Across Enemy Lines

[Elyana Harcourt]

Weaving through trees, the Lady Elyana audaciously dashed through the woods as she raced ahead of her knightly brother and his men. Per usual, Elyana “forced” Braeden to take her on a hunting trip while he was on leave. Not surprising, it did not take much convincing to get her brother to agreed to her demands, merely the words, “We should go on a hunt tomorrow.” Of course, the young noblewoman was more along for the ride than for the entertainment of killing fuzzy, forest creatures.

Elyana was dressed in one of her warm, winter garments, a crimson gown of fine wool and glistening samite with long, fur belled sleeves and ornate embroidery. Underneath her dress, knee high brown leather riding boots were pulled over her tan breeches while soft leather gloves sheathed her soft, pale hands. Over her shoulders draped a heavy wool cloak trimmed her beige fur, shielding her body from the chill. Traversing through the forest was no reason not to dress her best.

As she swerved her dark Andalusian through the trees, Elyana brought her horse back onto the path, the skirt of dress billowing behind her in the manifested breeze. Cavalier’s resilient, obsidian hooves disturbed the dirt path, flinging spurts of soiled snow, as he carried is mistress swiftly through the dim forest. His strong muscles fluidly propelled him forward, his nostrils flaring with every step he took. The dark Andalusian stallion was a credit to his noble breed in every way.

The equine transitioned down from his gallop into a waltz-like canter smoothly and gracefully. Elyana’s hips rocked with her horse’s strides, moving as one with him. With her posture straight and her shoulders back, the noble lady sat poised in her saddle. No one could say she was not an excellent rider. It was not long before she heard the hoof beats of the mounts of Sir Braeden and his men.

“Cavie, you’re losing your touch,” remarked Lady Elyana to her loyal stallion. “It took them longer to catch up the last time.”

Determining that the race was over, the charming lady gradually brought Cavalier to a halt in the middle of the path. As the rest of the hunting party came into sight, Elyana stretched out her upper body on her horse’s neck, giving Cavalier a hearty scratch beneath him thick dark mane. Then with a lively smirk, she called with carefree laugh, “Quickly, dear brother. How will you call yourself a knight of the realm if you can’t keep up with me, a simple woman?"

After Braeden pulled his own horse along hers, he grinned, accepting of his beloved sister’s boldness, and remarked, “I can because I rest easy in the fact that I know you shall never best me with a blade, sweet sister.”

“And how do you know that I never wielded a sword while you were fighting on the battlefield?” quipped Elyana, nudging her mount to walk on.

Riding on beside her, Braeden shot his sister a skeptical look. “Now let’s be honest, Anne. The sharpest things you ever wield are your fabric shears and a sewing needle… in the safety of your own home, I may add.”

“Which is where she should be now…” Elyana heard someone murmur under their breath. The young noblewoman recognized the voice as the veteran Sir Arnauld Selmey. The hunting party fell quiet with a silence so thick that one would be able to hear a tree fall from a mile away. The carefree smile vanished from Elyana’s rosy lips as they pursed in annoyance.

“What is wrong, Sir Selmey?” inquired Elyana in a polite but cool voice, as if the comment had not perturbed her. “Do you not care for my company?”

“Quite on the contrary, m’lady. I find your presence very uplifting,” replied Arnauld Selmey with great dignity. “I simply meant that I don’t find it very seemly for a lady of your station to be out riding in the winter, and it is not proper for a young lady to be riding her horse astride like a man—”

“That’s enough, Selmey!” interjected Braeden brusquely. “You shall apologize to my sister for every offense against her.”

“Braeden!” exclaimed Elyana, more offended by the brother interjection than Sir Selmey’s explanation. Her elder brother gave her a baffled look only to have it answered with exasperation and an eye roll. She knew her brother meant well, but he honestly wasn’t helping. “I don’t need you to fight my battles for me.”

“I wasn’t fighting. I was providing reinforcements.” Braeden explained heatedly, ignoring his men as he and his sister made a bit of a scene.

“I don’t need your reinforcements!” shouted Elyana, her temper quickly rising. Her brother knew full well not to treat her like a damsel in distress, but he was doing it anyway. “God, you’re just like every other man!”

