Chapter 49 - Redemption

Mitch had been right. The trail was steep. At times, the girls had to sling their bows over their backs and climb on their hands and knees. And all the time she was climbing, Remmaline wasn’t sure whether to be excited or scared. She was thrilled to think that she’d get to see Cable again, yet she was terrified at the prospect of meeting Dor-ko. Sure, she was armed with a bow and arrow. But would she dare to use it if she met him face to face?

The one consolation for Remmaline was that Kaelanna was by her side. Life is always better when you can share your danger, as well as your excitement, with a friend. The two girls didn’t talk much during their climb, but they didn’t have to. Side by side, they knew they could press on.

The steep climb lasted for several minutes, and the girls got quite winded in the process. They finally arrived at a small ledge that appeared to be about six feet high. They could tell that the ground above the ledge leveled off. “I’m pretty sure we’re near the top,” Remmaline declared. “I’ll bet that once we get over that ledge, we’ll see Cable.”

“Let me give you a boost,” said Kaelanna. She squatted down and clasped her hands together. “Put your foot in my hands and I’ll lift you up.”

Remmaline nervously complied. With Kaelanna’s help, Remmaline grasped the top of the ledge, swung her leg over, and pulled herself up. She rolled once to give herself some distance from the ledge. Then she came to her feet and looked around.

“Oh, my,” she gasped.

“What is it?” asked Kaelanna from below. “Help me get up so I can see!”

“Oh, my,” Remma repeated. As she looked around, she saw a landscape that was completely devastated. It looked as though a great explosion had taken place. Large boulders were strewn all over the place, including one that was very near the ledge. Trees were toppled over and lying on the ground. A thin cloud of dust still seemed to hover in the air. Remmaline wandered around as though in a trance. In the back of her mind was the question, “How could Cable have ever survived this?”

Before she could spend too much time asking that question, a voice from below interrupted again. “Hey, help get me up!” It was Kaelanna. Remma scurried over to the ledge, reached down, and helped pull up her friend.

Remma then started her search. All thoughts of Dor-ko were gone now. She just wanted to find her brother. And the more time passed, the more she feared that she might not find him alive. “Cable!” she cried out. “Cable! Are you here?” She repeated her call over and over again.

Kaelanna then interrupted her. “Remma!” she called out.

Remma jumped when she heard her name. She whirled around and faced Kaelanna. “What?”

“Remma...if you’re going to call his name, you’ve got to give him a chance to reply! You’re so busy calling his name that if he said, ‘I’m over here,’ you’d never hear it!”

“Oh,” Remma replied soberly. She really didn’t care for being corrected, but she knew that Kaelanna was right. She called out Cable’s name one more time and then paused.

A faint voice penetrated the dusty and the still-dim daylight of morning. “I’m over here, you blabbermouth,” it said. Remma had never been so happy to be insulted in her whole life. She instantly pinpointed the sound and ran toward it. Vaulting over a felled tree trunk, she saw Cable lying on the other side. He was rubbing his head and trying to open his eyes. His face was covered with dirt and his clothes were torn. The side of his head was all black and blue, like he’d been strafed with a tree branch. All in all, he looked in pretty bad shape. But he was alive.

Remmaline knelt down and gave him a hug. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever see you again!” she said, with tears running down her face.

“Me either,” said Cable. “For a while there I thought I was dead.”

Remmaline thought about that for a moment. “Wait a minute,” she said. “For a smart boy, you sure say some dumb things. How could you ever think you were dead? Dead things don’t think. If you were thinking at all, you should have known that you were alive!”

“Oh Remma, why do you always have to argue with me!” Cable replied, some strength starting to come back to his voice. “This tree nearly fell right on top of me! I thought I was going to be dead when I saw it flying toward my head. Get it?”

“Then you should have said, ‘I thought was about to die,’ not that ‘I thought I was dead,’” Remma retorted.

“Remma, just be quiet and help me get up,” Cable answered. Remma lent him a hand and helped pull him to his feet.

