Chapter 25: Cumulative Score

A Prince of the Nobillo

Chapter 25: Cumulative Score

Rivuk flew from the convivial camp. They'd had no reason to show him any warmth or forgiveness, and yet they had without hesitation. He felt he was finally beginning to truly understand why Lindsay longed to go back to the forest with them. It always struck him as strange that she would want to give up a palace for eating vermin and living in a tent, but as the camp grew distant behind, he found himself dreading the return to the cold stone walls of his home.

A great force struck him from below. Pain tore through his chest and face as he fell back. He righted himself just in time to grab the arm slashing at him with its razor-sharp brown claws.

Boz grinned at him. "Hello, brother." He slashed at Rivuk's midsection with his free arm.

Rivuk dodged. Letting go of Boz's wrist, he spun away.

"I thought you might come," Boz said. "Now, is it usurping if the prince you kill is beneath you?"

Rivuk's eyes widened. "You did all this to trap me! You knew the Bonat wouldn't care about the recording."

Boz looked amused. "Honestly, I thought they would. But the main intention was to test the boxes. Trapping you was really just a happy bonus. It saves me from having to figure out how to kill that pet monster you keep as your hest. He is startlingly immune to poisons. But I'll bet that little princess of yours isn't."

Rage boiled over in him. He flew at Boz. His claws ripped through Boz's uniform, leaving five long slashes in his flesh, dark sangria blood began to seep from them.

Boz grabbed his arm, spinning him backward as he gripped the other, claws digging into Rivuk's wrists. "Now it's getting fun."

Rivuk flipped over, throwing off Boz's grip on one of his wrists. He slashed Boz's arm and he was free again. This time he didn't hesitate, he slashed at Boz's throat, his middle, his face, anywhere he could see. He felt a tear in his side, a slash to his neck he just barely dodged. He caught Boz's chin, Boz grinned at him from lips dripping with blood as Rivuk's claws dug in to his chest. Suddenly, Boz's claws came down on his arm from either side, leaving it hanging uselessly. The two flew apart.

He was one arm to Boz's two. He needed to do something, fast. Rivuk quickly lashed the knife to his shredded arm, pulling the knot tight with his teeth. He flew at Boz, slashing across his chest. The knife cut smoothly but the wound was shallow, barely tearing his clothes.

Rivuk cried out as six claws dug into his belly. He tried to punch his knife into Boz's heart but Boz blocked the blow with his forearm, leaving Rivuk wide open.

"You're good, little brother. But I've been training a lot longer than you." Boz kicked Rivuk in the stomach, sending him reeling back.

Rivuk ripped off the knife and threw it. His aim was true, it buried itself deep in Boz's shoulder.

The second prince's arm hung limp at his side. A laugh escaped his lips. He looked to the hilt of the blade. "I guess we're evenly matched now." Boz pulled the knife from his shoulder. He ran the back of his hand, still holding the blade, across his face, smearing a line of blood from mouth to cheek. He laughed. "Jericho's claws, I needed this! I needed-"

A dull thunk interrupted him as he bent backwards. Another thunk and he flew to the side. Time seemed to freeze. Rivuk stared in bewilderment at the piece of wood sticking out of his brother's chest next to the two sharp prongs of a Bonat harpoon. A heavy weight landed on his back.

Something blue leapt from Rivuk's back onto the chest of the second prince, and with one quick slice, Boz's head fell back at an unnatural angle. Nol jumped off the prince's falling body, catching a tree branch and swinging onto it.

"It looked like you could use a hand," Sirix called, a large gun-like weapon strapped against his arm. Rivuk could see Veralosa and Nol below the Bona Serat Corsar.

"Thank you," Rivuk called out.

"We can patch you up, if you want."

"No, thank you. I need to get home."

"Come back soon! And bring my wife!" Sirix called after him as he flew off.

________________________________________

"You need to sleep. He'll be fine," Carak said.

"I know, I'm just worried." Lindsay said, turning from the window to the face of her lover. "What if something happens to him? What will we do?"

"I'm not sure. But we'll think of something." He brushed a clawed hand across Lindsay's cheek. "Go to sleep and trust in our prince."

Lindsay snuggled up to him, doubtful she could do what he said. Sleep was hard enough with the discomfort caused by the baby moving and her giant belly, let alone when her husband was in mortal peril. Yet, somehow, with Carak's arm wrapped around her, sleep quickly found her.

Lindsay was startled awake by a commotion.

