We rode south of our previous location, towards the caves of Maladan at the crack of dawn. Acrisius and Amenadiel rode in front, while Drazhan and Kaida flanked me, Alice rode at my side.
The reality of what I had just set in motion dawned on me, I had just declared war on Ramiel, proclaimed myself queen, and now rode to goddess knows where to plan on how to usurp him. I wasn't scared, I knew what fear felt like, and what I felt was nothing of the sort, I tried to decipher this feeling but failed miserably. "Are you alright your majesty?" Alice asked, I simply smiled and nodded.
Your majesty, it sounded do strange yet so exciting, I welcomed it, let it sit within me, the title was rightfully mine after all.
The sun was at its apex when we set up camp to rest for a few hours, we all had some bread and water in our satchels, along with some apples and peaches. When we were through, Kaida went to change Acrisius' bandages and applied a tonic she made over the night, when she came to sit beside me, I teased her about truly liking my cousin, her cheeks reddened at my words.
"What's the plan of action?" Draz asked, everyone stared at me, hoping I had the answer. "First, we look for where we stay for the night, the caves of Maladan are a four-hour ride from here, we make camp, then figure out our next move" I responded. They all stood to pack our belongings to continue our ride.
As we rode up to the caves of Maladan, the sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm orange glow over the rugged landscape. The entrance to the cave loomed before us, a massive, yawning mouth in the side of a hill. The air around us grew cooler as we dismounted our horses and stepped inside.
The interior of the cave was dark and musty, the only sound the soft dripping of water somewhere in the depths of the cavern. The air was stale, and I could taste the age of the cave on my tongue. Torches flickered to life as Kaida and Drazhan lit them, casting eerie shadows on the rough stone walls.
Amenadiel nodded at us. "I'll go hunt for food. You can rest here for a while."
We nodded, grateful for the chance to rest. Acrisius, still recovering from his injury, leaned against the wall, his eyes closed. Kaida and Drazhan sat down beside him, their faces weary.
An hour passed, and Amenadiel returned with a rabbit slung over his shoulder. We skinned and cleaned it, then fried it over a small fire. The smell of roasting meat filled the cave, and my stomach growled in anticipation.
As we ate, the warmth and comfort of the meal began to lull us into a state of relaxation. I leaned back against the wall, feeling my eyelids grow heavy.
But then, a faint rattling sound echoed through the cave, making us all sit up straight. Little stones fell from the darkness above, bouncing off the rocky floor. We exchanged wary glances.
Suddenly, torches flared to life deeper in the cave, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Men emerged from the darkness, their faces fierce and proud. They wore leather and furs, their hair braided in intricate patterns. Hill tribesmen. I'd only read about them in books, thinking they were legend or a work of fiction, but seeing them stand before us now, was as if fiction was brought to life.
Amenadiel unsheathed his sword, so did Ace and Draz, the Hill tribesmen shifted back, their scythe looking blades now pointed at us "Stand down," I commanded "They outnumber us" the men exchanged glances before sheathing their blades "We are not here to hurt you, we only need a place to rest for a while"
They exchanged weary glances then nodded to themselves, then their leader, a towering figure with a thick beard, and a long braid stepped forward. "Follow us."
We exchanged uncertain glances, but something about the Hill tribesmen's demeanor put us at ease. I read that as much as they were peaceful, they could be ruthless. We followed them deeper into the cave, the torches casting eerie shadows on the walls.
The tunnel opened up into a vast underground chamber, the ceiling lost in darkness. The chamber was filled with a makeshift village, the Hill tribesmen's homes crafted from rough-hewn stone and animal hides.
We were led through the village, the tribesmen watching us with curious eyes. We eventually arrived at a large, ornate door, adorned with intricate carvings.
The door creaked open, revealing a throne room. The room was sparse, the walls adorned with strange symbols that seemed to dance in the torchlight. An old man stood beside the throne, his eyes piercing and wise.
He regarded us curiously, his face lined with age and experience. "We found them at the entrance of the cave my lord," their bearded leader said, his voice hoarse. "They seek shelter" the old man spared us a glance, then fixed his gaze on the bearded man "This place has remained a secret for decades Zah'ri because we keep outsiders out. You can't just bring anyone in here because they asked for shelter, you didn't even seize their weapons"
Zah'ri bowed his head in apology "Forgive me, my lord" he nodded to his companions to seize our weapons, and when they walked closer to us, everyone had their guard up "We're in their territory, we do as they say, for now"
Our weapons were taken from us, and I felt naked without heartstopper or chaos at my side, we'd get them back I promised them. The old man finally smiled as he looked to us "I am Kieran, welcome to Dun Eirann"