Kaelanna then interjected, “Didn’t Mitch say that someone else was up here?”

Cable blurted out, “Oh yeah! We gotta find Jimbo! And hey...did you say that you saw Mitch?”

A new sense of urgency flooded over Remma. “Yes, that’s right,” she replied. “But we don’t have any time to lose. I can’t explain everything, but Dor-ko himself might be making his way here on horseback. We took a shortcut so that we could hopefully find you and get you away from here before he arrives. Whoever Jimbo is, we’d better find him fast!”

The threesome began searching in earnest, calling out Jimbo’s name and searching behind every boulder and every fallen tree. It wasn’t long before Remma found a body lying face-down in the dirt. She rushed over, scootched down, shook his shoulder and called out, “Are you okay?”

The body rolled over. Remma backed up just a little bit, simultaneously startled and relieved. The man opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times. He then said, “Rachel, is it you? Is it you, me sweetie? Is it the love of my life, the one I dream of all the days of me feeble life?”

Remmaline stood to her feet. “What are you talking about?” she declared with indignation, temporarily forgetting her mission to help the wounded. “I’m just a 13-year-old girl. If you weren’t Cable’s friend, then I’d slap your fresh face this very instant!”

The man slowly came to his feet. He rubbed his head and said, “Crikey, mate! Oh my, does me head ever hurt! It hasn’t hurt this much since I was in school!”

While the man was talking, Cable ran over. “Jimbo, you’re okay!” he declared. They gave each other a hug, thumping themselves on the bag as is the custom with manly hugs. But as Jimbo thumped Cable, he let out a scream.

“What is it?” asked Cable.

“I forgot about my hand,” said Jimbo. He held up his hand and stared at it, then raised it up and invited everyone else to look. Remma stared at the scar and was aghast. Seeing her expression, Jimbo piped up cheerfully, “Don’t worry, girlie! I was just playing catch with a knife thrower. It’s lots of fun; I’ll show you how to play sometime.”

Remma wanted to throw up. But she kept her stomach in check and remembered the imminent danger they were all in. “Look, we came up over there,” she said, pointing back toward the ledge that she and Kaelanna had climbed over. “We need to go back down that trail and get out of here. Dor-ko could be here any minute.”

“Who in the world is Dor-ko?” asked Jimbo. “What kind of ignorant mother would name her son, ‘Dor-ko’? Can you imagine that poor kid’s life? ‘Come here, you little Dor-ko,’ his mother probably said all the time. No wonder he grew up to be a bad guy.”

Remma couldn’t help but laugh. However, her laughter was quickly stifled by the sound of rapidly galloping hoofbeats that abruptly came to a halt. The four comrades turned about and looked up. About 20 feet away, mounted on a great black horse, was the figure of Dor-ko. While the four friends had reveled in reunion, Dor-ko had arrived. And he had an arrow notched and pointed in their direction.

As Remma stared at Dor-ko, she thought he looked rather pale. He seemed to have some trouble staying atop his horse. For some reason, though he was armed and seemingly intent to kill each one of them, she was not particularly afraid of the fiend.

But Dor-ko knew none of these thoughts. He simply sat on his horse and stared, his arrow poised. After pausing a moment, he took a deep breath and declared, “It’s my privilege to have found you. I hope you enjoyed your little party. Because within the next minute, your miserable lives are about to come to an end.

Dor-ko turned his attention toward Remma. “Do you remember the battle yesterday, you miserable little fiend? Do you remember your cowardly brother, stabbing me in the heart while I was lying defenseless before him? Yes, I saw you! I saw you!” Dor-ko’s voice rose as he continued. “You were standing atop the ramparts, looking down at us. And I saw you laugh. You thought you’d seen the end of me, didn’t you! You thought it was great fun to see a man get stabbed and have his life taken from him! But you were wrong, missy. You were wrong! You were wrong! I am still alive!”