Thoroughly maddened and frustrated by her riding companions, the noble lady spurred her obsidian steed into a swift canter, abandoning the hunting party all together, even pretending not to hear her brother when he called out her name. Thinking she had something to prove, Elyana deviated from the familiar path and rode into the thick of the forest. She rode through the woods as fast as Cavalier could carry her fully confident that she could find her way back in the end. Not even when she had crossed into unfamiliar territory did she slow down.

Elyana wove her stallion through the intermittent trees of the new wood. Growing tired from the hard ride, the sculpted Andalusian snorted and transitioned into a brisk walk on his own. Respecting her boy’s limits, the Carnethian blueblood slacked her reins, letting him have the bit. So as her mount caught his breath, Elyana glanced about, trying to deduce how far off the path she was. Clearly it was very far for she barely recognized the wood she was in. The trunks of trees were fairer in color and not as thick as those in Carneth.

“Cavie, I don’t believe we’re in Carneth anymore.” Elyana whispered to her faithful horse. However if she wasn’t in her home country, then where was she?

[Simon Drayton]

Simon had been hunting on his own with the King's permission. He had heard some yelling and shouting not far from him. He nudged his steed forward, toward the voices. Though when he saw the flash of a woman on a horse run toward Aravia he followed her about ten paces behind at almost the same speed. Her was surprised at how fast her horse was.

When her horse slowed down he pulled on the reins to slow his own horse. He heard her words then nudged his steed into a trot to get beside the maiden. "You are in Arvia, my lady." He hoped he hadn't startled her. Simon noticed the way she was riding her horse, the way no maiden had rode before.

As he looked around he muttered, "I haven't been in these parts in so long." He almost missed his home land, his father though he did not miss.

[Elyana Harcourt]

"You are in Avaria, my lady."

Elyana quickly wheeled her horse around in order to face her newfound company. Her gloved hands gripped her reins tightening, shortening their length incase she needed to bolt off in a hurry. Cavalier was all set and ready to run if need be; Elyana felt his strong muscles tense underneath her.

“It’s quite discourteous, sir, to sneak up on a lady in such a fashion.” The lady of Carneth stated evenly as poised as ever, never showing her inner turmoil.

She had no idea when she crossed over the border into Avaria, the sworn enemy of her own kingdom, but she did not like it, not one bit. Needless to say, she did not want to get caught on this side of the border. Even at this very moment, the noblewoman could be in very grave danger.

"I haven't been in these parts in so long."

Her glacial blue eyes were fixated on the man before her, watching him like a hawk. The last thing she needed to happen was to be captured by an Avarian… if he was one that is. ‘Well he hasn't made a grab for you yet, so perhaps he’s from Carneth… No, he knows this land… But brother knows the borders of Carneth and Avaria as well as his own lands, so maybe this man his part of military… The Avarian military—he could have been patrolling the borders. Best be cautious.’ thought Elyana as a million things ran through her calculating mind.

Wanting to get the facts straight, Elyana inquired nonchalantly, “You are Avarian, sir?” The young lady nudged her mount into a slow walk, passing the gentleman and his steed as if she was going to round them, but she wanted to be prepared, ready to take off at a moment’s notice. Yet all this depended on one singular thing: his answer.

[Simon Drayton]

“It’s quite discourteous, sir, to sneak up on a lady in such a fashion.”

“I had been hunting when I saw you, my lady, I had no other way to arrive.” Simon smiled at the maiden, trying to calm her and show her he meant no harm. He had seen her horse’s reins tighten a bit so he assumed she did not trust him. They sat in silence as he let her think or survey the woods. He could not tell what the maiden was doing.

“You are Avarian, sir?”

The question sounded so simple yet to Simon it was difficult to answer. He was indeed Avarian but he had left his life for Frances. He was a knight of Carneth, under the king. How could he answer the question? He knew he needed to but he couldn’t think of an easy way to tell her without her running off. He reached over and grabbed the reins of her horse.

“Yes, I am Avarian born but I am a knight of Carneth. I fight for King Lucien.”

