“I know those places.”
“And they know you. Therefore they are the most dangerous.”
Prin started to ask another question, but he held up his hand to stall her. He drew another line, reasonably parallel to the River Indo. “The King’s Road.”
She still had a question about which route to take. But the combat master forestalled her again. He said, “This road is your way to the palace.”
“The King’s Road? I thought you were kidding. That would be crazy!” Prin said. “It’s patrolled by the King’s men who watch all traffic.”
“The King’s men are probably on your side. It is better to be captured by them than those your cousin pays to hunt you. I stressed the word, probably. You will trust nobody, or do I have to take you out to the gardens and spank you again?” the combat master asked with a fond smirk she hadn’t seen often.
“Did you bring a dozen men to help you so you might be able to do it?” Prin snapped. “Why would I take the most obvious route?”
“Because all the other routes, those a person sneaking into the kingdom would use, will be impassible with so many enemies trying to locate you. They are narrow and contain few travelers, so each traveler will face a wall of opposition, and they will curse you for their delays. The King’s Road has thousands of feet on it every day, and you will lose yourself within the masses, much the same as you hide in Gallium,” he said.
Maude said, “Only more so. With the various spells you will use, one day you will appear older than me, and far uglier. At other times, with the help of another spell I’ve worked out, you will blend in so well none will notice you. There will be stretches of the road when none can see you, with the overall plan being there is no consistent trail for your enemies to follow. Those who do see a pattern may forget what they saw, or confuse their memories with other people who traveled that way.”
Prin felt a wave of relief. Maude had thought of it all.
Maude continued, her voice softer and more serious, “And there may be those who will recognize you—and they will die.”
The last two words drew a sharp reaction from Prin, but she held her tongue.
The combat master drew another line along the sea from Indore to a place he labeled Swain. “The Old Coast Road past a dead city named Swain. It’s fallen into near disuse from the travelers taking boats up and down the Indo, but a few locals still use it. I suggest you do, too.”
“I’m not arguing,” Prin said while studying the map. “But why? I don’t understand.”
He laughed. “A good question for a student to ask. I would offer compliments to your combat teacher for a job well done, except that would be self-serving.”
Prin offered a weak smile at his little joke.
He returned it and said, “Here are my thoughts and why I suggest this route. While on the ship, you will be passengers and have little chance to plan lest you are overheard by a crewman or passenger. You have sailed, so you know the routine, and how easily a stray, or whispered, comment leads to problems.”
“I do,” Prin said, thinking back to several instances while on her first ship, the Merry Princess.
“Good. The ship will depart Indore a day or two after you arrive, and hopefully, take any miscalculations you made with it. That means you will be reasonably safe once ashore. Even in Indore, you will blend in, and you have friends there if you need their support. However, I suggest you avoid endangering them by so much as a visit.”
Prin nodded her understanding. She felt confident she would make it that far. “Ships depart daily from Indore. I could take one to Swain and depart there for the King’s Road. It would be easier and faster. That was my question.”
“I want you to take the more challenging route on foot, by the old road. While Brice accompanies you, I want you to have those days alone together—without help or support. You will have no resources but those you carry inside. For more than five years, you have lived with the sustenance and protection of Maude, with Sara making most decisions as your big sister. You and Brice need time to learn to work together—without the help of Maude and Sara. But, it is you who will be in charge. Your knight will do as you order.”
Prin pursed her lips and studied the map. “I’ll really be on my own, won’t I?”
Maude touched Brice’s elbow. “No offense, but Prin must use this time to learn to survive. You will back her up and offer suggestions, but make no mistake, Prin will become a different person. She will be scared, and she may ask you to travel apart from her or give you other strange commands, but you are sworn to obey.”
“I should stay with her to protect her.”
“No,” the combat master said. “You should, and you will do whatever she says. You swore obedience and loyalty to her not ten minutes ago, and already you challenge your Princess’ commands?”
Prin said, “That’s not what he meant. Now, once I reach Swain, what will I do?”
“A boat trip would seem right, but on any vessel, no matter how large, you are restricted in area to a few dozen paces. You cannot retreat or run. There is little room to throw that knife you use to cheat the natural forces. Besides, you only carry one knife between your shoulder blades. There may be two, three, or four attackers.” The combat master placed the pen down and waited. “Perhaps a whole crew anxious to collect the reward of a fistful of gold coins.”
Prin didn’t answer immediately. “I see. A carriage is also restricted, but I can leap off and run.”
“Carriages are for the wealthy,” the combat master snapped. “The rich are noticed, remembered, and tongues wag. You are a Princess, so suspect. Only the poor are unseen, and even then, people recollect travelers and strangers. Maude and I have discussed this plan many times, and our belief is that you must transition between appearances at each of the cities you pass through.”
Maude said, “Our biggest concern is your entry into the King’s Palace. There is where you will face the most danger. The final step is where many enemies wait, and they will be those most dangerous.”
The combat master placed a hand on Prin’s shoulder. “We cannot help you there because of the unknown variables. But, know this: your enemies have had five years to plan for your return. They have tried to find you all that time, but since they have not, they expect you to return, and they are prepared. Allow that to simmer in your mind while we all sip some satisfactory tea, and if you have any sense, you will tremble in fear.”
Prin turned and walked to her bedroom, but instead of packing, she used the double doors and entered the garden. It still had the look and feel of being too perfect, but she would miss it. For now, she wanted to be alone a few minutes and let her mind grasp some of the finer points of the plan.
A raven landed on a nearby branch and whispered, “Hannah, it’s time to come home.”
Prin felt momentarily confused by the use of her actual name, one she had seldom heard for more than five years. It was another message from Evelyn, her sorceress friend in Wren. She expected it would not be the only message she would receive. By the time she had recovered her wits, the raven had flown away.
Her mind went to the end of her story, which held her wearing the ancestral crown of Wren and she worked her way back, examining each step along the way. The unknowns made the story incomplete and choppy, but one central theme persisted. Did she want to be a Queen? That one was easy. She didn’t. She did not want the intrigue, ruling over other people’s problems, making laws for things she knew nothing about, and most of all, being limited in her daily life.