"Both of you come with me." The captain didn't slow his stride as he walked through the garden past Codey and Arthur.

They shot one another a quick look before hurrying after him. Codey looked back once to see two other soldiers taking their places guarding the gate. It looked as if they were going to Kingsley after all. He swallowed hard around the sudden lump in his throat. Fear threatened to drown him. He stamped it down, refusing to give in to it.

They followed the captain all of the way to his office. "Sit, both of you. Arthur, close the door." He took a seat behind his desk, looking serious.

"Sir, are we going to Kingsley?" Codey asked him.

"Yes, but not by order of the king."

Codey's brows drew together in confusion. "I don't understand."

"He insists there's nothing there to investigate. What's more, he was firm about the two of you not going to Kingsley. Claimed he won't have untrained men mucking about messing things up."

Arthur sat up, his spine stiff. "Untrained? He does know who we are, doesn't he?"

The captain sat back with a heavy sigh and he dragged a hand over his face. "He knows very well who the both of you are. That is exactly why I'm sending the two of you despite his insistence. You'll have to slip out without catching the notice of anyone. If you're caught ..."

Codey held up a hand. "Don't worry, sir, I simply wished to see my home and Arthur decided to join me."

The captain smiled. "I doubt the king will buy that story, but it's worth a try."

"There's a small problem with our trotting into Kingsley to investigate the baron without the king's consent ..."

The captain nodded in response to Arthur's statement. "I realize that, without the king's backing you can't march in dressed in uniform."

"Then how do you suggest we do this?" Codey asked.

"Arthur will stroll in as Prince of Arieland."

Arthur smirked. "Clever, send me in disguised as myself. I think I can manage that. What about Codey?"

"A servant I suppose."

Arthur studied him for a moment before shaking his head. "We'll be separated. The baron would never let him remain with me the entire time."

"So what, I could question the servants," Codey insisted.

Arthur snorted. "If the baron is the issue I'm sure he's frightened the servants into silence. I've a better idea. You'll go as my cousin. Sometimes, in Arieland wealthy families pay off gentlemen of noble birth to act as companions to their sons. They believe they'll provide a good influence. Doesn't always work out that way, but you can't tell nobles a damn thing."

Codey wrinkled his nose. "I am not companion material. I'm a stable boy not a noble."

The captain snorted and sat forward to fold his hand together on his desk. "No, you're a knight. I think it's the perfect plan. It will get the both of you inside the baron's home, up close with him. You can figure out what's happening in Kingsley and report to me. It may be nothing or it could have something to do with the attack on the princess."

Arthur stood. "We'll leave tonight. I need to get Codey some clothes or he's going to look like the stable boy he claims to be," he said with a chuckle.

They both shook the captain's hand before leaving. Codey walked beside his friend, deep in thought for a few moments before he realized Arthur had turned in the direction of the castle. "Where are you going?"

"To the castle."

"Yes, I can see that. Why are you going to the castle?"

"I did mention clothing."

Codey rolled his eyes. "Yes and what, you're just going to ask the king?"

Arthur laughed. "No, of course not. We're going to raid my trunks."

He stopped walking and stared at his friend. "I'm fairly certain if I remember correctly you were sent here when you eight. I doubt anything will fit me."

"No, it wouldn't, if of course those were the clothes I was talking about."

Codey scowled at him. "All right, I'm done playing games. Would you care to explain?"

"Come on, let's walk while I explain." They began walking again. "Every year, my father insists I purchase an entire new wardrobe. One fit for a prince. I never use it, of course, but he insists I have it in case it's needed."

"What do you do with all of it?" Codey asked, perplexed.

Arthur shrugged as they entered through a side door. "I've left that up to the princess."

Codey stopped dead. "Skylette?"

Arthur looked over his shoulder at him. "Yes, she said she would handle it. I'm not certain what she ends up doing with all of it but I trust it was something good."