Dor-ko laughed hysterically, his eyes wide and ablaze. But his laughter quickly turned into a coughing fit, and he nearly lost control of his weapon. He fought to regain his composure and then continued. “My life is draining out from me, thanks to your miserable brother. I’m going to die, of that I am certain. But do you know what? I’m gonna take some people down with me as I go. And it’s gonna start with you, Remmaline, daughter of the accursed Maximilian! Say good-bye to your friends, for you shall never see the sun rise again!”

Dor-ko stared and aimed at Remmaline. He slowly drew back his arm. Remma was frozen; she felt unable to run and unable to reply. She just looked blankly at Dor-ko, unmoving and unable to comprehend the danger that was unfolding before her eyes. Then she heard a voice speak out.

“Hold on there, matey!” said Jimbo. He slowly took a step toward Dor-ko. “I’m sorry about your pathetic name, chap. I really am. But hey, I draw the line when it comes to threatening little girls. Didn’t your mother ever teach you anything, Dor-ko? I’ll tell you what, Dor-ko. You’d better aim that arrow at me. Because if you let it fly at Remmaline, I will personally punch your head so hard that it’ll fly off your body and land on the moon.”

“Stand back!” Dor-ko sneered.

“Aim your arrow at me, Dor-ko!” declared Jimbo. “And whatever you do, don’t aim at my hand!” Jimbo held up his hand and waved it at Dor-ko. “Because if you do, the arrow will probably sail right through! And then I’ll still knock your blessed block off!”

At that point, as she continued to stare at Dor-ko, Remmaline’s world seemed to move in slow motion. She saw Dor-ko look directly into her eyes. She saw a devilish smile creep across his face. She closed her eyes and prepared to die, feeling paralyzed by her fear. She saw Jimbo move--not toward Dor-ko, but toward her. She felt Jimbo jump on top of her. She felt her body crumple under his weight as she fell to the ground beneath him. She heard the sound of an arrow flying through the air. She heard the arrow find its target with a thud. She heard a groan. And then she did what she’d felt like doing for a long time--she screamed.

A strange silence followed Remma’s scream. She was about to scream again when she heard a voice say, “Gee whiz, girlie, I think you’ve done blasted out me ears. I can’t hear a thing!”

Remmaline opened her eyes. “Is that you, Jimbo?” she cried out.

“I think it’s me,” Jimbo replied.

“So...so you didn’t get shot?” Remmaline asked. “You didn’t get hit with an arrow?”

“Well,” Jimbo said, “I don’t think so. I mean, I’ve never been shot before, so I’m not quite sure what it feels like. But right now, I don’t feel like I’ve got any sharp objects sticking out of me. I guess that’s a good thing.”

“Then who did get shot?” Remma asked.

“Well now, that’s a good question,” Jimbo replied.

Remmaline then heard Cable’s voice. “It’s Dor-ko!” he declared.

Remmaline struggled to climb out from underneath Jimbo. When she finally broke free, she jumped to her feet and looked toward Dor-ko’s horse. Sure enough there was Dor-ko, lying face-down with an arrow sticking out of his back.

“How did that happen?” asked Remma.

A voice called out, “Over here!” Remma’s eyes turned toward a small cluster of trees that stood about thirty yards behind Dor-ko. Out of that cluster came a man atop a horse. Remma instantly recognized the horse--it was the same horse that she’d ridden in her escape from the Village of Cliffton just last night. As the horse came closer, she recognized the rider as well.

It was Mitch. He still had a bow in his hand as he approached.

Jimbo rose to his feet. “Brother, is that you?” he asked. He then ran over to the approaching horse and grabbed his brother. Handling him like a rag doll, he pulled him off the horse and gave his brother the longest and stoutest of hugs. “You came back, didn’t you!” he declared. “I knew my brother was no coward! I knew you’d be back, matey! Oh brother, it’s so good to see you!” Jimbo swung his brother around like a dance partner doing a waltz. Remmaline thought she even heard Mitch giggle. It was the first time she ever remembered hearing him utter anything resembling laughter.