"Your grace! You're hurt! What happened?" Carak exclaimed.

Opening her eyes she saw Rivuk, his uniform ripped, blood seeping through strips of torn cloth that served as bandages.

"I'm the Second Prince of the Nobillo now," he said.

"Rivuk!" Lindsay cried.

"My wilding," Rivuk said, his shoulders going lax at the sight of her. "Lindsay."

He dove into her, his lips finding hers. Her arms wrapped around him. He was alive! She could feel his broad chest heaving, his heart pounding.

He rolled off of her and entwined his fingers in hers. "I kept my promise," he said, and promptly passed out.

"Carak!" Lindsay cried.

* * *

"Will he be alright?" Lindsay asked as the royal physician treated the unconscious Rivuk's wounds.

"If you can persuade him to rest for a few days, he should make a full recovery. Now, then, since I'm here, Lucian has given me your vitamins for the next two skell." He handed her a vial of brightly colored balls. "Take the blues ones first, and when you've finished those, the reds, the yellows, and the greens."

"I don't know why he has to make it so complicated."

"This far along every few bils have different needs, he's just trying to make certain yours are met."

"Fine." She popped a blue one in her mouth as the doctor packed up his tools and left.

"Is he gone?" Rivuk whispered.

"You liar!" Lindsay lightly swatted his chest. "You were pretending to be asleep!"

Rivuk inched himself up on the pillow. "I woke up about ten minutes ago. I just didn't want to answer any questions. I have them, of course, explanations. What I was doing in the forest, why I had to kill him..."

"So Boz really is dead?"

Rivuk brushed her hair back with his fingers. "Yes, though I doubt they'll ever find the body. Let the Bonat have it."

"Did you speak with them?"

"Yes. They want you back, but they don't hold any ill-will towards me. I told them I'd bring you back, but not until after the baby is born, and you're ready to travel, of course."

Lindsay looked at the blanket with its deep red splotches of Rivuk's blood. "So, they know about the baby?"

"Yes, and Carak."

"That's good, I guess. I mean, how did they take it?"

"They were concerned, of course. Shocked about Carak. But if you're worried they view it as a betrayal, they didn't seem to."

"It's just that I'm either having a baby that's the enemy or I'm having a baby with the enemy."

"They'll see it differently, in time. Once they come to know Carak, they'll understand."

"Do you think they'll be ok meeting him?"

"You ask me as if I know them better than you. I don't think they will be, but I don't see how it can be avoided and I believe I conveyed as much to them. They'll just have to get used to him."

She sighed. "We're talking like it's peacetime and all you have to do is figure out visitation schedules for me."

"With Boz gone, we're one step closer to that."

"God, I hope so!" She lay down next to him, her head on his shoulder, her arm across his chest, her belly half on his. It shook and distended.

"Ow!" Rivuk exclaimed. "He's a bit of a kicker, isn't he?"

"Our World Cup Champion... and you don't know what that is."

"I'll assume it's good. You know, I intend to claim him as my own."

"But what about Carak?" Lindsay asked.

"He'd still be the father, if he is - which I think we're all fairly sure of - but legally, the baby will be protected as if he were the son of a prince."

"And Carak's ok with this?"

"He's the one who requested it."

"But why?"

"He knows what he is, knows his rights - or lack of them, I should say. Even now, he could be killed for no reason beyond whim and it would be perfectly legal. He doesn't want his child to face the same life he's had or lack provision if he's killed."

Tears fell from Lindsay's eyes onto Rivuk's chest. "That's so unfair! He deserves to be a dad."

"I know. We'll make it a world where he can be."

He stroked her arm as they lay for some time in silence as Lindsay cried out her feelings. It was the part of her pregnancy she hated the most. She hated getting so emotional. Not that there was anything wrong with crying sometimes, but it felt like she was crying all the time over everything. Deneta couldn't even draw her a picture without her bawling over it.

But this... Carak deserved to be the father. They deserved to be able to tell the story of their romance and take the stain from his name. He deserved so much more than this for all the love and loyalty he'd given her. She'd make sure he got it. Though it might take some time to convince Sirix and Donil...

"Oh, did you meet Donil this time?" she asked.

"Yes. I didn't realize quite how strong your residual feelings for her were."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I couldn't stop staring at her, which they made fun of me assiduously for."

A dreamy look came over her as she remembered Donil. Those legs, the way her feathery white hair flipped when she turned her head quickly, how brilliant she was... "God, she's perfect, isn't she?"

"You clearly think so."

