Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #11 February 2015 | Page 23

the darkness. She went over every part of the wall
until she found a small depression in the stonework.
There was a slight click and a section of the wall moved
inwards, it was a secret door that led to a warren of
hidden corridors. Thus she had begun her secret explorations of the ancient castle that Horgan had captured
years ago.

roads and wandered through the forests, heading to
the north, to her homeland.

She had managed to convince her guards that she was
asleep and had slipped out, leaving several pillows
in the shape of her sleeping form. It had taken many
nights and many months of her explorations, but she
had finally come across Horgan’s private rooms. There
she discovered his plans.

He sat across from her; two rabbits over the coals,
skewered on green sticks, their fatty juices dribbling
down to hiss in the fire. Her mouth watered at the
smell.

“I shall have her in my bed; I cannot contain my desire
for her much longer.” He had confided to Frael, his
chief bodyguard and lieutenant. Frael had nodded.
“Then you’d best wed her, and give her father no
chance to object, for once you have a son in her belly,
you become the new heir, or you will in the eyes of our
people. Her ways however are somewhat different; can
you imagine a woman ruling?” Frael laughed over his
tankard of ale.
From behind the walls, where there was a listening alcove, Leola had heard this and made her decision, she
would escape from her captors the next night.
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She reached the end of the corridor and found the
bolt hole. She opened the heavy leather door and
felt the chill of the draft from outside. She pulled her
cloak tighter about her shoulders against the chill and
ducked into the bolt hole.

She slept in the shadow of a fallen tree during the afternoon, intending to continue on through the night. She
awoke to the smell of wood smoke and cooked rabbit.
She came instantly awake, remembering.

“Good evening, care to tell me what you’re doing out
here on your own?” he asked her.
“Not really.” She said softly. “It is complicated, and I
don’t want to put you at risk.” She packed up her meagre pack of rationed food and stood to leave.
“The men who are looking for you are that way.” He
said, indicating the way she was going, she turned to
go another way.
“They’re that way as well; Horgan is sparing no man
in his search for you.” Leola looked at the man. “And
neither is your father.” He smiled as he got up from the
fire, “There are more of your loyal subjects coming to
help, Your Highness.” He indicated for her to sit back
down, and handed her a cooked rabbit when she settled before the fire. Soon she would be home, and her
father’s war horns would sound.

There was barely enough room for her to walk, even
hunched over. She looked out the exit to the outside
world. Below her, a fatal drop. A small goat track travelled past the bolt hole’s opening - her only way down.
“I hate heights.” She muttered to herself as she began
her descent.
She travelled through the night and well into the next
day, yet felt she hadn’t put enough distance between
herself and Horgan’s castle. Leola kept away from the

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