There was a chill in the air .The weather was turning cold .A week had passed peacefully and the Prince had healed completely .We would go for short walks in the fresh forest air .I loved these walks with the Prince . Walking silently beside him I realised that it was not the journey but the companion that was important .I stood there and looked at him .He turned towards me on seeing that I had stopped and asked " what happened ?"
" Nothing " I just shrugged and moved a little nearer to him .He held my fingers and caressing them asked me suddenly " You did not give me an answer before you disappeared and you still have not said anything . I was waiting and giving you the time to think .would you be able to one day love me the way I love you ?And will you tell me your story ? I Promise to believe me .and I also promise to abide by your decision whatever it maybe ."
I gazed at his face and the sincerity in his eyes touched me deep inside .I pulled him close to me and kissed him on his lips and asked " Is that an answer?"
I tugged his hand and then we sat on a log at the side of the path .
Then I narrated all the weird things that happened to me and as I was saying my story I found it totally incredible . I wondered if he would believe me .
" I believe you " he said .
" Did you read my mind?"
" it is obvious isn't it ?" he smiled
And it was then that I heard the faint whisper of footsteps.I could smell danger in the air ..
I rolled my eyes at him silently and he understood my message . I had my sword with me all the time and I held my breath .I saw from the corner of my eyes that there were four of them all in black .I hated that colour black .Give me sunlight anyday …I am a creature of the sun .
I swung and pushed the Prince to one side with a -sorry your majesty- and then I was fighting with those four men . I slashed the throat of one and then my sword cut into the heart of another and with a jump I was crossing sword with the other two .
Though they were good I was better and then I slashed the remaining two .
I held the Prince's hand and then we ran towards the house .
I was hoping that the old man and the old woman were safe .
As we reached the place we saw five bodies littered in front and the couple was sitting on the doorstep waiting for us .
" There you are " the woman smiled .Their swords were dripping blood but they were uninjured .
" I think it is time for you both and for us to move on .It is dangerous here now ." the old man said .
I wondered how the couple could kill five men .were they warriors ? Did they know us ? Who were they exactly ? If they had betrayed us they would not have healed the Prince and killed those men.
The old man looked at me and said "There is no time to think.Take the Prince and move on "
Ah … so they knew it was the Prince !.They were hiding something .But like the man had said ,there was no time and we had to move on and I had to take the Prince away from here .
I wondered who they were .We mounted our horse and we rode away from the place . I was a little worried about the old couple .The Prince however was very confident that they would escape and could take of themselves .
We passed a few villages but we did not go through the villages.We made a detour and went silently around the village without alerting them so that the enemy would not find any information .
I prayed that I would not suddenly go back into the modern world .
I followed the Prince's instructions and followed the route that he told me to take .
Soon we reached a huge mansion with lots of soldiers and servants.
They immediately welcomed their Prince and we were led inside .The Prince immediately took command and soon the soldiers were dispatched in the direction we had come .I waited at the door and there were other warriors also and seeing them I sighed with relief.
When the Prince was discussing various plans with the generals we the warriors were on guard duty inside and outside and around the Prince.All of us were alert to slight changes in the surroundings.
The Prince then slept .
Darkness had crept and the stars twinkled in the clear moonlight sky .
I watched the sky and then my gaze fell on the trees surrounding the mansion.The leaves swayed as the men in black ( that colour again) jumped through them like monkeys in a forest.I whistled and soon we were engaged in a silent war where only the slight whisper of a dying breath could be heard. We fought like crazy and soon the courtyard was filled with blood .The stench was nauseating even for me . And when I chopped off the head of a nobleman I was unaware that it was the Prince's Uncle .When the battle was over and the servants came running to clear the bodies and the blood ,it was only then that I realised that I had killed the Prince's Uncle .I had only seen him a few times and I had found him very arrogant and calculating then .I wondered if the Prince was awake.We were at a little distance away from his room and he might have heard the commotion obviously .I only hoped that he was safe.There were warriors right outside the window and the door guarding him .I still prayed that he was safe.i was covered with enemy blood now and all I wanted was to take a bath right now .
Tired but victorious we waited for the Prince to come out .We did not know if there were more men out there .So we kept vigil the whole night taking turns.
After a little while I felt sick of the blood coating my clothes and face and hands.I remembered that there was a huge trough of water behind the mansion just at a little distance away from the stables .
I whispered to the other warrior with me that I was going to take a leak and then walked silently towards the water to clean myself .