Page 34 of Blood and Fate

Kais glanced at her before exchanging a look with Teague.

“They don’t have money to purchase food,” Teague answered.

“Couldn’t they find work to support their families? To find homes that aren’t scraps of fabric?” The scene around her made her heart ache. No one, especially not children, should live like this.

“Many of them have jobs,” Kais spoke up, though he didn’t look at her. “But they’re taxed so heavily there’s little left to feed their families. Even in the towns, the conditions aren’t much better. Often they have homes only because they’re inherited, or multiple families share the rent, which is also exorbitant.”

“Taxes?”

They hadn’t crossed into the neighboring country. These were her father’s people. Her people. She had no idea her father was asking so much of them. Why would he overtax the people? She felt sick to her stomach at the sight. An irrational desire to hide her face hit her. Even though these people didn’t know who she was, she was still ashamed that this was happening with her father’s approval. She would speak with him as soon as she made it home. She would make this right.

A throat cleared in front of her, and she looked up to find both men watching her, waiting expectantly. She nudged her horse to follow them, and they continued on.

Inside the town limits, things were not much better. Some people still begged for food along the streets, and at one point, she saw a group of about five children passing a small loaf of bread between them, tearing off the smallest bites. Emotion clogged her throat at the sight.

She followed Kais and Teague to what looked like a stable and dismounted when they did. Teague came around and took the reins of her horse from her hands.

He glanced around once before he spoke quietly, “We’re going to be here for a bit. Feel free to look around, Princess. There are small stands with wares just down this road.” He indicated with his chin.

She had no money but didn’t mind having a look around. She pulled her cloak further around her and moved along the street in the direction that Teague had suggested. Homes still looked rough, people standing in front of carts full of wares looked desperate. She wished she had coins to purchase things. There were scarves, mittens, and blankets at one cart. Another held jarred foods of all kinds. Yet another cart was laden with small carved animals and dishes. It was all lovely, really.

She made her way along the lines of carts, inspecting the wares. She was nearly at the end of the line, next to what looked like an inn or a pub with seating inside and out, when she overheard the conversation.

“How are we supposed to find this Princess if we don’t even know what she looks like?” The man dropped into a chair, bringing his large tankard down heavily on the table in front of him.

Satori’s heart skipped and sped at the man’s words. Princess. She continued her perusal of the wares at the small stand in front of her but she no longer saw anything, her entire focus now on the conversation happening behind her.

“We have a description.” Another man seated himself across the table from the first.

The first man made an unimpressed huffing sound. “Blonde, thin, short, and beautiful? The description fits half of the women we see. Could be that one, or that one, or that one.”

Satori didn’t dare turn to see who the man had indicated, though she did pull her hood a bit closer around her face. Then another thought hit her. Were these men soldiers sent by her father? Should she make herself known to them? She could be that much closer to home. As carefully as she could, she turned her head just enough to get a glance at the men behind her. Not soldiers. They wore no uniform nor any identifying markers of any kind. Why would her father send these men when he had guards to do this work?

“It could be anyone but I don’t want to chance taking the wrong girl back to that Duke. He seemed the type to get upset at those kinds of mistakes.”

Duke. Henrik. Satori worked to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat and nearly choked on it. Her hands began to shake, and she clasped them together. Henrik had sent these men to find her, not her father.

“I don’t know about that. I mean, I know he wants the Princess, but he also seems the type not to turn away any pretty piece of flesh.” The man followed his comment with a laugh, making Satori’s skin crawl.

“Or we could just bypass him and take her to the King. He’s bound to pay better than a Duke.” The man’s tankard clanked back onto the table.

“Now, wait a minute. Don’t get any ideas,” the second man said. “He made it perfectly clear that if we found her, we were to deliver her to no one but him.” A pause as the man took a drink and added the next thought quietly, “And Miram save her when he gets his hands on her.”

A sob threatened to punch out of her throat, and she choked it back down. She had to get away from them before they recognized her. She was about to turn when a hand caught hold of the back of her hood and yanked, pulling it from her head and taking a few of her hairs with it.

“Look at this, Simon.” It was one of the men whose conversation she had heard. “Blonde, thin, short, and beautiful.”

“Get your hands off me.” Satori tried to pull out of his grasp, but his grip tightened as he pulled her closer, wrapping his free hand around her arm. She pulled again. “Let go of me!”

“I’m afraid not, you see, we’re looking for someone who looks just like you.” A sneer appeared on Simon’s face.

Further panic took hold in Satori’s chest. She wanted to be back with her father, but these men had said they would take her to Henrik. She couldn’t go to him.

“Excuse me. I respectfully request you remove your hands from my wife.”

The blade of a sword accompanied the voice behind her as it appeared out of the corner of her field of vision, pointed directly at the man who held her. Her eyes widened as relief poured through her.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

---