Lydia's Gambit

“It doesn’t count if you’re planning your defeat” Blake whispers to me, a delicate hand on my shoulder. “You can’t expect to succeed if you set yourself up for failure.”

I shake my head and shrug her hand off. I know it hurts her but, I can’t risk showing any weakness, not now. Blake and I stand side by side on a cliff overlooking a valley freckled with quaint houses and narrow, winding roads. I will soon be traveling through it to meet my fate.

Blake rewards me with a long sigh and brings her hand back to rest on her hip. She has been kind enough up until now to keep her observations to herself, not that she needs to speak them. I know she wants to stop me from proceeding, I know she thinks it's foolish and doomed to fail. I know that she knows that I think that too.

What she doesn’t know is that I will lose everything if I turn back. I’ve managed to keep that one detail safe from her keen eye’s.

I close my eyes and feel the gentle night breeze surround me. The delicate sounds of nature fill my mind, if only for a second. An owl hoo’s.  It’s a clear night, a bright full moon and dry, warm air make it the perfect night to leave.

I turn to her, looking her in the eyes for the first time in five days “I have to go now…” The words are like acid on my tongue. This could be the last time I see her.

“It's not too late” she pleads, her wavering voice breaking her stoic appearance “You don’t have to go through with it, Lydia.”

“It’s time…Blake,” I allow myself to gently brush her palm with my fingertips. “Go back to Terian and tell him I went through with it.”

“Runaway…Ill meet you in the west woods in two weeks’ time, Terian will never find us there.”

Everything in me wants to say I will. My head is almost screaming with desire and the words “I will” catch in my throat just before they are committed to sound. I force myself to step back before I give in to the prospect of growing old.

Blake’s hand catches mine and draws it to her lips. She kisses my knuckles. I take the moment to study her round face framed with short, wavey Tawney hair. Her rosy lips, full and soft. Her blue eyes laced with sliver, studying me as they always did. Those eyes saw all. I vow never to forget them.

‘Goodbye” my hand slips from hers and I step into the waiting carriage that will carry me into a deadly lie.

~

I let the tears fall as soon as we are out of sight. They are heavy and salty. They feel like a weight being lifted off my soul. They are the buildup of five days of suppressing my grief. I fall against the carriage door, gripping the wooden handhold so hard that I’m surprised it doesn’t splinter. My cheat heaves, my heart feels as if it will snap in two. Maybe it already has. I curse Tieran in my mind, not daring to speak the words out loud in earshot of another member of his clan.

At the thought of what’s in store, I feel a deep sickness rise up within me. I bang on the carriage door and it slows to a stop. I leap out and stumble to the side of the road where I hurl up what little I had for breakfast.

Augustus, the driver, is there a few moments later with a waterskin and cloth. I would have apricated it if I didn’t know Augustus was my jailer. He was here on Tieran's behalf to keep the lord updated and, to keep me from running.

Still, I take both items and wipe my face before gulping down large amounts of water. The burning in my throat slowly subsides and I can finally breathe again.

I hand him back the waterskin, mumbling an apology about drinking most of the water. If he cares, he doesn’t show it and he lumbers back to the seat, muscled frame visible under his plain white tunic. A man of few words. The only kindness Tieran had spared me.

The night is quiet, save for the sound of carriage wheels rolling over gravel. It is peaceful yet, I cannot sleep. The carriage wobbles, the seat inside is too hard. And I’m alone with my thoughts for the first time in weeks. I think about where I am going; The town is called Bre and the kingdom it belongs to is called I’ela. We are going through the town and along the road to the capital where another driver in a more ornate carriage, along with Tieran, is waiting for us. From there we will go to the castle where king Braddock reins.

I have never seen the king, only heard stories of his ruthlessness and greed. Tieran has told me that they are not exaggerations and that I must be on alert every moment of every day until the wedding night. I don’t know if I'm grateful for or resent that Tieran will be there with me.

The thought of the wedding night almost makes me hurl again but, I force it down as we are deep in the woods, and leaving the safety of the carriage would not be wise. I finger the ruby pendant carved into the shape of a dove at my neck for comfort. A sign that Blake is always with me. I wish it were true.