A memory flashed through Codey's mind when he had been thirteen and she'd given him a shirt and trousers for his birthday. He'd been awed over the thoughtfulness of the gift, not just because, once again she'd been the only one to remember his birthday, but because it was, too fine a gift for a stable boy. Now he knew where she'd gotten so fine a gift, from Arthur. Stupid of him to think she'd purchased it. Obviously, her father never would have let her buy such a thing for a stable boy. Still, she'd thought of him. She had always thought of him.

He cleared his throat. "Yes, I'm certain it was. Let's get this over with."

Arthur stared at him a moment before turning away and heading off down a corridor. They slipped into a dark room that he'd opened with a key and he lit a lamp. Inside were several trunks filled with all sorts of clothing, both formal as well as casual. Everything a prince could possibly need for any occasion.

Codey whistled. "Your father didn't spare any expense."

"No, he didn't. Here, put everything in here." He set a bag in front of him. Codey packed everything into the bag. After a bit, Arthur stood in the center of the room turning a small circle. "I think that should do it. Now we need to hide everything until we can slip out of here." He scooped up his bag and Codey grabbed his.

Together they exited the room and Arthur locked it up. Codey led the way out of the castle and directed Arthur over to the stables. "I know where we can hide our things," he whispered as they entered the stables.

Arthur only nodded as they walked down the center aisle between the stalls. Codey stopped before one and the white head of a stallion appeared over the door. The horse studied them before it stretched its neck out to nudge at Codey. "Hello boy. How are you?"

"Isn't that the princess' horse?" Arthur hissed.

"Yes and no. She hasn't ridden since her brother died. Give me your bag." Codey held out his hand and Arthur handed over the bag. He slipped into the stall and hid both bags beneath the hay inside the stall. He prayed no one attempted to enter Lightning's stall. "You guard our things, boy." He gave the horse's side a pat before exiting and closing the door.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Codey?"

"Best one I've got. No one rides Lightning except the princess or me. Neither one of us have done so in a long while. I doubt that will change anytime soon."

"You have got to be kidding?"

"No, not at all. I trained him." Codey turned and headed back out of the stables. After a moment, Arthur followed.

"I'm finding it more and more annoying that you and the princess are so connected and yet you insist you don't know her well."

Codey grinned. "Sorry to have upset you my friend. The only dealings the princess and I ever had with one another were through the horses. Nothing direct."

Arthur snorted. "Keep denying it, friend, I'm still not buying it."

They retreated to the barracks to rest until later that evening when they would leave. It would be much easier to slip out when there was a lighter accompaniment of guards on duty late at night.

"You're taking the princess' horse, are you insane?" Arthur hissed in the dark quiet of the stables.

"Not like she's going to miss him. She hasn't ridden him in ages. Besides, I need a horse fit for a noble, right? I am cousin to a prince." He smirked at Arthur.

"Whatever, see if I care when she strings you up by your toes."

They talked their way out through the back gate. An easy task after the attack in the garden, everyone knew the two of them had helped fend off the attackers. All they had to tell the guards at the gate, was the captain was sending them out to check the surrounding area for anything suspicious. No one questioned why they were looking in the middle of the night.

"That was a little too easy," Arthur remarked as they rode down the road.

Codey shrugged. "You wanted to fight our way out instead?"

"Well, no not really. I simply don't like that our men are so lax with securing the gate. That's all."

"They do know us, Arthur."

"I suppose so. How long is it going to take us to get to Kingsley?"

"Two or three weeks. More if you dally," he said as he tapped his heels into Lightning's side and put on a burst of speed, leaving his friend in a cloud of dust.

***

"We'll stop here for the night and rest," Codey commented as they rode into the small village. "I need to find the tanner, why don't you go check us into the inn." After riding through the night and most of the day, they both needed to rest.

"Problem?" Arthur asked, eying his horse as if looking for problems with his saddle.

