The innkeeper was found, two rooms were rented, one for the girls and one for the boys. As they went upstairs, hauling their tired selves up the stairs, Ma’trii the wolf bounded up and sat patiently at the landing. Kae pointed to the last door on the left; the boy’s room, and Ma’trii nudged her leg goodbye before trotting off.
Kae opened the door beside the boy’s room, held it open for Loren, and watched as the princess fell face first onto the pristine sheets.
“Loren?” Kae called, concerned. She locked the door behind her and immediately rushed to Loren’s side. She found the princess snoring, exhausted. Kae smiled.
The princess did not stir even as the huntress gently unlaced her boots and slipped it off her feet. She didn’t move when Kae hauled one of the two small beds within the room and pressed it against the one Loren was in, and climbed in beside her. The princess was too deep in a dreamless sleep to notice.
Kae lay awake for a short while. She stared up at the ceiling, staring at the boards that made up the roof. A lizard slipped through the slats above her, and skittered over to the window, disappearing past the window frame and out of sight. There was a weight on her chest that she could not understand. Kae looked to her side, letting her head roll on her flat pillow.
Loren’s sleeping face was within inches of her own. The princess’s face was relaxed, expressionless, but at least without the worried tension that she had the entire journey towards Sagna. There was a sadness there as well, one that went much deeper than anyone could understand. The sight of it sent a pang of longing straight through Kae’s heart. She wanted so much to hold her, to protect her, to see her smiling wide and happy again.
The huntress reached out, gingerly, to brush Loren’s face. The princess’s skin was soft to the touch, and she twitched slightly at the pressure. Kae quickly withdrew her hand, only to gasp as the princess pressed herself closer to the other woman. Unconsciously feeling someone else with her, feeling a sense of safety and warmth, led to Loren’s face easing up into a subtle, gentle smile.
Kae took a breath, and wrapped an arm around Loren. The princess moved closer, into Kae’s arms, pressing her face towards the crook of Kae’s neck. The huntress smiled, her heart beating strongly in her chest, and held Loren close.
Time passed peacefully, with dreamless sleep and a deep, much needed rest. When Kae woke, it was to the sound of scratching at the door. The huntress groaned and stirred, realizing that Ma’trii was trying to wake her up. Kae made to get up and open the door, but her clothes snagged on something and dragged her back.
“Please don’t go yet.” Loren said, her voice barely more than a whisper. She had grabbed the edge of Kae’s shirt and tugged her back. “Please Kae?”
“Princess…” Kae trailed off. The look on Loren’s face was raw and vulnerable. Almost scared. Kae nodded, and called out to the door. “Ma’trii, I’ll be out in a few minutes!”
The wolf huffed from the other side of the door, and Kae heard the clacking of his nails on the wood fading down the halls.
Kae laid down again, taking her place beside Loren. “Are you alright princess?”
“Had a bad dream.” Loren muttered. Her gaze was unfocused as she appeared to look right through the huntress.
“What was it about?”
“I don’t remember…”
Kae smiled patiently. She wrapped one arm around the princess, still wary of overstepping her boundaries. In response, Loren moved closer, pressing herself into Kae again. But now on purpose. “Princess?”
“Yes?”
“You don’t mind? This is very close.”
Loren shook her head. “I trust you.”
Kae sighed contentedly. She watched dust motes float suspended within a sunbeam as she lay in bed. The only sound was of birds chirping outside, and the faint, far away murmur of the people of Hardwick waking up for the day. The only way to tell that time was passing was the sunbeam’s gentle light moving from the wall towards the floor at a steady pace. It was nearing noon.
There was a knock on the door. “Princess?” someone called. “Are you awake? We must be off soon for Aldoran. The Spymaster has acquired additional wagons and horses for the injured, and the men that can do without riding are well enough to walk.”
“I’ll be down in a few minutes, Warmaster.” Loren said from where she lay, unmoving. “Thank you for acting so quickly.”
“We will await you by the road, my lady.” Loren could imagine Warmaster Sairus bowing in a short salute from behind the door. Even with his suit of Aldoran armor, his footsteps were quieter than most.
Still, Loren didn’t move to get ready.
“Loren? We should get moving, you heard the Warmaster.” Kae said gently.
“I know, I know. It’s just…” Loren sighed. “I feel overwhelmed.”
“Overwhelmed? But it’s over, you can go home.”
“Yes, I know. I’m sorry. A lot has happened, and I don’t quite understand.”
“It’s alright Loren. I don’t think anyone would be alright right after something like that. But…”
“We have to go home.” Loren said, muttering, her eyes glued to the ceiling.
“But we have to go home.” Kae agreed.
The huntress spent the next few minutes helping Loren get ready. The packs that they had were long lost, possibly taken by Hamilcar and his men. They stayed dressed in the clothes they had fallen asleep in, as they had nothing else.