As Mitch swung through the air, Remmaline saw something fly out of his pocket. It was the bag that she’d handed to him earlier. Curiosity overtook her as she walked over and picked it up. A small note tumbled out as she pulled the drawstring. It said the following:

To my faithful servant and dear friend Mitch-

I beg of you to turn back. As you look into the bag, resolve that no more shall fall to the ground while under your watch and care. Redemption is nigh; it is not too late.

M.

Remmaline opened the bag further. Its contents shocked her.

It was her hair--the hair that Mitch had so cruelly shorn seemingly a lifetime ago. Tears came to Remmaline’s eyes as she remembered that horrible moment of betrayal. But her father hadn’t forgotten her; he never did. Her father noticed everything, and he used it all to help restore all things.

Chapter 48 - Following Orders

When Remmaline heard Mitch’s name, her first reaction was to cringe in fear. She gasped and cowered atop her horse, half-expecting Mitch to rise up and attack her once again. But Remmaline heard no movement in the bushes below her. Her courage grew as the moments passed, and eventually she pierced the silence and cried out, “Come out of the bushes and show yourself!”

“Just...just a moment, Your Majesty,” replied Mitch. Remmaline heard a rustling noise from the undergrowth that lay before her, and she backed her horse up a few feet. A few seconds later, a man came crawling out out of the bushes. He knelt down before Remmaline’s horse and begged, “Please! Have mercy on me!”

Remma was shocked at what she saw. Mitch looked awful. His face was scruffy, as though he hadn’t shaved for days. This was very unusual for a man who was always fussy about his appearance. His face was also drawn and thin, as though he hadn’t eaten for days. Scrapes and scars marred his high forehead, and great bags sagged underneath his eyes. Tears streamed down his face as he pleaded once again, “I beg of you...please grant me just the smallest sip of your water! I’ve not had a drink for at least two days...”

As Remmaline’s fear diminished, her sense of outrage grew. She again aimed her drawn arrow at Mitch and said, “Why should I help you? You kidnapped me, you cut my hair, and you handed me over to Dor-ko himself! My father trusted you, and you left me to die in a nasty prison! Why shouldn’t I leave you to die, the same way you left me?”

Mitch hacked and coughed before he replied, “There is no reason at all that you should help me, Princess Remmaline. I betrayed you and treated you cruelly. If you help me, it would only be because you are gracious like your father.”

Remmaline was torn in her heart. She was moved by Mitch’s plea, yet she still felt the wounds of Mitch’s treachery. She cried out again, “Nothing you can say will change anything, Mitch! My brother Andres is fighting for his life. I don’t even know where Cable is--maybe you tried to kill him too. My father is nowhere to be seen. You’ve wrecked everything, Mitch. Everything!” Remma’s arms trembled as she continued, “You deserve to die this very second! And I can make it happen, you miserable wretch!”

“I am miserable indeed,” Mitch replied. “And you could put me out of my misery by simply releasing the arrow that is in your grasp. But please...I know I’ve caused great misery. I deserve nothing. I beg of you, just give me a drink. Then you can do with me whatever you please.”

“I don’t trust you!” cried out Remmaline.

“I don’t ask for your trust, Your Majesty. I ask for your mercy.” Mitch bowed his face to the ground in front of Remmaline.

“No!” Remmaline declared. She drew the arrow further and shouted, “Sit up like a man and take the punishment that you deserve!”

As Remmaline stared at Mitch’s groveling figure, she heard a voice behind her. “Don’t do it!” declared Kaelanna. “Don’t do anything here that you will regret later! Think of what your father would do!”

Remmaline didn’t take her eyes off Mitch. The man came back to his knees, staring up at her, his face filled with fear and shame. But Remma’s rage remained. “My father set him free four years ago, and look what good that did! He’s ruined everything! He deserves to die!”

“You are right, Remma,” replied Kaelanna. “But don’t you think it would be better to follow in the footsteps of your father than to follow in the footsteps of Mitch? Isn’t mercy better than cruelty?”