Codey shook his head. "No, just need something fixed real quick. It isn't a big deal." He thought Arthur was going to question him further, but after a moment, he turned his horse and headed in the opposite direction. He didn't want to try and explain why he needed to find the tanner. Turning away, he nudged Lightning in the direction he wished to go and found the tanner at the opposite edge of the village.

It was common for the tanner situate his workshop near the edge of town because of the smell associated with the tannery. He dismounted and looped Lightning's reins over the post out front before stepping into the building.

"Hello?"

"Back here!" a voice answered from somewhere at the rear of the building.

Codey made his way through the building, weaving through various vats of odorous smelling liquid and worktables with hides tossed over them. He studied a table that held some works in progress before moving through a large, open rear door and out behind the building where he found a man hanging several hides to dry in the sun, stretching them on racks. "Can I have a moment of your time?"

The tanner finished hanging the last hide before wiping his hands on his trousers and turning to Codey with a grin. "What can I do for you?"

He pulled his sword from its resting place at his hip and presented it to the tanner. The man frowned in confusion at him.

"Sir, I'm afraid you have the wrong place, the blacksmith—"

Codey stopped him before he could finish. "I would like you to cover the hilt. Wrap it in leather."

He looked between the sword and Codey for a moment. "It's a beautiful weapon, why would you wish to cover such workmanship?"

Codey had known that question would come up. "It was my father's; I want to be judged on my own merits not the weapon I carry."

"I see." He took the weapon and led the way back inside the building, where he sat before one of the worktables. It took him only a few moments to wrap the hilt and cover its distinctive decretive, jeweled pommel. Codey paid the agreed upon price, thanked the man and left to meet Arthur at the inn.

Covering the hilt of the sword had seemed the best option for keeping his identity a secret once they reached Kingsley. He had no desire to be remembered. Carrying the sword of one of the most celebrated knights of the realm would make him a beacon.

Leaving Lightning in the stable at the rear of the inn, he went inside and found Arthur sitting in the corner of the room. A tankard of ale set before him on the table.

He took a seat across from his friend and let the serving girl know he wanted ale as well. "Did you get us rooms?"

"Yes and did you accomplish whatever mission you set off on?"

Codey arched a brow at him. "Mission?"

"Well since you obviously didn't want me to come with you ..." he trailed off.

"It seemed easier to split up and let you secure our rooms while I did what I had to do." He shrugged and then nodded to the serving girl as she set a tankard in front of him.

Arthur sat back in his chair and took a long sip of his ale while studying Codey. His eyes flicked over his friend for an uncomfortable length of time before he set his tankard down. Are you going to tell me why you felt it necessary to cover the pommel of your sword?"

Codey's hand tightened reflexively on the handle of his tankard. Leave it to Arthur to notice his sword. He should have known he wouldn't be able to slip it past him, Arthur was too damn observant. "It was my father's and anyone in Kingsley who knew him would recognize it. I thought it prudent not to flash it around."

"Ah yes, especially given that you are posing as my cousin. Good thinking."

He sat back, relieved that Arthur had accepted the excuse. Not that it had been a bad one. It was a perfectly acceptable one and one that made perfect sense now that he thought about it. He downed his ale and set the tankard down. "I'm tired; I'm going up to sleep. We'll leave early and get a good start tomorrow."

They left at first light, neither wanted to stay on the road any longer than necessary. Their goal was Kingsley, so neither looked back as they left the village. And neither saw the tanner and his son watching them as they rode out of the village.

"Are you certain, Father?"

"I'd recognize that sword anywhere, son. It isn't one I'd forget. I'd like to know where he got it."

"You don't think he's Lewelan's son?"

His father gave his head a quick shake. "I doubt it, the boy died in the raid on Kingsley. I need to send a few messages. Someone has to know how that boy got hold of Ronan's sword." He turned and walked away, heading back toward their home at the opposite end of the village. Leaving his son to stare after the two strangers.