"I was so lucky. You know she used to date Nol? I mean Nol! And she's mine."

Rivuk chuckled. "I believe it. Afterall, I took you as my wife, so I do understand you have a certain appeal."

She raised herself on her elbow and smiled at him coquettishly. "A certain appeal?"

"Too much appeal. If I wasn't ordered on bed rest, I'd show you exactly how much."

She gave a slight laugh. "You know, most of the girls I know would give just about anything to have a wealthy prince sweep them off their feet and take them to his kingdom far, far away."

"Even you?"

"Well, I think I would have preferred something more like The Prince and Me, than... you know... this, but, you know, Prince Harry was cute. And now here I am with a prince in a palace dreaming of a woman in a tent."

"I'll make sure you have both."

* * *

Within the skell, Rivuk was healed.

Lindsay lay on his bed in the afternoon sun, curled into a little ball, feeling very much like she was going to throw up if she even moved. Even the warmth of the sunlight made her feel worse. Rivuk strode into the room and tossed up a screen.

The Second Prince Killed, the headline read.

"Prince Boz was killed in an attempted assassination plot against the Third Prince, Rivuk. Documents and testimony show a contingent of Nobillo and Children of the Immortal had sworn oaths of loyalty to him in exchange for access to women, money, and privileges."

Lindsay threw a pillow over her head. "Turn it off," she groaned from beneath it.

"What's wrong? I thought you'd want to hear the story."

"I do but, ugh, not right now."

She felt Rivuk sit beside her. He took off the pillow and brushed her hair aside. "Are you feeling ill?"

She tried to rise up to meet his hand but the world swooped around her, her stomach clenched and vomit rose in her throat. She fell back down. "I feel terrible. I think... I think I'm going to throw up." No sooner had she said it then she felt it. She pushed her head over the bed just in time to hit the wastebasket.

She brushed her hair back. At least that was over wi-

Nope!

She was down again. And again. Her eyes burned with tears. There couldn't be anything left to- her stomach clenched again. Only a few drops of stomach acid came out. The room was spinning. She clenched onto Rivuk's knee. "Rivuk... help me..." she begged before the world went black.

She awoke unaware of where she was, or when she was. She heard the tapping of fingers on a keyboard. She looked over. What time of day was it? The sun was coming in through the window, so either morning or evening. Rivuk was at his desk, typing away like so many other afternoons. Her stomach hurt. Oh yeah, she'd thrown up. A lot.

I guess I must've passed out, she thought. She tried to sit. Ugh! Why did she feel so weak? The baby kicked. She winced. Well, the baby wasn't feeling weak. She wanted to smirk at that thought but even her lips felt too heavy.

"Rivuk?" she said. Her voice was more of a croak than a whisper.

His head snapped to face her. "Oh thank Shireva you're awake. Carak! She's awake!"

"Lindsay?" The door slammed open to reveal Carak's massive bulk and concerned face. "Thank the Immortal!"

"What's wrong?" she asked. "I just passed out, it's not like I died."

Carak and Rivuk shared a look.

Rivuk sat on the bed and took her hand. It was then she realized there was a tube coming from it. "You did die. Just for a moment. I kept you alive until the doctor was able to revive you."

"But... I was just sick. I probably ate something wrong."

"Elihim poisoned some of your vitamins."

"But how?"

"He promised Lucian the baby," Rivuk said.

"My baby? But... but..." She gripped her belly. "But wouldn't the baby die, too?"

"Not necessarily."

"I doubt it would matter to Lucian if it did," Carak added, stone-faced. "Then he could do as he liked with it."

They both looked to Carak, horrified. It was clear Rivuk hadn't even considered this possibility.

"You believe he wants to kill the baby?" Rivuk said.

"You've acknowledged it. If it were to live, it would be the child of a prince. He'd never be able to touch it," Carak explained. "But, if it died at this late stage, it would be almost as developed as it could be. With Elihim advocating, it would be no great difficulty for him to acquire both of their bodies."

Lindsay sat up, her body shaking, she wasn't sure if it was with terror or rage. The Tin Man. She could only think of one thing. "Rivuk, take me home."

"You are home," Rivuk said.

"Take me home!" she shouted. "To the woods. I want to go home!"

"You're too weak to travel," Rivuk spoke gently. "Carak?" He looked to the giant as though hoping for assistance.

"We need to leave," Carak said. "You know your brother."

Rivuk frowned. "You're right, he won't fail twice. Lindsay, can you stand?"

