Blood and Ice Ch. 17

Grandfather came back into the dungeon.

"I hope this plan is worth it! Your father was furious when I said you weren't here."

"Trust me, it's worth it. If father knew what I was doing he would try to interfere and I can't have that." I said.

"Anyway, lets get you out of here and into a nice warm bed okay?" I nodded and followed grandfather out.

"I got a room near mine so any problems I'm right next door to you. There will be two guards outside your door at all times. There is a bathroom and a change of clothes for you in there." grandfather said.

"Thank you grandfather."

"I just hope you know what your doing. Your father isn't the best person to anger." grandfather said.

"Tell me grandfather, has anyone ever managed to knock my father out in battle or in sword practice?" I asked.

"Never!, and you've seen the muscles on Balthazar. Even he has never knocked your father out." grandfather said.

"Well I managed to knock him out before I had any training." I said.

He was a bit taken aback by that.

"Good night grandfather." I said as I went into the room that grandfather had gotten ready for me.

I got changed into the clothes that had been left for me, an went to sleep.

I didn't like deceiving my father, but for my plan to work I had no choice! If they found out before I wanted them to, it could destroy my plan.

Grandfather woke me the next morning and we headed down to the food hall. I sat next to grandfather.

"Have you reconsidered your plan Alexandria?" he asked me.

"No grandfather, I haven't It's the only way to defeat the light raiders and I need you to keep this from my father because if the light raiders get any word of it they will kill me and the plan will fail. I will be leaving after I eat."

"Very well, I don't like this; but I will not argue with you." grandfather said.

I nodded. I finished eating quickly. "is there a horse I can borrow?" I asked grandfather.

"Take my horse. He's I little wild, but am sure you can tame him." grandfather said.

"Thank you grandfather." I said as I headed to the stables.

Grandfather followed me. He took the horse out for me. He looked exactly like Spirit, only there was no spot of white on him.

"This is shadow! Take good care of him." he said, as I mounted him. As I did, Balthazar appeared and handed me a black cloak.

"Take this it will help hide you." he said.

"Thank you Balthazar." I said as I put the cloak on.

I took the reins and dug my heels into shadow and he took off at top speed. I wasn't sure where I was going but I knew that I needed to get away from the castle since my father could come back looking for me. Shadow jumped over a river and sped into the forest. I knew that my father would never come here looking for me.

I got to the other side of the forest and onto the plain of grass that I found before. This time, instead of going straight ahead I went to the right. I didn't really know where I was going, but I decided to trust my instincts on this matter.

I stopped to get some rest and some water. When I did, I heard an almighty roar coming from the direction of the castle. My heart sunk. Grandfather told my father! I jumped back on shadow and sped off as I didn't want to face the wrath of my father.

I decided to put as much distance as possible between us. Shadow sped on. We reached another forest, only this time it was thicker and there was no way possible that shadow could get through. I decided to go it on foot. I turned shadow around and I spoke to him.

"Go back to the castle boy." I took the cloak off. I felt something in the cloak pocket. I put my hand in. There were two things in the pocket. One was the orb, which I was glad of. The other was a tracking device of some sorts.

so I left the device in the pocket. Put the cloak on shadow, and slapped his hind quarters. He sped off towards the castle and I ran into the forest as if the devil himself was after me.

I don't know how long I ran for, it was at least two or three hours. The forest seemed to be never ending. I had to use my sword to cut through the branches of the trees. I heard the thunder of hoofs coming from behind me.

I knew it was father coming to get me. He was getting closer to me so I climbed up the nearest tree. I kept climbing until I was almost at the top. I was out of seeing range, but not hearing range. The thunder of hoofs got closer until they were right below me. They must have used their swords to cut through the thick undergrowth of trees.

"She should be here! I put an extra tracker on her just encase she found the one in the cloak." grandfather said.

"Well, where is she then!" , that was father. There was no doubting his temper.

I felt round my body until I found what I was looking for. There was a tracking device on my neck. Grandfather must have slipped it onto me when I wasn't looking.

"The tracking devices are never wrong. She's here somewhere." grandfather said.

"We wouldn't be in this mess if you would have told me she was here in the first place!" Father yelled at grandfather.

"I told you, she asked me not to. I feel bad for telling you and betraying her." grandfather said.

I took the tracker and quietly threw it as far as I could. I don't know where it landed but it didn't go far since father and grandfather didn't go anywhere.

"We need to find her. I don't know what Melissa would do if Alexandria was killed. It would destroy the entire clan!" father said.

"Look, when she left the castle she was fine! She was alive and well." grandfather said.

"What is she planning father?"

"She's going to try and release the army of the dammed." grandfather said.

"There's no way she will be able to do that! Even Alexander couldn't. No one has ever been able to get to the burial ground let alone release them. We have to find her and stop her!"

"I agree, but where is the burial ground?" grandfather said.

"It's to the far east, well it would be north now, but the farthest anyone has ever gotten is the lake of fire." father said.

"How far is that?" grandfather asked.

"On horse, only two hours. On foot, six maybe seven hours." father said. He seemed to have calmed down a little bit.

"Maybe we should go back to the castle and wait for you your daughter. As soon as she gets to the lake she will turn back as she can't get any further." grandfather said.

"Very well. I don't like this, but I will go back to the castle with you." father said, as they turned their horses and left.

I waited until they were well out of hearing range before I climbed down.

"Well, that's the last time I trust grandfather!" I thought to my self as I climbed down the tree and headed off. The only good thing was that they told me where I was headed and the fact that they were going back to the castle.

I headed off in the direction that father said. I noticed that the further I went the warmer it got. It took me about six or seven hours to get to where I wanted, The lake of fire.

It was a large lake at the bottom of a valley. It stretched as far as the eye could see. Flames danced across the surface of the water. How I was going to get across it? I had no idea, but I knew that there was a way!

"So this is where you've been hiding from me." a voice said from behind me. I turned around it was father! He grabbed my wrist.

"Let go of me!" I shouted.

"No way! You're coming back with me. Do you think that we didn't know that you were in the tree Alexandria?" father said.

"Look, I don't have time for this." I shouted at him. I twisted to try and free my wrist.

"You're coming home, you think I'm going to let you do this? I'm your father and you will do as I say!" father shouted back.

"You may be my father, but you are not my boss!" I shouted back.

I drew my sword and struck my father stupid. I know; but I had no choice I ran from my father right onto the lake of fire!