The wedding is my reason for being here. It's my…my wedding to the king. Well, it's princess Sofia of Albia’s wedding to the king. Princess Sofia is set to leave for I’ela in two day’s time On the road there Tieran has set up an ambush that will take her and her escorts captive, allowing me to arrive two days early to Braddock’s castle. I’m the spitting image of the princess, Tieran has told me.

“That makes you valuable, my dear~” his words crawl up my spine, I shake away memories I wish I could shatter like ice.

I take a moment to gather myself again, my head feels fuzzy now. Either from exhaustion or grief. Or both. It feels pathetic. How I am to go through with the plan if I can’t even think about it? Blake was right about that, I didn’t think I could do this. But, I had to, or else he would kill Blake and turn me over to Albia.

“I will marry the king in Sofia’s place,” I mutter.

It’ll take long for letters with news of Sofia’s death to reach Albia. By then the King will have said “I do” and taken me to bed for the first, and last, time.

“Kill the king, frame the Albians, and watch the two countries go to war.”

~

I wake up with a dry throat and a stiff body. Sunlight streams in through the still-moving carriage. It is blinding. I am just about to bang on the carriage again when I notice that it’s stopped. I open the door and the assault of light has me covering my eyes. Augustus shouts from a little away, that I need to hurry up and bathe.

Gathering up my senses, I teeter out into the day. The morning is hot and cloudless, and the sun scorches my skin. Augustus has taken refuge under a tree. I can see his hair is wet and I count myself lucky for waking up after he’s had his bath. I spot the now full waterskin and its twin laying near the riverbank and I pick one up. I gulp it greedily; It's cool, fresh from the stream.

I strip, unbothered by the man near me, down to my shift, knowing Tiearn has supplied me with countless garments. I step into the water and, the sounds of it rushing over rocks and the cool, refreshing feel is sweet relief after days of traveling swiftly with barely anytime to relieve ourselves. At least Blake was there for that, albeit having to ride beside us on a horse. I felt safer with here there.

“Hurry” Augustus repeats.

Right. I grumble and get to work.

The feel of water against my skin on a hot day brings back the memories again. Although I do not wish to, I see him…

“No,” I say out loud as I splash cool water in my face to try and wash away the memories once again. There is nothing I can do about it now anyway. I’m already on the road with Augustus, this is happening.

~

It takes us a week to reach the Capital. As promised, Tieran is there with a manservant and guard. This carriage s nothing like the simple wood of mine. It is metal framed, painted black with gold trim and intricate gold designs bordering the windows and door. There are glass windows that have thick black curtains. There is even a footstool. Better yet, the Albian royal seal is perfectly copied. An exact replica of Sofia’s. It feels like a violation.

“Lydia” Tieran gives me a smile I know is fake. It's an art he’s perfected, an art I used to fall for.“I was worried you’d run.”

“Is Blake alive? I ask sharply as I climb into the carriage, trying not to show my relief of having something soft to sit on. Tieran follows in after me after giving a few short orders to Augustus.

‘Of course, I wouldn’t go back on my word, my dear.”

I don’t answer that. I am beginning to miss the long road to get here, the road without Tieran. I turn my head to look out the window

“You’re going to let this ruin our friendship?” he queries in a tone I know all too well.

“Can’t ruin what’s already destroyed.” He sighs and sits back. I can feel his eyes on me but I don’t look back. If he wants to talk to me, he’ll have to speak first.

It’s a tense hour before the lord finally opens his mouth “Do you remember how we met, Lydia?”

I snort, if he's trying to win back my favor then this is a poor way to do it.

Still, I answer “How could I forget.”

Tieran found me in the early morning, washing in a stream before heading to town to gather supplies to last me until I could get to the east wood’s tribes. There were tellings of a mental smith there who could break the heavy irons on my wrists that locked away my power

We are called summoners or, invocadors. A rare people blessed with the gift of commanding nature. We were also a hunted and highly coveted group, kingdoms were hungry for our power. A man who could find that strongest trees to build with, or a woman who could carve rivers into the earth, all were invaluable to the royal families. Especially someone like me who could sense rare metals and pull them from the ground, a power that ruined my life.

