Heading back out of the city at top speed, she cursed the man who had become so obsessed, cursing men in general for that matter.
They had fled, leaving behind most of their possessions and she was simply glad she had been wearing the hair pin and necklace or she wouldn't have allowed them to leave until she retrieved them.
Izziah had fallen into a sullen silence, his eyes lingering on her middle more often that was warranted, but there was nothing she could do to stop his pouting.
What was done was done, there was no saving any of them.
War was coming to Ayathian and her going there to try and stop it had been pointless.
As they travelled, Izziah had stopped the carriage long enough to withdraw a falcon from the storage compartment, giving her a sheepish look.
"It's to warn King Alaric of the war, we planned this before we left. He knew the war was still a possibility, even with the peace agreement."
She hadn't argued, simply watched the bird flying fast in the direction she knew Ayathian to be.
They had been lucky to get out at all rather than ending up the political prisoners the emperor had been planning for them the whole time. They had been even luckier to get the carriage, as it moved faster than Izziah could run.
Taking the time to stretch their legs and move, she looked around as Izziah offered the driver one of the horses and excused him, stating they could get back the rest of the way without him and it would be easier for him to get home himself.
She didn't argue, watching the driver as he galloped away with the horse and leaving them with three.
Stretching her arms and legs, she paced slowly along the road, her eyes down and chewing on her nail, thinking hard about what they were going to do.
"Do you know much of what Alaric's army is like?" she asked him after a few minutes of pacing.
"No, I imagine he will try and recruit from the outlying districts. He rules over at least half of this continent to hear him tell it," Izziah said, pulling off his jacket and shirt to hang them up over the door to dry, groaning as the cool breeze calmed his skin.
"What is the difference between an emperor and a king?" she asked, her eyes lingering on the road they had just come down, wary of anyone following them.
"Nothing at all, actually," Izziah said, perking up at the subject. "They are effectively the same thing, it was believed that it depended on how the title was gained, the location and the like, but really they are the same. It's an ego thing, wanting themselves to sound like they are more than they really are."
"Alaric having an ego? Never," she scoffed, making him laugh. "Ten minutes and we head off again?" she turned to him, finding him still watching her. "What?" she snapped.
"I still can't believe you are pregnant to that monster," he growled, glaring at her.
"Mind your own business, Izziah." Shaking her head, she pushed past him and climbed back into the carriage, frustrated that he was still commenting on the subject.
It wasn't his business and he had no right in saying anything about it. It was her life, her body and now, her child.
After the break, the drow pulled his clothes back on and slammed the door of the carriage shut, climbing up onto the seat, they headed off again.
***
The first day slipped by uneventfully. Alone in the carriage, she could do nothing but stare out at the world as it went by. They were forced to stop at sunset and he climbed into the carriage with her, carrying a blanket and offering it to her as the carriage had no glass in the windows.
Sighing, they were forced to huddle closer together, their backs pressed against each other's and using the blanket along with her dress to keep them warm.
Neither of them slept very well, but it was better than no sleep at all.
Waking early the next morning, they continued on to the first town they came across and swapped out their horses for fresh ones, including a fourth and she headed out to hunt, finding herself a human she barely paid any attention to before returning to the carriage to find Izziah had removed the arrows.
Their supply of money was dwindling and so they couldn't afford to buy them both new clothes, even with Etani glamouring more coins for them, something Izziah wasn't happy with. Instead, he bought himself enough food to last him the remainder of the trip though she thought it was almost twice what a person would normally eat, something Letari seemed to agree with.
Minding her own business, she climbed back into the carriage and they left the village, setting off once more.
The second day was almost as eventful as the first, though he had provided her with a handful of books, including some for himself up on the seat.
It gave her something to do at least and she sighed, finishing the first book before they were forced to stop to swap the horses out again.
They were going too fast, she knew it, but they were in a hurry to get back.
***
It was nearing mid afternoon when she heard Izziah yelling, someone swearing and the horses reared, the carriage coming to a crashing halt and she slid off her seat, landing in a heap on the floor before she looked up and around in confusion.
"Stay in the carriage!" Izziah called to her and she froze, eyes locked on the window.
It wasn't like she couldn't defend herself, but she wasn't the only one needing to be defended then. The child inside her needed to be defended too and she was scared for it more than herself.
"Get out of here, we've got nothing of interest to you!" Izziah yelled, but the answering growl was impossible for her to make out.
There had to be more than one, as something near the back of the carriage shifted and she froze, unable to see what was happening through the curtains and unwilling to reveal herself right away.
Someone walked around the side of the carriage. Doing her best to not make a noise as she turned, she watched the shadow as it passed.
She had no weapons, nothing but a small book to defend herself and she hoped Izziah at least had something.
"We aren't rich, nothing we have will interest you," Izziah said.
"Who's in the carriage?" Another deeper voice growled, causing her shoulders to tense.
"No one, my sister," Izziah lied and then grunted at the sound of flesh hitting flesh.
"Why don't we go say hello to your sister then?" the voice was lecherous and she quickly picked up the book, ready to beam anyone over the head with it.
"Leave her alone!" Izziah cried and she looked up as the shadow moved around, pausing beside one of the doors.
He yanked the door open and she froze, staring up at not a stranger, but Drizdan, her heart skipping a beat as terror washed through her at the sight of him.
"Afternoon," he growled, his eyes lifting from her and she gasped as something pricked at her side.
Whipping around, she found Izziah holding a syringe, the barrel empty and whatever it was already coursing through her veins.
"Izziah?" she whimpered, her head beginning to spin as she made to slap him, missing by over a foot.
Catching her wrist, he pulled her closer and grinned. "Don't worry princess, we won't fail this time," he said and everything faded to black.