She bent and flexed her legs. Now that she was awake, she felt her strength returning. "I think so."

"We'll go just before shift change. They won't want to do anything that might lengthen their day. I'll take Lindsay. Carak, we'll meet you at the third gate. Do you think you can set up a distraction for us?"

Carak was about to answer when Lindsay interrupted. "No, I'm going with Carak."

"Why?" Rivuk asked. "It'll be faster to fly. I can have you to your people in an hour."

She swallowed hard. "It's just the way it has to be. Trust me. We'll dress me up like a Korsuch, tell them he's escorting me from the city. You can do that mind thing you do to make them believe it. You know, these aren't the droids and all that."

"But you'll be putting yourself in greater danger."

"Just trust me, I know what I'm doing. I even have an idea for the distraction. But we've got to act now. I go with Carak or I don't go at all."

________________________________________

Rivuk furrowed his brow. It didn't make any sense. And then it did. "The cameras," he said.

Lindsay nodded.

They were such a ubiquitous part of palace life it was easy to forget they were there. Always watching, always recording. If he was the one to do it, the plan would be over. He'd never be able to return, at least, not with his full responsibilities intact. And he'd need those. If Elihim took control of the military, it would all be over.

"But I won't be leaving you alone," he said. "I'll give you something so I can communicate with the Bonat."

"You know the magnetic fields shut down most signals."

"I'll figure something out."

* * *

Rivuk watched from above, perched behind a turret, as Carak escorted Lindsay through the courtyard to the first gate. With her white coat, black clothes, chignon knotted hair, pale powdered face, and green eye band, she really could pass for a Korsuch, but this would be her first test.

"Good evening," Carak said, not waiting to be questioned by the Nobillo guards. "I've been assigned by the Second Prince to escort the Korsuch diplomat, Maeve of Carpathia, to the landing station. Here are her papers. I think you'll find everything is in order." Carak handed them a pamphlet of documents.

It had been no small feat to forge an entire diplomatic suite in an hour, but Rivuk was nothing if not motivated.

An alarm sounded. "Fire in the palace!" A voice shouted from the wristbands of the guards. "All hands needed! Repeat! All hands!" It sounded as though Sivi and Nerisa had done their job well.

"Should we go?" the guard asked.

"He said all hands," the other answered. "You know emergency procedure. Lock the inner wall doors and go."

"What about them?"

The second guard waved at them dismissively. "Let them through. I don't want to be filling out diplomatic apology forms. You know how the Korsuch are."

Lindsay passed by them with an imperious glare. Rivuk let out a sigh of relief. Two more gates to go. The second gate at the edge of the canyon was more difficult. The Nobillo guard regarded Lindsay suspiciously. He tried to question her, but she only answered in Bonat, growing increasingly more irritated until, finally, he relented.

"Let them through," he shouted to his Child of the Immortal counterpart who stood at the top of the gate.

They were through. Now it was only the third one before the Field of the Immortal and the safety of the woods. It was miles from the city. Meant to be flown, not walked. Dingy old Korsuch movers zipped back and forth to the gate on thin rails. They were older than his father, even older than the wall itself, once used to move the rocks from the canyon to the front for its construction. Rivuk watched as Lindsay and Carak got on. Traveling past the run-down barracks of the Flying Forces.

It was a wasteland. There was little food to be caught and less shipped to be eaten. The land was scarred and pocked with the signs of warfare. This was where Jericho's claws had raked the land, legend said, poisoning it so nothing would ever grow there again. Above it all, the remains of the East Tower rose.

This gate was manned by four Children of the Immortal. They scanned her documents, then looked at her, then Carak, then her again.

An alert sounded on their wristbands. "Princess Lindsay has escaped!" Elihim's voice declared.

The guards again looked to Carak and Lindsay.

"Please," Carak whispered. "Lucian wants my child."

"It's yours?" the guard asked.

"Yes, Denaro."

The guards glanced at each other. The gates slowly opened. Denaro put his hand on Carak's shoulder. "Go. We'll give you a head start. May the Immortal guide you."

"Thank you."

Carak scooped up Lindsay and ran.

An alarm sounded. Rivuk swooped down beside them. He looked back to see hundreds of soldiers suddenly rise above the wall. He'd never felt such terror in the face of his own men. Spears rained down from above.

"Left!" Lindsay shouted.

Carak veered left as they passed the stone portal, a spear landing where he'd almost been. Rivuk threw off the spears with his mind, but there were so many!