 I was a runaway slave from Coerta. Though, I was Ablian born. Tieran would later explain to me that the Albians sell their invocadors to neighboring kingdoms because it provides an incentive to not attack them. So, Albia is not the richest country but, it is the safest. Their peace agreement might have stemmed from trading me. I try not to think about it any more than I have to. That was the past and this is the present. And right now, I’m free.

When Tieran saw those irons, and the symbol on them marking my power, he knew.

“My god…” He’d whispered.

Fear had rocketed through me, I tried to flee but, the tip of an arrow aimed at my heart stopped me in my tracks. Tieran was an excellent bowman.

With no choice but to stay, he’d forced me into a deal.

“I have a camp, a small village full of all different kinds of people” He had said, “a village that could use what you’ve got there.” A sly smile crawled up his handsome face. In the months following this, I would learn how Tieran could twist words to twist the minds of his villagers, especially mine. “I can get those off if you go with me.”

“I don’t use my gift for anyone but myself.” I’d snapped at him. If only that were true…

“And if I turn you into the Albia guards.” He had held up a cloth painted with my face and a ransom. “fifty-thousand kouls, not bad for a girl who can summon gold.”

Something between a sob and a sigh escaped my lips. For all my running, I was caught between prisons again. He’d waved the cloth impatiently. Tieran was not known for his patience, as I would find out.

 “Tell me more about this village…” were the words I had no choice but to say.

Two years later and the lord and master of his village had threatened me again. And this time, I had no chance of escape.

Back in present-day, Tieran nods. His eyes are slightly soft. He leans towards me and with a smooth tongue, says; “You know you are a rare treasure, my-“ I hold my hand up to stop him, sick of the pet name I’ve acquired. And, sick of him.

 “If I manage to pull this off then I never want to see you again.” I snap, my lips curled into a snarl. I’m done playing games with this man. “I’ve given all the gold and metal you could ask for…please allow me to flee once I’ve done it.” My voice wavers, I bit my tongue before I can humiliate myself further.

I can tell he’s surprised by my forwardness. A variety of expressions play across his face all in a matter of seconds. He doesn’t respond and, I know why. Neither of us expects me to get out alive.

I simply look away again.If he sees the tears that fall, he does not say.

~

In the morning, we stop so Augustus can retrieve food for us. Tieran is used to eating in luxury nowadays and his discontent at bread and porridge is visible.

Through bites of my food, I ask him, laughing too loudly to be natural, if he’ll manage to get by on commoners’ food if I sing him a song like the pretty ladies do in the village. I can see his hand tense. He’s hit me before and I can tell that the thought of ruining the plan is the only thing holding him back from doing it again.

“Don’t worry,” I continue, “If they actually believe us then you’ll get your whores and pheasant back.” If is the key word. And it’s a big if.

~

It’s night when we make it to the castle. It’s grand but, instead of awe, I feel sick. The last time I was in a castle, I was in chains. I turn my attention to king Braddock, recalling that his previous wife recently died in childbirth. As princess Sofia was almost twenty, she needed to be married off fast. Braddock was perfect. I feel briefly guilty for the newborn child who is going to lose both its parents. That’s another thing I’ve been trying not to think about.

“Do you remember what I told you?” Tieran asks.

“Every word…” On instinct I reach for his hand, jerking back when I feel the return gesture. Now is not the time to need him or show weakness, I chide myself.

Still, My lips betray me “What if it doesn’t work?”

“It will work” he reassures me “You are Sofia, Lydia, if you know that then they will too.”

“I hate you for this,” I say as I watch the castle become clearer. Dread polls in my stomach, I want to run.

“I know,” he says. And it's genuine this time.

I close my eyes, savoring the last few minutes of freedom before I am truly forced to throw my life away. I think about Blake, the two years that watched our friendship grow into something more. Something we always knew but never spoke out loud. Regret washes over me. I should have spoken, I should have done something about us.

And at that moment, fueled by the memories of an almost love, I decide something that makes my heart leap. As we pull up to the castle as the noise of frantic servants grow, I promise myself that this moment is not my last. I will make it back to Blake, it is not the end for me. I will not plan my defeat.