Dream of Dragons

the older stables that didn’t keep horses since the time of the previous king. Loren grabbed Kae’s hand, as the huntress was getting distracted by the glowing embers floating up to the sky from the burning building.
They hurried through the courtyard, keeping close to the shadow of the castle wall, with Ma’trii the wolf close at their heels. With the guard and servants attending to the fire, the way through to the castle gates and the path down to the Gold District was clear. Loren stopped for nothing, not horses nor extra supplies. She carried only what she had in a hastily packed bag, and Kae and Ma’trii had nothing.
They sped through the paved streets of the Gold District, boots sounding far too loud on the stone streets. Light began to flicker on as they passed, as their footsteps were starting to wake the nobles and the rich from their sleep.
“Princess!” Kae said in an urgent whisper as she ran beside the princess. “Where are we going?”
“Back to the camp.” Was Loren’s answer. She didn’t look back to the huntress, and instead focused on running.
“There’s nothing there, Loren. The soldiers would have destroyed the camp by now.”
“We’ll find an inn on the road then.”
“As long as you pay.”
“Of course. Royal gold, as much as I can carry.”
“Oh, we are going to get mugged for that.”
“Not if I can help it.” Loren moved a cloak aside as she ran, to expose the hilt of a sword strapped to her belt. “We can buy fresh, unmarked horses at the city gates. Can you ride?”
“No.”
“Well….You’re going to learn.”
The horse merchant at the city gates looked warily at Loren and Kae as they ran up to him, pausing to tell him in breathless voices that they wanted two horses. He forgot all his suspicions once Loren took the gold coins from her pouch and pressed them into the merchant’s hand. He passed the reins of two horses to the girl, and told her to get out of his sight.
“I’m tell you, princess, I can’t ride. I don’t know how.” Kae whispered desperately as Loren led the horses through the city gates. “Can’t I just walk? Ma’trii and I can keep up.”
“No, Kae.” Loren said without looking back. “You’re getting on the horse.”
Kae was taken aback, Loren had never spoken to her so firmly before. Perhaps the bossy princess side was showing. The huntress nodded, and took the reins of one of the horses from Loren.
Loren easily mounted her horse, feet sliding into the stirrups confidently. She looked back to Kae, and saw the huntress awkwardly trying to copy her movements. It took a few seconds for Kae to find the stirrups, and at least three minutes of her using Ma’trii’s head as a stepping stone to somehow swing her other leg over the saddle. Loren shook her head, and kicked her horse into a gallop the very second Kae got settled into the saddle.
“Wait!” Kae called after Loren. “Loren, wait!”
The princess was too far ahead to hear Kae’s call. Loren pushed her horse as fast as it would go, galloping down the paved stones of the Imperial Highway. Wind whipped at her hair, the cold stinging her face. She road on, till all she could hear was the loud breathing of her horse and its hooves clacking against the stone. She pushed on till she could hear her own voice crying.
Kae followed at a much slower place, using Ma’trii to track Loren’s scent down the Imperial Highway. The wolf eventually lead Kae to an inn by the side of the road, a long ways past Markin’s Pass. The inn was a moderately sized old barn house, with a hitching post at the side for traveler’s horses to rest. Kae found the horse Loren was riding, standing at the hitching post and breathing heavily to catch its breath having been worked hard into a lather. The huntress shared a look with Ma’trii before awkwardly stumbling off her own horse, and handing the reins to an urchin that was trying hard not to laugh at her.
The interior of the inn was cozy, with a fire burning in the hearth to warm the travelers coming in from the chill of Aldoran nights. The innkeeper was a stout old man who had a loud laugh and a larger beard. His wife, not as stout as her husband, navigated the slim gaps between tables and handed out hot food and wine. Kae scanned the faces of the people quickly, and found a bundle of cloaks slumped over a table in the farthest corner. She approached and gently prodded the bundle, and heard soft sobbing from under the cloth. Kae pulled up a chair and sat beside Loren.
“Princess…” she said softly, pulling back Loren’s hood. “You have to go home. You know that.”
Loren’s eyes were red and puffy from crying. “I can’t. I can’t go back, I don’t know how to help. I don’t know what to do.” She sobbed. “I’m useless. I can’t do anything.”
“Yes you can.” Kae said firmly, hand on Loren’s shoulder. “Look at me. You told me back at the market, that you were the princess of Aldoran. You told me one day you’re going to rule the whole kingdom.”
“But I don’t want to rule it yet! That is what my mother should be doing.”
“Are you listening to yourself? I know you don’t want her to die, I don’t want her to die either. But one day you’ll have to do things, you’ll have to rule without her. You’ll have to be strong. Now’s a good a time as any to start.”
Loren wiped at her face with the edge of her cloak, and looked up at Kae. The princess said nothing, but her eyes bore pure grief. She pitched forward into Kae, embracing her tight and sobbing into her