[Elyana Harcourt]

“I had been hunting when I saw you, my lady, I had no other way to arrive.”

An amused smirk rose on the lady’s flush lips as Elyana was quite entertained by his answer. It said something about the man’s intellect if she found humor in his words. This one had a sharp mind. Most men she met were usually boorish and bragged about their wealth and lands.

However the brief silence that fell between them following her next question left her uneasy. What was there to think about? It was either a yes or a no, or in her case the choice of flight or to remain. As the man reached for her horse’s reins, her crystal blue eyes followed the path of his hand, and she cued Cavalier to charge. However the lady gave the signal too late, and he held fast to the strap of leather connected to her horse’s mouth. She was about to swat, shove, or kick his hand away until she heard, “Yes, I am Avarian born, but I am a knight of Carneth. I fight for King Lucien.”

The pulse of her racing heart slowed upon hearing that he was an ally. What a blessing! Now she no longer had to worry about being captured and held for ransom or worse. Also, since he was a knight, Lady Elyana was sure that he would treat her with the proper respect and dignity her lofty station afforded her. Indeed, this accidental border hop was turning right around for the better.

“Very well, sir. I shall take you for your word.” Elyana remarked calmly and politely. Then glancing down at her reins she asked, “Now, if you could release my reins, I would greatly appreciate it… And whom might I be thanking for guidance out of our adversary’s territory?”

[Simon Drayton]

“Very well, sir. I shall take you for your word.”

Simon nodded at her, “If I were still a knight for the Avairan king I would have drawn my sword and had more men with me.” Also he wouldn't have spoken to her, just grabbed her and her horse and took her to the king.

“Now, if you could release my reins, I would greatly appreciate it… And whom might I be thanking for guidance out of our adversary’s territory?”

Simon's lips twitched as if he were going to smile at her bravery. “I, madam, am Sir. Simon Drayton, knight to King Lucien.” Remember you are with Frances. He thought to himself as he looked the lady over. She looked young, but he knew better then to ask women their ages.

[Elyana Harcourt]

“I, madam, am Sir Simon Drayton, knight to King Lucien.”

[/b]

A quick smile flashed across her lip as the knight introduced himself. Simon Drayton. It was a pleasant name, a warrior’s name. Yet somehow it sounded familiar. Perhaps her brother had mentioned him during one of his tales of battle and victory. However her memory could not place it.

Now it was her turn to introduce herself, however Elyana was feeling rather playful and in the back of her mind still a bit wary. Who was to say that this knight would not return to the allegiance of the Avarian king the first chance he got. It would be best to let him think she was of little importance.

“Anne Harrington.” Elyana stated without missing a beat, as if it were her true name. “It is an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Drayton.”

Do not think she missed him gazing at her. However, the lady more or less disregarded it. She was used to men staring at her, admiring her looks. Of course Elyana was no great beauty like her milk and honey sister, Mairead, but in the grand scheme of thing the eldest daughter of the Harcourt family was still quite pretty. Sir Simon wasn’t too shabby looking either. Elyana admitted to herself that she liked his face and his pretty blue eyes, not that she would say it out loud.

“Now, shall we?” inquired the lady, gesturing towards Carneth. “I don’t know about you, but I do not want to stay in the wretched land a moment longer.”[/color][/font][/size]
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[Simon Drayton]

Simon was sitting straight on his steed as a knight should. “Why were you out here? Was someone after you? I saw how fast you were riding.” He looked around and used his senses to tell if anyone was around anywhere nearby.

He bowed his head, “'Tis a pleasure, Miss Harrington.” Though he almost suspected that she wasn't truthful on her name. He didn't blame her for not trusting him. He sometimes wondered if the King truly trusted him, he didn't let his emotions show though. He was trained not to show much emotions around those he did not know.

“Nor do I, if I were to be caught I would be killed.” Simon turned his horse around then nudged it forward. He didn't like being back in his homeland as he was beginning to become homesick. “Follow me.” He and his steed went on in a slow and quiet walk, he did not want to make a sound in case any knights were around. He looked at the maiden and placed one finger on his lips letting her know to try to be quiet.