know." Raven shook her head.

We saddled up and headed east. I rode with Willow since we only had the two horses. It at least gave me the chance to use a bird to scout ahead for us allowing us to avoid anyone we might run across. When we stopped I scouted out the orc army who thankfully has stopped as well. They were on foot so we would get their before they did. Come daybreak we were up and ready to go.

"Hey. Your arm." Sura pointed. I pulled back the sleeve and saw the two twigs had grown and fused together then split into five small branches. It looked like the hand of a skeleton. I couldn't move it as much as I hoped but I could at least wear a glove. Every hour we doubled or distance from the army while getting closer to home.

The army had split up into four armies of of around two hundred fifty. I couldn't get a perfect count. I knew they planed to hit the nearest for towns and villages all at once. One of the groups had started heading north towards the elder grove. I was able to send an owl to the high priestess of the coming attack but Willow would ride north as well to muster as many forces as she could though that meant the elves would be to busy to aid us once the orcs crossed the border. My arm had started growing vines around the branches like muscle over bone which allowed me some movement in my hand.

Me and Sura rode the last few leagues as I managed to send a bird with a letter to Ravenhill. By the time we reached the border troops where evacuating the towns and villages. They had dropped the spell that protected the place and allowed the villagers to cross through. Many looked at it with amazement as if it had popped up over night. The moat was dug, though not as deep as I might have liked, and a hill of dirt and rocks built up behind. I was glad to finally get off the horse since we had been riding for day now and I don't think my balls could take anymore. I sent Sura to Hunters Rest to warn the others to get to the city and to protect them. I didn't expect them to attack Hunters Rest again given last time but I rather them be safe behind the city walls. I smiled as I saw Diana coming down.

"We got your message. How far out are they."

"Tomorrow afternoon to early morning the next day. All infantry from the looks of it." Not that that mattered with orcs. They were just as deadly as cavalry units and just as armored but at least it gave us an advantage in speed. "They are moving in three groups toward us about two hundred something per group with a forth heading toward the eldergrove to keep the elves busy."

"So they can't offer assistance."

"Probably not." I shook my head. It was Willow's father who had left Eldersgrove defenseless except for the Centaurus. Willow could muster more and the Wild elves but if it was enough I wasn't sure but part of me now wondered if it was the other way around. What if we were the distraction so we couldn't offer aid to the elves. What would the night mother want in return for bringing the Prince back to life. The tree. "Fuck. I need to burrow a horse."

"You just got here." Diana said.

"I know. But I need to leave. I will send a bird once I know more about the troops movements." I said.

"How did you even do that, nope. Never mind. Take mine. She is as fast as they come. Do you need an escort?"

"If you can spare any." I nodded.

"You two. Go with him and keep him alive." Diana said pointing to two of her men.

"Ma'am." They replied and we rode toward the Huntersrest to muster the rangers, thankfully with the Prince Lionharts blessing, then went toward the Kingwood overlook to get the rest except for a few to keep watch. We headed towards the eldergrove and got there just before night fall.

"What are you doing here?" Willow asked.

"Helping. I think the night mother is behind this. She might want the tree like the dark elves tried with the Autumngrove years ago."

"Fuck." Willow shook her head.

"They will be here tomorrow and I have a feeling it will be more then just orcs heading our way." I shook my head.

"Get word to anyone and everyone. The night mother is coming for the elder grove." Willow yelled to a few of the riders.

"They will not come, your fathers order..."

"Fuck my father and fuck any coward who turn their back on the earth mother or one of the groves." Willow said.

"Right away Princess."

"You know he won't like that?" I said under my breath as I stepped closer.

"Good. Let him come tell me in person." Willow grinned.