“It wouldn’t be cruel to give him what he deserves!” yelled Remmaline.

“Look, Remma...let’s help him out,” called out Kaelanna.

“What kind of a friend are you?” declared Remmaline, her arms shaking again, the arrow still pointed at the groveling Mitch.

“I’m a friend who was sent to remind you of what your father said,” replied Kaelanna.

“What do you mean?” snapped back Remmaline.

“Before you left, your father said that an old friend of his was in grave danger, and that you needed to do whatever you could to help him. Well, here he is. Mitch may be a traitor, and he may have harmed you in a way that will never be repaired. But he is an old friend of your father, and he needs our help. He needs your help. If we do as your father has requested, I have a feeling it’ll be okay. But it’s up to you, Remma. It’s up to you.”

Remmaline pondered Kaelanna’s words as she stared at Mitch. Tears started to stream down her cheeks; soon she began to sob. She was angry at Mitch, and she didn’t know if she’d ever be able to forgive him. There was a part of her that wanted nothing more than to make him pay dearly for the misery he’d caused. But Kaelanna was right: Her father had given her a task. That task was not only to find Cable but also to help an old friend in need.

Remmaline realized she had a choice to make--to do what she wanted, or to do what her father wanted. In frustration mingled with relief, Remmaline cast her bow and arrow to the ground. She then dismounted, grabbed her waterskin, and handed it to Mitch. Mitch mouthed the words “Thank you” and took a few grateful sips. He started to hand it back to Remma, but Remma insisted, “Go ahead, have some more. I’m sure if my dad were here, he’d tell you to finish the whole thing.”

When he was done, Remma took it back and tucked it in her satchel. She then remembered the small bag that her father had given her. Handing it to Mitch, she said, “My father asked me to give this to you. He said it has a message in it, and that you’ll need it if you have any hope of surviving. I’m not sure what that means, but that’s what he said.”

Mitch took the bag in his hands and stared at it as if it were a precious diamond. He shook his head, stared up at Remma, and asked, “Are you sure? He said this was for me?”

“Yes,” Remmaline replied. “He was thinking of saving you, even while you were thinking of destroying him.”

Mitch started to open it but paused and turned back to the girls. “Look,” he said, “I have an urgent message for you. I know you are looking for Cable. Well, to find him quickly, you’ll want to take the trail to your right. It is very steep--it almost goes straight uphill. But you’ll get there quickly.”

“Did you come down that trail?” asked Remmaline.

“I...I did, sort of accidentally,” replied Mitch. “I was...I was running away from danger last night, like the coward that I am. And then there was a great explosion. I was sent tumbling down the hill before getting knocked unconscious. I’m sure I broke my leg; that’s why I had to crawl out of the bushes.”

“Are you okay?” asked Kaelanna. Remmaline figured that Kaelanna had to be the most friendly and caring girl on the face of the earth.

“I’ll be okay, thank you,” said Mitch. “But please, I implore you--start climbing up the hill. You’ll find Cable and another man named Jimbo at the top, barely a quarter mile away. I’m sure they’ll need your help. Because here’s the thing--just moments before you arrived, I saw Dor-ko galloping along the trail. Thankfully he never saw me. But he was moving fast. He went down the trail that goes off to your left, and I’m pretty sure that’s a much longer trail. But there is no doubt he’s trying to get Cable. You’ll need get to Cable first, or we’ll all be in danger.”

Remmaline started to remount her horse when Mitch interrupted. “I’m afraid your horse will be useless on that trail,” he declared. “It’s too steep. Take your bows and arrows and start climbing immediately. You may yet beat him to the punch.”

Kaelanna immediately dismounted, and the girls grabbed their weapons. As they started down the trail, they heard Mitch call out one more time. “One more thing...Dor-ko looked awful. He has been wounded, and he is greatly weakened. Do not fear him, okay? Do not fear him! You can defeat him! Now go! Run!” And with those words, the girls ran as fast as they could.